Cravath, Swaine & Moore · HireVue
Cravath, Swaine & Moore's HireVue eliminates more candidates than any other round. One take, no do-overs, scored by humans against a rubric. Below: the real questions Cravath, Swaine & Moore asks, what they're testing for, and how to practise the format until it feels easy.
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The format
Pre-recorded video interview. Each question gets a short prep timer, then a one-take recording window. No retakes. Scored by Cravath, Swaine & Moore talent acquisition against a rubric.
None; this is a live, human-to-human interview.
Not applicable; nothing is pre-recorded.
The interviewing partner completes a structured internal evaluation matrix immediately after the block; callback decisions are reached on a same-day or overnight basis.
Invitation timing. The live screening interview is the opening gate, after the paper screen and before the callback, during the peak mid-summer cycle for rising 2Ls.
Completion window. June-August, rolling, via OCI or pre-OCI direct channels.
Retake policy. A single live screener; advancement is a hard binary, not a waitlist.
Volume context. A partner may interview 15-20 candidates a day at a T14; roughly 15-25% advance to a callback.
Recent changes. No HireVue or one-way video at any stage; the shift to pre-OCI direct hiring has moved screeners earlier and made rolling decisions faster.
Question categories
The HireVue rotates across distinct question types. For each, what the firm is screening for, plus a weak answer signal and a strong one drawn from past applicant accounts.
The core of the screener: explicit alignment with the Cravath System and New York.
“Why start your career at a firm that uses a strict rotational system rather than letting you specialize immediately?”
What they test. Operational understanding of the Cravath System
Weak answer. I want to work on big deals with the best lawyers.
Strong answer. I explained that the rotation builds well-rounded lawyers by breaking practice silos, cited working exclusively for one or two partners for 15-18 months, and tied that apprenticeship to my long-term goal of becoming a complete counselor.
“You could land at a top firm in any market. Why New York, and why Cravath specifically?”
What they test. Geographic commitment and flight risk
Strong answer. I gave a proactive personal and professional tie to New York and framed Cravath's single-office center of gravity as an asset for consistent culture and cross-practice collaboration.
Tests structural communication and whether you truly owned your past work.
“Walk me through your resume in under two minutes.”
What they test. Synthesis and a high-impact narrative arc
Strong answer. A 90-120 second thematic story explaining why each step was taken and landing on why you are sitting in front of Cravath.
“Explain your 1L legal writing brief to me as if I were a client with no legal training. If you had to argue the other side, how would you defeat your own brief?”
What they test. Clarity, executive summary and intellectual pivot
Strong answer. A clear, jargon-free summary of the core issue plus an instant, objective counter-argument delivered without becoming defensive.
Tests emotional intelligence, commercial curiosity and cognitive agility.
“Describe receiving highly critical feedback on work you poured effort into. What was your response?”
What they test. Resilience and coachability (STAR)
“What recent Cravath transaction or matter caught your eye, and what were the legal or strategic challenges?”
What they test. Genuine commercial and firm-specific awareness
Strong answer. I named a real Cravath matter and discussed the legal friction (regulatory hurdles, financing structure, litigation risk) rather than a surface headline summary.
“If you could not practice law or go into business, what would you do tomorrow morning?”
What they test. Raw cognitive agility and authentic personality
How it is scored
The interviewing partner completes a structured internal evaluation matrix immediately after the block; callback decisions are reached on a same-day or overnight basis.
Pass rates. Roughly 15-25% of screened candidates advance to a callback.
Response time. Frequently within 24-48 hours, sometimes the same evening; past 72 hours usually signals a rejection.
Feedback policy. No individual feedback; the decision is an almost binary advance or polite rejection.
How to practise
Same 30-second prep timer. Same recording window. Same one-take pressure. Plus a scored report after every answer so you can fix what's weak before the next run.
Goldman Sachs · HireVue practice
Your question
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Free, no card. Your transcript stays private.
Free practice question, scored. Full report unlocks with the Pack.
Why candidates fail
Specific failure patterns documented across past applicants. Most are avoidable with disciplined preparation.
Failing to define the Cravath System accurately
Wanting to specialize immediately, or not grasping why the rotation is distinct from a general pool, signals zero meaningful research.
An overly verbose resume walk-through
Taking seven minutes to recite every line item since high school shows an inability to synthesize and prioritize.
A meek or fragile presence
Trembling, a quiet monotone, weak eye contact or folding under mild pushback reads as not yet client-ready.
Canned answers and no commercial awareness
Generic prep-guide phrasing or blanking on a basic business trend or firm matter signals a candidate who treats law as a purely academic exercise.
What works
Concrete moves drilled by candidates who clear the cut-off, drawn from applicant accounts and recruiter feedback.
A masterful 90-120 second resume arc
A polished thematic narrative that connects each step to why you are at Cravath today.
Granular, structural firm knowledge
Discuss the rotation with operational precision and articulate exactly why the apprenticeship model beats a free-market or siloed model.
Intellectual grace under pressure
When challenged, pause, acknowledge the point with poise, and defend or nuance your position in a peer-to-peer dialogue.
Ultra-sophisticated closing questions
Ask about how the firm's lean associate-to-partner ratio shapes delegation in a high-stakes regulatory challenge, not how many offices it has.
From past applicants
Anonymised candidate accounts of how recent Cravath, Swaine & Moore applicants approached the HireVue. Each covers preparation, the experience, and the outcome.
Corporate track, T14 law school, top 15%, no prior work experience
Prep. Rehearsed a 60-second 1L memo summary and tied the rotation system to becoming a holistic corporate generalist given no business background.
Experience. A senior M&A partner skipped small talk and opened with why a Fortune 50 board should take an academic seriously. I leaned into Law Review and a federal externship as proof I could master unfamiliar frameworks under time pressure, then spent ten minutes on the rotation system.
Outcome. Received a callback invitation by phone roughly four hours later.
Litigation track, top 10% regional school, three years corporate tech experience
Prep. Knew a federal preemption note thesis cold and prepared to defend it against a hostile reframing.
Experience. A litigation partner cross-examined my thesis as if representing the corporate defendant. I conceded the compliance-cost point but argued long-term regulatory certainty would stabilize the client, then debated policy for seven minutes without folding.
Outcome. Received the formal callback invitation the next morning.
What gets you through
FAQ
No. Cravath uses no pre-recorded, automated or asynchronous one-way video tool (HireVue, Kira Talent, Modern Hire) anywhere in its US legal recruiting pipeline. Every candidate is evaluated exclusively through live, real-time interactions with Cravath attorneys, starting with the 20-30 minute live screening interview and moving directly into the live callback. The firm believes an elite future counselor cannot be accurately evaluated by an algorithm or a one-way recording.
The other rounds
HireVue is one of four rounds. The Pack covers all four end to end.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore Pack
Real Cravath, Swaine & Moore questions, identical timer, scored after every run. One Pack covers HireVue, online assessments, live interviews and the superday.
Get the Cravath, Swaine & Moore Pack · $89Intervyo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cravath, Swaine & Moore or HireVue. Question text is sourced from past applicants and the firm's published guidance; verify timings on the firm's official careers site before applying. The sector context above is Commercial Law.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore Pack
$89 one-time