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Hi everyone,

I applied to Flex Legal for paralegal roles and was sent an email to complete a test and answer motivational and competency based questions. I was hoping if anyone who has completed this round could give some tips on how to prepare for it and also what kind motivational and competency based questions to expect.

Thanks!

Hi everyone!
I am an international candidate aiming to secure a TC via direct route! Will post my updates here, this is my list so far:

Freshfields - SJT (automatic) - WG invite - PFO
Trowers - Post-SJT (automatic) PFO
Mayer Brown - SJT (automatic) - PFO
Withers - SJT invite - PFO
Dentons - applied
BCLP - SJT (automatic) - PFO
Reed Smith - SJT and VI
Macfarlanes
W&C
Watson Farley
RPC


Would really appreciate any recs on applications and a general discussion!

Hi, anyone have any advice for this?
Or anyone else got this far?

2. Interview – your interview will last approximately 45 minutes. We will be looking for evidence of the skills and attributes we feel are necessary to be a successful commercial lawyer.

3. Business simulation exercise – Using the laptop, you will have 60 minutes to work through an inbox containing various emails and tasks. You will then discuss your approach with a lawyer in a 15-minute debrief.

4. Case study – Using the laptop, you will be asked to read through various documents regarding a client matter. You will have 45 minutes to review the case study and prepare to present your findings to an assessor, during a 25-minute debrief.

Currently facing a dilemma and would really appreciate any insight.

Between Cleary, Weil, Davis Polk, and Sullivan & Cromwell where would it be best to accept a training contract. Thinking in terms of quality of work, ability to lateral in the future if need be, prestige, and calibre of training.

Thank you in advance!

I've started a discord server for people studying for SQE - a place to quietly study for accountability basically, with a break-out space if anyone wants to chat and wants a bit of company https://discord.gg/9DPjbPFA

@Amma Usman Hi can you please accept my membership request form to access the premium database as soon as you can? Thank you so much!

@Amma Usman Hi can you please accept my membership request form as soon as you can? Thank you so much!

Hi,

This is my first time posting on here and I am just looking for some guidance.

Over the course of the application season (October - January) I have applied to around 10 firms all in London and have received rejections every time from vac schemes and direct TCs. I was really upset that I received a rejection from my dream firm but I had a good cry and moved on the more rejections I received the more frustrated I felt about the system. I know the industry is so oversaturated and all the top firms receive crazy amounts of applications but I am starting to lose hope. It's frustrating to spend hours filling out the applications perfectly just to get rejected.

My A-level grades aren't the best but with my degree, I'm on track for a 2:1 potentially a first and I have so much relevant experience ranging from attending all the firm events I can to working with my Students Union on behalf of the faculty and having general work experience. I also helped to set up a society at uni showing that I have other passions but I'm still getting rejected despite all of this, I don't attend a Russel group uni and think it could be down to this, it might sound dramatic and I know life doesn't always work out the way you intend but the only thing I want to do with my life is to be a solicitor but it feels like the world doesn't want me to.

If anyone else has been through a similar situation and has any advice it would be greatly appreciated. I am starting to wonder why I am bothering with this degree and it's making it hard to keep hoping.

Hi, I attended the interview last week for the Vacation Scheme, and was told that we would/aim to be notified at the end of last week. Has anyone received anything from Birketts yet?

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had any insight on Michelmores? I'm planning to apply to the vac scheme. Does anyone have any experience with the firm or thoughts about them?

Thought I'd track these:
Rejected at first stage purely because of the application form (answers, experience, qualifications, who knows!?):

• Dechert
• Bates Wells
• Burges Salmon
• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (very fast: rolling!)
• Travers Smith
• Slaughter and May
• Dentons
• Eversheds Sutherland
• Weil Gotshal & Manges
• Davis Polk & Wardwell
• Bird & Bird
• Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• DWF
• Kirkland & Ellis
• Jones Day
• Cooley
• Forsters (made a factual error on form!)
• Sullivan & Cromwell
• Fieldfisher
• Vinson & Elkins
• Squire Patton Boggs
• Greenberg Traurig
• Clifford Chance (passed WGT)
• Debevoise & Plimpton
• Katten
• Hill Dickinson
• Fieldfisher
• Ropes & Gray
• Akin
• DLA Piper
• Freshfields
• Orrick
• Boodle Hatfield

Rejected at first stage either because of form or WGT performance:

• Hogan Lovells
• RPC

Rejected at first stage either because of form or SJT performance:

• A&O Shearman
• Pinsent Masons
• Taylor Wessing
• HSF (sjt was poor)
• BCLP (sjt was poor)
• Shoosmiths
• Ashurst
• Latham & Watkins

Rejected at first stage because of Arctic Shores performance

• NRF
• Gowling

Rejected at subsequent stage because of SJT or VI performance:

• Reed Smith

Rejected at subsequent stage because of VI performance:

• Mishcon
• Kennedys
• Baker McKenzie
• CMS
• WFW
• Goodwin
• Fladgate
• Gateley

Rejected following AC:

• Milbank

Currently, therefore, of resolved applications, 45 were rejected at the first stage, and ten were rejected at a subsequent stage.

