New Threads

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.
March 2021

Please specify what the interview was for.
9am arrival (online group call) introductory talk until 9:30am.
10-10:30 group presentation.
10:30 presenting to two partners and back to group call.
11am case study research, then presentation to two partners on the options available to our clients.
12pm interview with two partners.

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.
Case Study - 30 minutes to read through the case/our client’s position, and different documentation relating to the case. After that, you have 10 minutes to present a summary of the case, a timeline and the options available to our client to two partners. They will ask you a series of questions about the case study.

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.
Try to think of something unique to say in the Case Study interview, set out a timeline or the key parties and their interests, rather than just a basic summary - that’s what they will hear all day. Remember to keep in mind key facts and figures that would be necessary to mention. Make sure you have a full understanding of the facts of the case and, if you’re a law student, mention specific legal remedies (eg “we could propose mediation/ADR/negotiation prior to litigation”) they’ll be looking for this.

Research the firm really well - key news updates, clients, cases etc, this will stand out well in the final interview during the assessment centre. Overall, be yourself, there’s only two interviewers for each of the two interviews so it’s not overly intimidating - try to form a connection with those who are interviewing you, it’ll help you stand out! Try writing down their names, adding them on LinkedIn and thanking them for their time right after the assessment centre finishes, when they give feedback to the GR team they’ll remember this as you being polite and it will help you be remembered as a candidate.

Were you successful?
Yes

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.
February 2021

Please specify what the interview was for.
Summer Vacation Scheme 2021

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.
10am Arrival
10:30am Talk From Graduate Recruitment: given case study and asked to proofread and create a presentation
11am submit case study and return to meeting room to present to two Partners
12pm Lunch
12:45pm Negotiation exercise breakout room with another candidate
1pm Negation with other party assessed by 2 partners

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.
Case Study - 45 minutes to read through report and prepare a 10 minute presentation on what project you recommend X embarking on. 10 minutes to prepare to partner followed by 15 minutes of questions. 10 minutes to go over proofreading document.

Negotiation Exercise - 30 minutes to read and prepare with partner. 30 minutes to negotiate with other side. 10 minutes of questions from partner after.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.
Go over negotiation skills with someone beforehand if you can. Brush up on your commercial awareness by reading the news. Don't interrupt whoever is speaking. Try to be jovial and make conversation with everyone anytime you can.

Were you successful?
No

@Jaysen reading this brought me close to tears. I can’t wait to show my dream firm how much I want to work for them and how much all of this means to me.

Thank you for including this in the Weekly Newsletter because it reminded me of how my drive and determination I have. All those late nights and working multiple jobs to fund law school to go down the (‘wrong’) barrister’s route. I can’t believe I am going to do it all over again and self fund the LPC - but this time it’s truly worth it. Becoming a barrister only directed me to what I now know is my dream job.

Thank you for creating this amazing platform, full of talented, wonderful and supportive people. I have learnt so much ever since starting my journey in January this year. My heart is full of gratitude. Please keep doing the good work!

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.
November 2020

Please specify what the interview was for.
Summer Vacation Scheme 2021

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.
09:00 Ten-minute welcome from Graduate Recruitment
09:30- 10:30 General Interview (2 interviewers)
10:45- 11:00 Video call with Trainee
11:30 Commercial Article Received
12:00- 13:00 Analytical Interview (2 interviewers)

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.
General Interview: Lasted 1 hour and is usually conducted by one Partner and one Associate. The interview was semi-structured with certain questions that the interviewers wanted to cover, but a lot of the interview conversation took off based on my responses. The questions were motivation and competency-based. There is also one compulsory situational judgement question that all interviewers must cover. Most of the follow-ups were based on my responses, asking me to elaborate or asking directly applicable my learnings were to the workplace setting

Analytical Interview: Lasted 1 hour and is also usually conducted by one Partner and one Associate, although I had a Senior Associate and an Associate. The interview is preceded by 30mins of prep time on a commercial article that is emailed to you. The questions are based on general commercial concepts in the context of the article.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.

