New Threads

Hi All,

I've locked the last thread since it has now reached 300 pages.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about applications, interviews and anything in between.

Wishing you the best of luck this year!

Jaysen

I am not too familiar with the correct formalities of English cover letters and have a few questions.

1) Are any of the following omissible?

• "... as advertised on ABC." - to show where I found the vacancy.
• "Thank you for your time and consideration."

or anything similar to that

2) When sending my resume and cover letter attached to an email, should I write an introduction and state which position I am applying to just in the body of the email or in both the email and the document itself?

I know these are mostly little details but I want to make sure.
Cheers

How would you go about answering the following question?

A favourite business you admire and talk about why you admire it, the opportunities and risks for the business

Hey guys,

I've applied for the CMS Academy 2020 and had some questions about the whole process. If anyone can answer that would be much appreciated!

1) After the online application form, which test are applicants asked to complete? I've read online that it's a critical reasoning test - I would assume that it's the Watson Glaser but online I haven't found much updated info about this. If it's not Watson Glaser, does anyone know the specific test provider?

2) Is there a video interview during the process? Curious to know how those who have completed it have found it.

3) At the assessment centre, are you required to take more psychometric tests? On TCLA threads about the CMS AC I haven't read anything about them, but elsewhere online I did. If you did take psychometric tests, what did they involve e.g. numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning etc..

Thank you!

Guys, I have an upcoming VI and I was wondering if you could give me some tips.
What are the typical questions? How should I prepare?

Hi everyone,

I have just received my first assessment day invite and I am feeling very lost and frankly quite terrified. They have told me that I will have lunch with partners/associates, a written exercise (45 minutes), negotiation exercise and a presentation (5 minutes on a commercial topic I found interesting and how it relates to the firm). I don't know where to start. How can I prepare well for the written and negotiation exercise? With regards to the presentation, what could be an 'interesting' topic for a corporate/government matters focused firm? I know that the London office has a particular focus on oil and gas/international arbitration/fraud-related disputes. Also, sorry for the ignorance but what is a negotiation exercise? I would really appreciate anyone's input.

Hey! Is anyone applying to the L&W Dubai VS?

Does anyone know if Akin Gump recruit on a rolling basis for their training contracts? Also roughly when they will start reviewing applications? I'm a penultimate year but I didn't apply for their vac scheme, so I'm sending in a TC application (assuming they don't recruit predominantly from VS's). Also if anyone has any general advice for applying, then this is sincerely appreciated!

Hi all

By way of background, strong overall academics (3 A*, RG LLB, and a LPC pass (meh)). Currently 23.

First round of apps in 2017. Completed a VS at one US firm in 2018, performed well, but not well enough to meet the trainee quota of 2.

Second round in 2018. Secured a VS at one top city firm and a mid tier national firm. At the same time, leveraging on my stock trading hobby during university, I secured a role at a IPO/Corporate finance house in the City, paying near NQ salary at an average city law firm. Given the nature of the job and the pay, I thought I am done with chasing my dream City TC. Therefore, I rejected my two VS that I was due to complete in 2019.

A year later, I have come to realise that I will never be truely satisfied until I qualify as a lawyer!

So, here I am, drafting my applications again. Lets see if I can bag a direct TC sooner or later.

I’ve worked on the IPO of one law firm and funnily enough I’ll now probably apply to them.

Best of luck all.

Hello all,

After some reflection post-application cycle, I realised that I might have approached the 'working experience' section incorrectly. I usually would write about my role including the duration and nature of the work, then would list the tasks performed in bullet points.

How do you do it? Would you mind sharing examples of how it should be done?

Has anyone done the Eversheds AC before and could provide some insight into the negotiation exercise and in-tray task? Any idea what type of transaction/task will the negotiation involve?

Thank you really appreciate it!

Can someone please provide me some insight into what a Simmons & Simmons video interview looks like (for their insight scheme). They said they will ask "competency, motivational and scenario questions" but I have heard a commercial awareness question has been asked before. Thanks

Hi All,

For our next round of courses, we're looking to get associates and partners involved in teaching you guys about different practice areas within a firm, the challenges facing the legal industry etc.

I'm keen on seeing if any of you have any recommendations - Have you been to a law firm event or open day and found a talk particularly useful? If so, it would be great if you could post below and I'll contact them!