I have other applications in progress at different stages (AC, VI, first stage), so the ratio above is not necessarily representative overall.

It's clear that my VI performance is substantially below par and I need to improve in this area.

Hi

Hi everyone! I'm new here!

Hello everyone!
Has anyone heard back from Ashurst post test or Latham post application (Vacation Schemes)?

Hi,

Does anyone know relatively when it would be good to submit direct TC apps? As in, if the deadline is in July, would submitting the application later be better?
@Jessica Booker wondering if you have any insight on this!!

Hey everyone, applied to Skadden and went through the application process (written assessment, interview, etc.). Finished the interview last week was wondering if anyone has heard back from them yet?

Hi guys !!

I have a BCLP AC this week and am looking to connect with anyone who did it/ has received an AC invitation.

Let's help each other out

Please answer to this thread/ send me a text if it's your case !

Hi everyone! Feels surreal to finally post for the first time after lurking here for the past 6 months.

We're at the tail-end of the application cycle now, and I'm at a cross-roads.

I'm contemplating. Do I — (a) take my chances and continue applying for TCs as an international student, hopefully significantly improving my skillset and application-writing in preparation for the next cycle, or (b) consider practicing at my home-country as a foreign-qualified lawyer (probably the NY Bar). I know both aren't mutually exclusive; I can continue applying and prep for the bar at the same time, but really it's the opportunity cost that concerns me. How should I spend my time in a way that would give me the best return?

For context: I'm an international student, having graduated UCL Law in 2023 with a 1st. After graduating, I chose to go back home for a venture capital job instead of pursuing a legal career in London. Fast-forward to now, having been party to many early-stage investment deals, I'm realising that I much prefer the structure of a legal career than what VC can offer me. Plus, the asset class isn't looking too great right now.

While working at my full-time job, I applied to Direct TCs to 12 firms and reached the final-stage for only one MC firm last year, but got rejected. I was hoping to have the opportunity to do more interviews, but only managed to get 1.

Anyone with experience doing the NY bar, or in a similar position — or really anyone at all — please advise and I'd love to talk!

hellloooo

have applied to a few firms such as paul, weiss.

gotten a few rejections too, some quicker than others.

Just wondering how long would it usually take for a firm to respond to you once you've applied? I applied to paul, weiss the day before the deadline and I am yet to hear anything and kinda convinced that I will most likely be rejected.

I also had a VI in december with a firm and have not heard back from them since and feel very defeated as, although I have not received a rejection email, Im convinced that I am going to get rejected from the firm.

Does anybody have any advice on this?

Thank you

After 6-7 years of work in the visual effects industry, I have decided to make the leap into a career in law. I want something a lot more mentally rewarding and impactful and law takes the cake for me.

I am on an upward learning curve with all the applications and tests but have yet to be successful to get through to any interviews/video interviews, etc. I'm not sure where I am going wrong at this point, whether my answers are too generic, even with mentioning specific deals and catering my answers to align with a firm's ethos and values or whether I've just applied too late within a cycle or just sheer dumb luck.

Anyone (especially from a similar background) able to chat or offer some advice?

I sat the SQE 1 in Jan and really didn't want to jump back into everything for April so have decided to opt for the July sitting of the SQE 2 (God willing that I pass SQE 1). I have heard good things about BPP but I looked at the SQE 2 prep and it appears very short, am I missing something?

Hello,

I enrolled in a law conversion course in January 2025 and I am due to complete it in November 2026 (part-time mode). I will, of course, have to prepare for and take the SQE afterwards.

I am planning to submit applications for a training contract. I am aware of the fact that law firms generally recruit 2 or even 3 years in advance, but I am pretty confused about the timeline in my case. Could you please help me figure out which start date(s) I should aim for to submit my TC applications? In the event that is too early, should I focus on submitting applications for vacation schemes instead, knowing that some law firms only recruit their trainees via their vacation schemes? I understand it is required to pass the SQE before starting a training contract, but it is not required to have it passed before you apply - am I correct? However, how can you know when you will have passed the SQE at the time of applying? I do not want to waste time, but at the same time it does not make sense to apply, in the best case scenario get a TC offer and not be able to start it.

@Jessica Booker Could you please let me know your thoughts on all of this?

Many thanks.

Hello,

I’m a career changer who started my law conversion course last year. I sat my A levels in my home country over 10 years ago, but didn’t get any of my grades due to administrative failures at the school. I was still able to go to uni in my home country and finished with a first class hons. I also have a masters from a RG uni. I have outlined in more detail the mitigating circumstances in my applications, but I was wondering if I should just sit them again. I’m really not inclined to, as I put so much time and effort into studying for them the first time and it’s just frustrating that I didn’t get my results, and now have to contend with that in my applications. Do you think this will disadvantage me?