General Interview:
1. Be prepared to elaborate on experiences mentioned in your application. Try not to be descriptive only. Providing a reflective response will give depth to the answer and show you as a well-reflected individual.
2. Treat the interview as a conversation, it will automatically ensure you are not too uptight. Use the time at the end of the interview to speak about your interviewers and their work. This was the time that I genuinely felt I connected with the interviewers and could tell they were pleased to talk to me
3. Smile, relax and be yourself! The feedback I received was that the interviewers in both my interviewers enjoyed interviewing me. Being personable and interested in hearing about your interviewers' experiences will go a long way in forming a connection.
4. The situational question may relate to an experience you have not dealt with before. Be prepared to think on your feet. Explain each step of your thinking. Why are you considering a certain option to be the best solution? Why did you discard other options?
5. In answering why Freshfields, try to draw out specific interactions you have had with the firm. For eg: 'During my time at the Spring Scheme/Open Day/ Webinar... ' Prefacing your reasons with an interaction shows proactivity.

Analytical Interview:
1. The interviewers want to see your thought process and the way you reach an answer. It doesn't matter if you do not know all the answers, I certainly didn't. I found acknowledging that I did not know an answer and then offering to take them through my reasoning helpful. Make educated estimates and use your existing commercial knowledge to offer an answer.
2. Pick up on social cues. The interviewers are more than happy to guide you along to the right answer. Think in the direction they are pointing you to
3. The article I received was related to a broader trend of retail stores being on the decline in the UK. Keeping up with big stories and having an opinion can be helpful. The article will not be super niche. Any wider reading you've done can also be cleverly integrated into your answers. For eg:' 'The problem mentioned in the article is not exclusive to xyz alone, a wider market trend can be observed. Recently, [company abc] announced....'

Were you successful?
Yes

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.
March 2021

Please specify what the interview was for.
Summer Vacation Scheme 2021

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.
9am welcome talk
9:15am interview with two partners
10:15am written exercise
11:15 group exercise
12:15 debrief with early careers

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.
Interview - 45 minutes
Started with a brief introduction about you and your career history and what you have been doing over the past few years. Questions started with why law, why the specific stream you applied for and why Irwin Mitchell. Interview included several scenarios focusing on teamwork and how you would act in certain situations e.g. how would you work with a team member who disagreed with you to persuade them to your way of thinking. Commercial awareness questions included a recent news story you are interested in and follow up questions about how this would apply to the firm.

Written exercise -
Asked to write an email to your supervisor about a question they posed. No extra materials to read through. Focus on SPAG and how the question could impact the firm.

Group exercise -
Had to work with a group to analyse some information and come to a unanimous decision. More information was given throughout the task which we were asked if this changed our decisions. Assessed on planning, analysis and teamwork. At the end graduate recruitment asked each member of the team a different question based on what had been discussed in the team.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.

Interview: Pick a legal news story that has an obvious impact on the firm so that you can really relate it back to Irwin Mitchell. Show a real enthusiasm for the firm and be able to talk about both streams.

Written exercise: Focus on SPAG Relate the points back to Irwin Mitchell and really develop them Include an executive summary at the top of the email to make it easy to read.

Group exercise: Provide a lot of detail for your responses and here also try and link it back to the firm. Be vocal and don’t get swept along in agreeing with everyone else - make your own suggestions. Sum peoples points up in order to keep the group moving forward.

Were you successful?
No

Hi everyone,

I appreciate this is an enviable position to be in, but I received offers from both my dream firms - Mishcon de Reya and Macfarlanes - and I'm really struggling to decide.

I have until Thursday (27th May) to let Mishcon de Reya know my decision, but I feel really stuck. They're both incredible firms and I don't think I can go wrong with either - but that's part of the problem.

Some background info:
I did VSs at both, but the Macfarlanes one was two weeks and the MdR just two days. Obviously, I got much more insight into the culture and work of Macfarlanes than MdR via their schemes. I loved the people at Macfarlanes, the general vibe and the work I heard about/did was interesting, but I am very drawn to MdR's work, especially their Art Law and Private Client seats.

I know Macfarlanes is better pay, but I'm trying not to let that come into things - I'm lucky enough to afford the choice, so I want to go somewhere I'll get solid training and really enjoy what I do. However, I am also aware that Macfarlanes' retention rate is higher and they have a reputation for outstanding training (I'm not too sure about MdR's rep on this one).