Thanks,

Jaysen

So I am out of this cycle bar one application that I haven't heard back from. I think that i applied too soon (2nd year) I feel that i'm ready in every aspect except interviews. I'm gutted that I applied to firms that I really wanted that dont re interview.

I think I struggle most with the unexpected questions and I struggle to think clearly and quickly in interviews in a way that I don't in exams.

Has anyone been is this position and overcome it, and if so how?

Repeated feedback:
Not being confident and second guessing myself.
Not answering some particular things in enough detail or precisely, when they thought I knew the answer but I never expressed it.

Hi All

I came across this article today when I was on the Law Society's website...

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/press-releases/diversity-scheme-opens-door-for-talented-trainees/

They are offering bursaries and work experience for up to ten eligible candidates.

Worth applying if you meet the criteria!

Hi Guys! I know this forum is more about applications but I am hoping there are some LPC students or past LPC students who can give me some help as I am really struggling.

I started the LPC in January at ULaw and I prior to the workshops I do all the reading etc but I just feel nothing is really making sense or "going in". I feel completely out of my depth with all the content. It is not particularly difficult to understand - the bit I am struggling with is if the way am going about it is efficient?

So for those studying or have studied the LPC how did you prepare for workshops/exams?

In the US, these are generally prime rates, which tend to skew towards the fed rates, but how does it work globally and in the UK?
LIBOR refers to interbank lending, but which benchmark is used when the banks give out loans to PE funds and the sort? Is it the BoE rates?

Hi Guys!

I don't know if any of you are/have been in the situation where you have started applying late in the TC cycle but I'd just like to address it and if anyone can relate, please do! I've currently been in full time therapy for external reasons which in themselves can take a massive toll on me so I just decided to leave applying till I'm actually ready to produce good applications.

It is extremely stressful for a number of reasons but the main reasons for me are that a lot of deadlines have already passed and also the stress of rushing to put an application together.

To deal with this, I have selected firms I already know quite well as well as firms that have their deadlines quite late in the year. How would you deal with a situation like this?

Hi everyone

I haven't seen anything about Womble Bond Dickinson for this year so far. Part of the application is this 800 word 'personal statement' and I have no idea how to go about answering it.

'Which of our current clients would you be most excited to work with and why? How could you add value to the relationship as a Trainee Solicitor?'

I've researched their clients but would it be sensible to maybe choose one based on my previous experiences with similar clients? I am struggling with how to approach this and don't understand how I could possibly write 800 words...

Any suggestions will be hugely appreciated! Thank you.

Does anyone have any information or tips for a vacation scheme interview at Stevens & Bolton?
This will be my first interview so not too sure what to expect!! Thanks

Has anyone gone through a Mayer Brown AC? I have one coming up and I have no idea what to expect (especially in terms of the group discussion and fact finding exercise) - Any advice would be so appreciated!

Hi everyone!

I will have to conduct an individual presentation soon (5 minutes long followed by a 5 minute Q&A). This can be in any format I prefer, e.g. digital or not. The topic will not be legal, but related to current issues in the news.

Has anyone ever had to prepare a presentation in advance for an interview? This is for a US firm.

Or does anyone have some more general tips about presentations for interviews? E.g. what aspects to cover, how to structure it, what stance to take, what information to include? How to introduce/conclude? What to expect from the Q&A?

This will be my first time doing this, so I am keen for any advice at all.

Many thanks in advance!

The email I received for the invite stated that it would be a commercially-focused interview testing my commercial knowledge. I have a finimize subscription and read the commercial updates posted on the forums here at Corporate Law Academy. But are there any specifics stories that you think I should research up on or any concepts in business I should look over? What should I expect? Any advice in general would be very much appreciated

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any concrete advice on looking professional and put together at law firms? I was wondering if dyed hair (eg: blonde dip dyes on an Asian woman) would be okay? This is as back home it was unacceptable to have any radically different coloured hair. Additionally, for make up, would winged eyeliner be alright etc. I was just asking for general feedback and advice. Thank you!

This is one of the questions for Weil's fast track scheme:

Think of a current commercial issue that has recently attracted your attention. Why does it interest you, why do you consider it to be significant and how do you think this will impact Weil’s clients? (300)

Struggling on how to answer the question so would be great if anyone can advise me. Thanks