Seeking a more bespoke and competitive alternative to traditional on-campus recruiting, many Am Law 50 firms have begun directly engaging with students before their peers start the on-campus interviewing process. In fact, leaders at Goodwin told Law.com that 50% of the firm’s 2023 summer associates were recruited pre-OCI. For firms, year-round recruiting cycles can significantly strain resources and detour strategic recruiting goals, Ashley Nelson, Managing Director of the Legal Recruitment department, said. And students may not be as prepared for interviews or as knowledgeable about job opportunities as they would be later in the year, she said. For schools, the additional management of precruiting programs coupled with standard OCIs can “present challenges for their career services teams,” Nelson said.