Basically, if anyone had any insight they could share, or any general views on/perceptions of each firm, I'd really appreciate it. I feel like I've read and watched everything I can, but I still can't seem to make up my mind!

I've recently finished my final tests/exams and have no work to do. Would it be beneficial to do a few practice Watson Glaser tests? Could someone maybe recommend me some good e-books that will help casually develop my commercial knowledge. Or anything that would in general benefit my applications to a VC/TC. Thanks in advance!

Edit: I'm technically Y13 and ill be going uni this September

If anyone has any tips please let me know!

Heyy guys,

I've been struggling to answer this question for the TLT direct TC app - any ideas?

Please choose a sector. What can the legal industry learn from this sector and in particular, what can TLT learn?

Thanks in advance

I really did not see the point of closing the thread and then saying that we could open another one if we wanted to continue our discussion? I do not think it is fair to prevent people from responding to the posts that were made. At least give the chance for people to respond when they are being addressed, and allow them to explain themselves. It really feels like BPP have some hold over this website, as whenever there is criticism against them, the same people are always defending them. I really think that if you have not gone to BPP, you really cannot comment on the situation. I think that is what is causing a lot of the frustration. You really needed to sit the PGDL with them, especially this year, to really comprehend the gravity of the situation. I posted 24 headlines in the previous thread about the scandals BPP have been involved in the last 3 years, that really should say it all!

I am starting this thread (again) mainly to allow freedom of speech to continue, alongside not allowing BPP to win and have our opinions and views silenced. I appreciate things got a little heated in the previous thread between some members. However, I think it is counter-productive to lock a thread which prevents a person from responding. Moreover, it would be more productive to help a person see where they have gone wrong in their reasoning or in the way they expressed it, rather than to tell them off like a teacher, and then lock the thread which didn't seem like the best way to deal with the situation.

I also believe it was unfair "Max Power" failed to address the main issues that have been discussed in the previous thread, and only gave an account of his own experience which I do not believe is reflective of the wider cohort. I am glad you had such a great time, but at least address the points that have been raised. Nobody mentioned anything about a statute book? Why on earth would you need one for the PGDL exams anyway? You can just save the statutes you need on your laptop and use them in the exam. We were talking about study materials and textbooks which we were promised. I don't care if law firms are going paperless. I really think you have been drinking too much of the BPP cool aid.

As someone that got high distinctions in all the first term modules, BPP does not give you all the tools to get a distinction. I and others in my class had to work everything out for ourselves to succeed. This is further emphasised by the high amount of people that failed modules, which suggests BPP do not give you the tools to get a distinction. I also find it disappointing that you would assume we all have 2.1s. A lot of people have gone to the best universities and secured first class degrees, and still struggled.

In sum, I am glad you had such an amazing experience, whilst the majority did not. I wish you were more truthful and addressed some of the points we already mentioned, which would have made for a far more interesting and informative discussion.

Hey everyone,

We are updating our database of interview experiences for 2021! Over the past three years, TCLA's interview experiences have helped thousands of candidates better prepare for interviews at the UK's leading law firms. These are publicly shared in our forum so anyone can access these, no matter your circumstances or background.

We are looking for people who are willing to give back and share the experience they had in the late 2020-2021 cycle. As a thank you, each properly-completed submission will receive a £5 Amazon Gift Card.

Access the form here.

I know that some of you have already kindly contacted me to share your interview experience this cycle. If this is you, you are absolutely entitled to a gift card - please just drop me a private message.

Note:

• We are only inviting submissions for those who interviewed with law firms between September 2020 to date.
• We ask that you please answer each question in as much detail as you can. We reserve the right to withhold a gift card if the questions have not been answered in sufficient detail.
• Each person can submit more than one interview experience, although we'll be capping the form at 200 total submissions. If you intend to submit several interview experiences, please submit one at a time. We may redact parts of your submission if it would impact the law firm process.
• By uploading your interview experience here, you consent to us sharing your experience in our public forum. Please feel free to redact any personal information within the interview experience. We will also keep your name and email address confidential.

If the form is completed fully, a £5 Amazon Gift Card will be emailed to you in three working days .

Thank you so much!

The TCLA Team

Hey everyone!

You’ve probably heard the term 'private equity'. It sits behind some of the most well-known companies in the world, from Bumble to Odeon to Gymshark.

