Apparently we should know by the end of this week (what they said when I emailed to ask) but not holding out hope that’s gonna happen 🤣Anybody heard from SH for the Spring VC post VI?
Apparently we should know by the end of this week (what they said when I emailed to ask) but not holding out hope that’s gonna happen 🤣Anybody heard from SH for the Spring VC post VI?
Freshfields provide for accommodation for those who need it the most during the VS. They don't have enough to offer it to everyone on the VS unfortunately but if you request it there's a good chance they will provide it. I'm sure they will send an email in due course inviting you to submit a request.Freshfields VS offer!!!!! I’m still in denial, I need to look at the email about 15 times a day to make sure it’s not a prank.
I have a question: Has anyone heard of a case with Freshfields or even another firm providing or paying for accommodation? I live in London currently but in student accommodation and I will not have accommodation over the course of the programme.
Not Jessica, but in my experience it is quite firm dependent. In my experience, Covington & Willkie have both been very supportive in supporting me with accommodation in London (I am from the north). One thing I have noticed is that for firms with regional offices tend to be slightly more resistant towards providing support - or broadly, will be asking why you picked a London office instead of one of their regional ones that might be closer to you. I was always hesitant at first raising it, in case it looked bad on me or rude. But since raising it, firms have been incredibly supportive and may offer various support - i.e., they may expense your hotel fees, put you up in a hotel and they pay outright, or they can make payment advance to support your hotel costs. So I don't think it hurts to ask at all!Does anyone know whether firms provide accommodation when completing a VS if you don’t live in London?
I don’t have any connections in London who I could stay with and paying for accommodation for 2 weeks in London in the middle of summer already looks very expensive. However, I don’t know if this is an unreasonable request or will make me appear rude to firms?
Any thoughts @Jessica Booker?
I always struggle with this, too. I'm also keen to get into a pretty niche area of the law but thought the general advice was to avoid talking about it if the firm don't offer training in that area and/or don't regard it as a growth area. I always think my interest is something that sets me apart from other candidates, but also from a business perspective firms aren't interested in investing in training trainees to do "passion work" if the area isn't contributing hugely to their overall growth. Essentially I've always thought it comes down to whether that personal interest is useful to them as a business or not.I have an interview at a firm next week who do work in a niche area that I'm personally very interested in (I wrote my dissertation on a novel topic in the area). However, it isn't one of their core practices and I think there is only one partner who works in the practice group at the London office (there aren't loads of partners in the London office in total tbf) although their overseas offices do more work on it. Would it be unwise to talk about this practice group as one of the reasons I'm interested in the firm? I have already mentioned it in my cover letter and will focus on other areas too in my answer but I have a very genuine interest in this work.
@axelbeugre @Jessica Booker would love to know your thoughts!
Id ensure there is more balance. The reality is that your chances of working in that niche area would be pretty limited, and it could be a popular area with other trainees.I have an interview at a firm next week who do work in a niche area that I'm personally very interested in (I wrote my dissertation on a novel topic in the area). However, it isn't one of their core practices and I think there is only one partner who works in the practice group at the London office (there aren't loads of partners in the London office in total tbf) although their overseas offices do more work on it. Would it be unwise to talk about this practice group as one of the reasons I'm interested in the firm? I have already mentioned it in my cover letter and will focus on other areas too in my answer but I have a very genuine interest in this work.
@axelbeugre @Jessica Booker would love to know your thoughts!
Most firms won't.Does anyone know whether firms provide accommodation when completing a VS if you don’t live in London?
I don’t have any connections in London who I could stay with and paying for accommodation for 2 weeks in London in the middle of summer already looks very expensive. However, I don’t know if this is an unreasonable request or will make me appear rude to firms?
Any thoughts @Jessica Booker?
Its fine to reference "passion work" but I would just balance it out with a broader range of interests if it is not a core practice area for the firm.I always struggle with this, too. I'm also keen to get into a pretty niche area of the law but thought the general advice was to avoid talking about it if the firm don't offer training in that area and/or don't regard it as a growth area. I always think my interest is something that sets me apart from other candidates, but also from a business perspective firms aren't interested in investing in training trainees to do "passion work" if the area isn't contributing hugely to their overall growth. Essentially I've always thought it comes down to whether that personal interest is useful to them as a business or not.
Obviously also interested in some better insight on how to tackle this sort of situation!
RIGHT?? And one of my panelists was an IP lawyer so big win for me heheheheSame 🤣 she made it into so many of my applications/interviews bc her IP battles and stuff actually made me interested in certain areas of law
this is so nice! which firm is this?Congrats!!! While not for Freshfields, I accepted a place at a firm for a SVS that had never mentioned extra funding or anything for housing, etc. and I emailed them (because I don’t even live in London and it’s expensive in the middle of June😭) about it, and they straight away offered to pay for a hotel for me! Can never hurt asking given they know how expensive it can be!
They got back to me the Monday following my AC, and apparently, they have a pattern of getting back Monday-Tuesday about last week's ACs. I'd give them 3-5 business daysAnyone know when Freshfields is going to get back to us following the AC?
Amberjack the Bain of my life 😭 I’ve done 7!!View attachment 5906
It’s our 5th date now in the past 3 months. Hopefully we progress to the next stage this time round! We’ve only been meeting online but this time I think I’ll get an in person
Fingers crossed😌