37. Maya
“As you know, Lindler and Shaw is considered a tier one firm by US News and World Report.”
Maya followed the svelte raven-haired attorney down the main hallway of the modern space that was a study in gray and white. “We have five offices here in the U.S., and two internationally. I’m not at liberty to disclose any of our clients,” she said as she turned to her with a confident smile, “but I can say that they are well represented on the Fortune 500 list. Especially the top one-hundred.”
They moved briskly through the corridor, her guide occasionally extending her perfectly manicured hand to allude to her talking points. Maya looked through the plate glass wall that lined the hallway, taking in a sea of cubicles, each one punctuated by the top of a head whose face was masked by the partitions.
“This office is our U.S. headquarters. We have fifty paralegals supporting about one-hundred-fifty attorneys, over half of which are junior associates, so you’ll be in good company.” They came to a stop in front of the partially opened door of an office. “That completes the tour of the office, so I’m going to hand you off to Kevin Montgomery, one of our partners, for your final interview of the day. Knock, knock,” she chirped.
The well-preserved forty-something man stood and smoothed his tie as he stepped out from behind his desk and waved them in. The overhead fluorescent lights bounced off smooth and likely Botoxed forehead.
“I’d like you to meet Maya…” She unfolded the resume in her hand and glanced at it. “Hendricks. University of Pennsylvania, ranked fourth in her class, on Law Review, and LSAT score of 173,” she rattled off before passing off the resume and the candidate that went with it.
“How’d you let the other three slip in front of you?” the man exclaimed as he reached out to shake her hand. “That has to burn. Great LSAT score, though.”
His compliment felt like a backhanded slap to the face. Maya forced a chuckle that never quite passed through her tight-lipped grin as she shook his hand.
“Have a seat.” He motioned to the black leather and chrome chair in front of his desk as he took his seat again. “Well, you’ve got the right credentials and look,” he said with a nod her way.
Maya’s professional facade faltered for a moment. Look? It was such an odd thing to say. Like immediately and completely off-putting. Surely he meant the look of her resume, and not her looks.
“I have no doubt that you would fit in well here. Any chance you have experience or interest in copyright law since that’s the bulk of the work you would be doing?”
“I do, actually,” she said, perking up at the mention of work, though she thought her interest would have been abundantly clear if he had reviewed her resume. “I’m very passionate about intellectual property law. I actually completed an associateship with King and Associates this past summer.”
“Is that an intellectual property firm?”
“It is. In Atlanta,” she explained in light of his blank expression. “Mr. King has actually won some pivotal cases concerning trade secret misappropriation.”
“Hmm, never heard of him. I’ll have to look him up sometime.” His lack of enthusiasm belied his words, however. “But regardless, you’re here with us now, so congratulations on making it to this interview. That alone is an achievement because we only consider the best of the best.”
He placed his arms on the desk and leaned forward, giving her a smile that showcased his blindingly white teeth and chiseled cheekbones. “Reason being, our clients are at the top of their game, so they expect to have top talent working for them. You’re used to being in the company of greatness, but joining our firm would put you in an elite circle, the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else.”
He paused to allow the weight of his words to sink in, his smile growing while watching her and waiting for a reaction. It sounded exclusive, for sure, but impressive? She forced her eyebrows up and nodded, hoping she appeared deeply impressed even if she wasn’t quite there yet.
“I’m the closer in case you couldn’t tell,” he faux whispered to her, unable to stop himself from pointing out what he had just so obviously tried to do. “So how does that sound to you?”
It sounded like everything she had ever wanted to hear, but it wasn’t speaking to her in the way she dreamed it would.