You probably also know that law firms specialise in this area. Private equity has fuelled the practices of some of the largest global law firms.

Today, we launch a new course that sits at the heart of private equity and the law. Taught by Arun Sohan-Pall, it's designed to take you from where you are now, and teach you what you need to know about private equity in an engaging and accessible manner.

Access it here.

This course is for you if:

you've ever found private equity intimidating and confusing
you want to develop the confidence to discuss terms like 'leverage' and 'institutional investors' with ease
you want to stand out when applying to law firms focused on private equity

The goal is to leave you with the knowledge to wow interviewers and the confidence to work out whether a career in private equity law is for you.

Uniquely, you'll be able to understand exactly how corporate and finance lawyers advise private equity firms, as we dive deep into key transaction documents and the most hotly negotiated terms.

In our view, it's the best technical course we've released to date and a must-watch for anyone interested in corporate law.

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It's also free for TCLA Premium members. To celebrate the launch of this course, use the coupon code "ESG" for 10% off our premium packages this week.

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I am in the middle of choosing between BPP and ULaw and was wondering about City law firms' preferences between those two (and maybe also the courses they would be requiring).

Could anyone let me know which firms choose which LPC provider?

I would like to know about as many firms as possible which specialise in Private Equity, M&A and Corporate/Commercial Law in general.

Hi everyone! I am posting this because I could really use your advice on which job I should choose for next year. I didn't secure a VS or a TC this year and I hope to re-apply to City law firms next year while working. I am thinking of choosing between the two based on which one (if either) could give me an edge in applications.

The first is a New Analyst position at a top international investment bank (i.e. Goldman/J.P Morgan) based in Warsaw. This sits within Regulatory Operations so could give me additional connection to law in terms of working closely with regulatory issues and the firm's legal department. Although the office is fully English speaking and the job is entirely in English, my worry is whether the fact that it is based in Warsaw will be a big disadvantage when applying to law firms in London (i.e. the way it would be perceived by grad recruitment). It also is in middle/back office, unlike the second offer.

The second offer is in business development at a FAANG firm in London, where effectively I would work in sales/business consulting. This would provide me with more client contact and client focus in terms of managing and liaising with clients. I would effectively be on calls with clients every single day from the very start. I would also have the chance to launch my own projects. The advantage of this job is that it is based in London (so perhaps better viewed by recruitment) and at an innovative large tech firm. No legal aspect of the job though.

I am leading towards the first offer because it seems to me that it could be better perceived as both a 'brand' name and a law-related role by recruitment in the UK, but my main concern is that it is based in Warsaw and hence I am not sure how that fact will be perceived by grad rec. My other concern is that Operations sit within middle/back office, and although this means that I can pursue a position with some legal aspect to it, I am not sure if a front office sales role at FAANG wouldn't be perceived more favourable.

My last question is – would the answer differ based on the law firm? I am planning to apply to the large internationals (Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, Dentons) and both Magic and Silver Circle. I will probably avoid mainly transactional M&A focused US-law firms. My dream is Mishcon de Reya – as a more 'quirky' of the bunch perhaps they would view the FAANG option as the better one because of the exposure to tech and innovation? Or would they rather have someone from a more 'traditional' firm like a top investment bank.

I would be extremely thankful for any insight you could provide!

Hi Guys,

I am facing a dilemma and could really use some input!

I am a career changer currently studying the GDL alongside my current employment as Operations Manager for a medical devices company. I have been contacted regarding a legal support assistant position at a well-known, relatively local firm and I don't know whether to go for it.

The firm that is interested in me is very focused on internal promotions and I have been very candid about my journey so they know that I am looking to qualify. They have said that there is scope for future progression but this would be to paralegal and then scope to progress to a training contract after this.

In terms of employability and obtaining a training contract, would it be seen as more beneficial to have a law firm on my CV, even if the tasks are more menial and administrative? My current employers are very supportive of my change to law so alongside my usual management duties I also undertake contract drafting and reviews, drafting terms of sale and NDA's, reviewing tenancy agreements and I am the point of contact for all trademark and IP issues. These used to be passed directly to our solicitors but are now only signed off by them after my work.

I completely understand that I am going to take a significant pay cut to move to an entry-level position in law but to be a legal support assistant and then paralegal before a TC will probably take a good few years in each position I would expect.

Is it worth it to be considered for TC with the firm further down the line? My current thinking is that the duties that I undertake now are developing more valuable skills than administrative support duties even if I am not in a law firm but I don't want to miss an opportunity that would be more beneficial and relatable on TC apps.

What do you think? I could really use a sounding board as I don't want to waste anyone's time and I don't have much of it myself.

Hi all,

for those who have applied to China-London TCs,

I would like some opinions on China-London TC and London-Asia TC Linklaters and Freshfields are doing.

Do you think it's less competitive since they require native speakers? I am a native speaker of Mandarin (I also speak Cantonese) so I thought maybe there are less applicants comparing to their London TCs. But obviously, I don't know how many trainees they take on each year with their Asia programmes.

Will they focus less on GCSE/A Level? I know in Chinese job market, law firms don't ask about secondary education, so I was wondering if that would be the same for their Asia programme?

I was hoping Jessica could share some insight.

Thanks a lot!

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

February 2021

Please specify what the interview was for.

Spring Vacation Scheme 2021

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

12pm - 5pm on TopScore.
12 - 12:30pm: Briefing with Graduate Recruitment.
12:30 - 1:10pm: Group Exercise.
1:20 - 2:15pm: Written Exercise.
2:25pm - 3:20pm: Talk with current trainees.
3:30 - 4:20pm: Interview with one partner and two associates.
4:30pm - 5pm: Talk from GR/end of AC.

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

Group exercise (40 mins): It was more of a negotiation exercise where you had to defend a certain position and had 10 mins to read through a number of documents to prepare a 2-min introduction on your position. Then you had to negotiate with the rest of the group (we were 5) and within 30 mins you're supposed to come to a conclusion and decide which idea you would implement, taking into account the budget and discussion with the others.

Written exercise (55 mins): Had to read around 10 pages including some background info, graphs, articles, profiles on a company. The information is quite straightforward and doesn't require background knowledge. The question was about advising the client on the risks/advantages of a business proposal (and whether they should enter into it), what further information you needed from them and any next steps you'd be taking. It wasn't an M&A case study, it was on advising a furniture company that was interested in expanding its services and reaching a wider customer base (through 3D-printing and customisable furniture).

Interview (50 mins): One partner and one associate. Explained their background, what they were doing at B&B and how the interview will go. Had a specific set out questions to ask.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.

Group exercise: Timing is really tight so I'd suggest being the timekeeper and reminding everyone that X amount of time is left because we really struggled with that. If you're not comfortable doing that, ask someone if they want to do it instead. Some people contribute less so make sure you ask what they think without calling them out on it. If someone has been talking for a while, propose to conclude and move on to the next person/point. Make sure to express your point of view and raise different pros/cons of the idea proposed by someone else. And remain consistent in terms of acknowledging and engaging with others.

Written exercise: manage your time wisely because there's a lot of documents and information to process. I'd suggest writing your response throughout rather than after reading everything because I lost a lot of time by not doing that. Try to add any legal/commercial awareness that you have if it's relevant and consider all the different risks and implications to reach a conclusion. Think about any further info you'd need to advise fully. Analyse the facts and info in depth in a structure way to assess the pros/cons of each idea.

Interview: the firm really focuses on candidates' individual personalities so just be yourself and don't show that you've prepared all your 'why law?, 'why B&B?', 'why you?' answers because it might feel unnatural. Try to build a rapport with them because they're very nice and are genuinely interested to get to know you more. There aren't any trick questions but the 'hardest' part was the debate question (which assesses whether you can think on your feet). Make sure to ask questions at the end. And try to refer to your talk with the trainees if possible.

The AC is quite intense and long so make sure you get some rest the day before and make good use of the regular breaks.

Were you successful?

No

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

August 2020

Please specify what the interview was for.

Training Contract 2022

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

N/A

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

Video Interview
I had three questions, 15 seconds to think and 60 seconds to answer
1) Know why you want to apply to Bristows and what differentiates them from competitors
2) Know why you want to be a commercial lawyer and your goals for the career
3) Know how to sell your skills and attributes to the firm If you pass the video interview, you will be invited to a first stage interview.

First Stage Interview
I had very standard interview questions like:
1) Why law degree
2) Why commercial law
3) Where else have you applied?
4) Favourite and least favourite module
5) If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it in one day?

Other questions I was asked followed on from things I mentioned. For example, in my “why commercial law?” answer, I was asked five follow up questions from something I had mentioned. Therefore, it was more of a conversation and less of a Q&A interview.

Tip: I wasn’t asked “why Bristows?”, so make sure you answer this when they ask “where else have you applied?”. In my feedback call, I was told this was a strong approach which other candidates fell down on.

Written exercise
An exercise where I had to advise a client on how they can be GDPR compliant.
Tip: Skim the articles provided but don’t spend too long reading it! Also read up on data protection as some basic knowledge around this is useful If you pass both you are then invited to the next stage which is a second stage interview and another exercise

Second Stage Interview
Much more technical interview but don’t be alarmed, the partners are just as friendly as those in first stage interview and they want you to do well! They liked how I took time to think through some complex questions about patents and trademarks. You may be asked some of the same questions from the first stage interview so be prepared to answer why law and why the firm as this may be asked here. I was asked “why Bristows?” in my second interview but not the first.

Interpretation Exercise
Ten questions on a scenario about geographical indications in relation to whisky and rum. They give you a statute and you need to advise a client who has asked ten questions about their rights.

Tip: Use your time wisely!

Please don’t be alarmed by the jargon in the statute. Bristows is also kind enough to allow you read the statute before accessing the questions. The time limit only begins when you access the questions so make sure you understand the statute before starting the questions I believe the interview carries much more weighting than the interpretation exercise, as I scored 100% and was not offered a TC. So don’t panic if you think you did badly in the exercise. Just try your best in both!

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.

Speak slowly, be calm and ask to think before responding to challenging questions. Even if you believe you know the answer, it gives you time to think through and you will feel in control!

Were you successful?

No

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

February 2021

Please specify what the interview was for.

Summer Vacation Scheme

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

It just consisted of one 45 minute interview, with 15 mins beforehand to chat with a trainee one-on-one. The whole process only took one hour.

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

Chat with a trainee - not technically assessed (as far as I know) but you had 15 mins to chat with them and ask questions about the firm/their experiences.

Interview - 45 mins - asked a whole load of questions, very interviewer led.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.

Chat with a trainee - Have some questions prepared, and try to ask questions that you can't find online but rather ones which only a trainee or someone at the firm could answer.

Interview - This was one of the strangest interviews I'd experienced and I've interviewed at a fair few firms. The interview lacked structure; it seemed very much like the partners just asked whatever they wanted. However, it was heavily focused on me, so I recommend preparing everything about yourself and your experiences. With this, be prepared to demonstrate that you have a real understanding of why commercial law and why them. They pushed very hard on this.
My other piece of advice would be try not to panic - if they push you on something and you feel backed into a corner it is just to see how you react under pressure. Stay calm and work through an answer logically.

Were you successful?

Yes

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

January 2021

Please specify what the interview was for.

Spring and Summer Vacation Scheme 2021

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

5 people at the virtual assessment centre including myself.

9:30 Candidates logged in to TopScore
9:40 Grad rec logged in to TopScore and introduction
9:45 Icebreaker - candidates asked to express one truth and one lie, whilst others in group are asked to identify the truth

Then the following exercises:
1) Group Exercise 1
2) Written Exercise
3) Group Exercise 2
4) Proof Reading Mark Up Exercise

We were given a one hour virtual lunch break at noon. We were also encouraged to take short breaks between each exercise to refresh. We had the choice of chatting to other candidates but everyone decided it was best to rest. We would not be penalised for choosing to rest over chatting.

The day ended around 4:30pm.

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

Group Exercise 1 - in this client scenario, a client (private equity pension fund) had identified four energy targets to invest in. These included solar company, wind company, and more. They had listed their client aims in the information pack and wanted our advice to determine which investment opportunity best suited their needs. The group discussed how much time was appropriate to read through the information and then share our views on why each target was strong or weak. I suggested analysing and listing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of each target for the client, then sharing our thoughts, which grad rec liked. There are many other ways of approaching this that could work too. Make sure you all come to a final decision on which target is best.

Written Exercise - you then need to draft an email to the client explaining which target you believed was strongest and why. You do not have to pick the target that was chosen in the group exercise.

Group Exercise 2 - prepare a presentation to pitch to a client essentially selling Watson Farley and Williams. The client will say what issues they had with previous lawyers so be sure to highlight how the firm can assist with this. Do research prior to the AC, but you will also be given an information pack about the firm. Lots of information is irrelevant and some of the packs are duplicated so make sure you communicate with other candidates to understand what they have. After preparation, you will present to a client for ten minutes. Keep track of time and don’t go over. Don’t go significantly under time limits too. Be prepared for questions after the presentation. Presentation skills aren’t assessed the most here, it’s more how you prepare during the discussion with other candidates. So if you are extremely shy and do not want to present, grad rec said you do not have to and you will not be penalised. Just make sure you make valuable contributions during the discussion.

Proof reading - a memorandum with 34 spelling, punctuation, grammar and formatting errors. There is no negative marking so if you are unsure about an error, it’s best to highlight it anyways.

All virtual exercises were given slightly longer than in-person assessments.

What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.

Group Exercise 1
1) Make valuable contributions - I was commended for adding value, whilst also welcoming others to contribute in a non confrontational way. Try and do this too, but avoid speaking for the sake of speaking!
2) Be friendly and use names when referring to others - this is very easy in a virtual assessment because names are on the screen. Candidates also introduce themselves in the beginning and will mention if they prefer to be called X instead of Y. Grad rec mentioned they liked how I did this, but other candidates have done this in a “fake” way. So, if you are using names, do it because it’s natural not because you think it will impress grad rec
3) Bring in commercial awareness - this could be anything from your understanding of private equity funds to trends in the energy industry. Grad rec was impressed with all candidates in my AC for doing this in a way which kept the client’s interests in mind

Written Exercise
1) Structure - there are many ways of doing this well. I personally used the bulk of my email to explain why I chose X target and explained how any weaknesses with the target could be mitigated. I also briefly explained why other targets were less suitable. I was told my approach was good but there are many other ways of doing this well.
2) Tone - with all written exercises, make sure your tone is consistent to the task. I made mine friendly and professional which grad rec liked
3) Timing - plan your response and keep track of time. These tasks are designed in such a way that all candidates will not complete it on time. If you find you’re running out of time, don’t panic. Briefly summarise the rest of your points and sign off the email. It may look rushed but it’s better than an in complete response.

Group Exercise 2
1) Timekeep - this also applies to the first exercise. Someone needs to keep track of time. You can volunteer to do this. Although, timekeeping can go horribly wrong so it may be worth getting two people to time keep. This apparently happened in a previous AC.
2) Show off your knowledge of the firm - you are given information packs but you do not have to use them straight away! You can all start with a discussion about the firm’s strengths. Once done, you can use the information packs for additional data
3) Information packs have irrelevant information - there are hundreds of pages that aren’t relevant. Some of the packs are duplicated too. So make sure two people aren’t reading the same pack. Discuss with each other what is in your packs and then you can agree which information is most relevant to use in the presentation
4) Presentation planning - identify who is saying what in the presentation early into your discussions, don’t leave this until the end. Also discuss how you will respond to questions at the end. As mentioned earlier, you do not have to speak during the presentation to pass. Grad rec at the end of the AC said everyone speaks in every AC but you do not have to! You purely get assessed on your discussion during the preparation. Dont dominate discussions, the firm likes team players so make valuable contributions here and there.

Proof Reading Exercise
1) Go through line by line, there will be errors in almost every line! Long words in particular may be spelt incorrectly. Look out for formatting errors like double spacing too!

Tips Before the Day
1) Research the firm thoroughly. This will help with group exercise 2 in particular
2) Keep up to date with their key industries eg shipping and energy. This will help with group exercise 1, as you can demonstrate commercial awareness
3) Understand private equity and M&A. This will help with group exercise 1 and the written exercise
4) Practice markup exercises. There are many websites online that allow this for free. A quick Google (or duckduckgo) search and you’ll find some. You’ll be able to quickly notice common errors eg “the the” at the end and beginning of a line. And you can learn to differentiate commonly misspelt words eg “affect” and “effect”.

Good luck!

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