General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[Pinter]

Hi!

Bit of an odd question for everyone. I had an interview this morning and the partner was VERY eager on what other offers I had or could get (delayed vac schemes). He was pushing me to actually feel very uncomfortable as he asked this 4 times in different ways. "Where else have you applied", "what would you do if you got 2 or more offers" "When do you expect to receive other offers".

This really threw me off as these were the first questions he asked and I feel the rest of the interview was a complete car crash as I was worrying whether he wanted me to say I had not applied anywhere else. Does anyone have any experience with whether saying you have had/will have vacation schemes actually is a negative? I can see it going both ways but I was hoping someone who has been through this can shed some light onto why these questions are asked.

Also it will probably stop me refreshing my email and ringing my voicemail every 10 min "JUST INCASE".

 

[tractor12]

Hey, was this the Mishcon Experience Day? If so, I have mine on Monday and would really appreciate any tips/advice! Thanks

Sure message me and will get back to you!

 

[Dheepa]

Hi!

Bit of an odd question for everyone. I had an interview this morning and the partner was VERY eager on what other offers I had or could get (delayed vac schemes). He was pushing me to actually feel very uncomfortable as he asked this 4 times in different ways. "Where else have you applied", "what would you do if you got 2 or more offers" "When do you expect to receive other offers".

This really threw me off as these were the first questions he asked and I feel the rest of the interview was a complete car crash as I was worrying whether he wanted me to say I had not applied anywhere else. Does anyone have any experience with whether saying you have had/will have vacation schemes actually is a negative? I can see it going both ways but I was hoping someone who has been through this can shed some light onto why these questions are asked.

Also it will probably stop me refreshing my email and ringing my voicemail every 10 min "JUST INCASE".

Partners sometimes ask questions they know will make you uncomfortable on purpose. The point is to see how you handle situations/questions like that. I'd say how you came across answering them matters more than what you actually said i.e. it doesn't matter whether you had 0 or 5 other offers or VSs lined up. It definitely isn't negative to be honest about your success in securing other schemes - if I was in that situation I would say "Yes, I have offers at XYZ as well but at the moment your firm is at the top of my list because XYZ".

Don't overthink it - if he was pushing you on it you probably handled the initial questions well and he maybe just wanted to see how well you could back anything you already said!

 

[LegalNim]

Hi!

Bit of an odd question for everyone. I had an interview this morning and the partner was VERY eager on what other offers I had or could get (delayed vac schemes). He was pushing me to actually feel very uncomfortable as he asked this 4 times in different ways. "Where else have you applied", "what would you do if you got 2 or more offers" "When do you expect to receive other offers".

This really threw me off as these were the first questions he asked and I feel the rest of the interview was a complete car crash as I was worrying whether he wanted me to say I had not applied anywhere else. Does anyone have any experience with whether saying you have had/will have vacation schemes actually is a negative? I can see it going both ways but I was hoping someone who has been through this can shed some light onto why these questions are asked.

Also it will probably stop me refreshing my email and ringing my voicemail every 10 min "JUST INCASE".

I had a vacation scheme interview pre-Covid where the partner opened with these kinds of questions. It just developed into a discussion about how tough the market is to crack into, the typical "I don't think I'd make it if I were applying today" that every single partner ever has said, and a chat about which firms ask silly/stupid/annoying/interesting questions. I felt like it was partially to ease me in by talking about a topic that I clearly had done nothing but talk about for months (applications) and also to try to gauge whether the firm were doing the right things with their application process in light of how other firms are recruiting.
I can't see any reason why where you've applied or what other offers you'll get would matter. If they want you then they want you, surely? I'd try not to look into it too much.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi!

Bit of an odd question for everyone. I had an interview this morning and the partner was VERY eager on what other offers I had or could get (delayed vac schemes). He was pushing me to actually feel very uncomfortable as he asked this 4 times in different ways. "Where else have you applied", "what would you do if you got 2 or more offers" "When do you expect to receive other offers".

This really threw me off as these were the first questions he asked and I feel the rest of the interview was a complete car crash as I was worrying whether he wanted me to say I had not applied anywhere else. Does anyone have any experience with whether saying you have had/will have vacation schemes actually is a negative? I can see it going both ways but I was hoping someone who has been through this can shed some light onto why these questions are asked.

Also it will probably stop me refreshing my email and ringing my voicemail every 10 min "JUST INCASE".

These are fairly standard questions for a TC, although surprised they were the first questions asked. They are also slightly different questions that are actually asking for different information, so I am not surprised that four different questions were asked. I have asked exactly those same questions in TC interviews before.

They are just trying to get to the logic of where you have applied and why to see if there is sense to your decision making. It doesn’t matter if you have applied elsewhere as long as there is logic to it. There is not an issue if you could be receiving other offers (or not) - people can always reapply next cycle if they don’t secure a TC.

I think you are over thinking/over worrying about this.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Partners sometimes ask questions they know will make you uncomfortable on purpose. The point is to see how you handle situations/questions like that. I'd say how you came across answering them matters more than what you actually said i.e. it doesn't matter whether you had 0 or 5 other offers or VSs lined up. It definitely isn't negative to be honest about your success in securing other schemes - if I was in that situation I would say "Yes, I have offers at XYZ as well but at the moment your firm is at the top of my list because XYZ".

Don't overthink it - if he was pushing you on it you probably handled the initial questions well and he maybe just wanted to see how well you could back anything you already said!

This really shouldn’t be an uncomfortable set of questions for any candidate to answer. It is important for anyone going to a Tc interview to be prepared for questions like this.

 

[Pinter]

This really shouldn’t be an uncomfortable set of questions for any candidate to answer. It is important for anyone going to a Tc interview to be prepared for questions like this.

I think uncomfortable was probably the wrong word, I was expecting it but it felt like he was trying to see if I was lying, if that makes sense? I have been asked those questions before but (and it could just be me reading into too much) but at the time I felt he was trying to insinuate that I am lying which put me on edge a little.

Also, in terms of a firm which has numerous offices, if a candidates from other offices have heard back, even when you did the assessment centre with them, does that mean its likely to be a rejection? The AC was a week ago and then partner interviews so just curious how other offices can have a different system with the same lady in HR?

 

[TTD20]

Is anyone else still waiting to hear back from BCLP for direct TC?

 

[cgs97]

Clintons said they'd be contacting applicants about interviews some time this week - has anyone heard yet?

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

Is anyone else still waiting to hear back from BCLP for direct TC?

Yup I know there are a few of us on this gc but I’m starting to feel like perhaps they’re waiting to see how their first AC goes this week before perhaps making new rejections

 

[TTD20]

Yup I know there are a few of us on this gc but I’m starting to feel like perhaps they’re waiting to see how their first AC goes this week before perhaps making new rejections

Hopefully we’ll hear back sometime next week then!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I think uncomfortable was probably the wrong word, I was expecting it but it felt like he was trying to see if I was lying, if that makes sense? I have been asked those questions before but (and it could just be me reading into too much) but at the time I felt he was trying to insinuate that I am lying which put me on edge a little.

Also, in terms of a firm which has numerous offices, if a candidates from other offices have heard back, even when you did the assessment centre with them, does that mean its likely to be a rejection? The AC was a week ago and then partner interviews so just curious how other offices can have a different system with the same lady in HR?

I suspect you are reading too much into it.

Separate offices will have different decision making processes and different people involved and so the timescales between offices can be very different. it isn’t a rejection until you hear from them to say it is.

 

[Andre]

Anyone from Goodwin or Mayer Brown?

 

[Emily K]

Rejection from Linklaters for direct TC, now just waiting on White & Case. Hoping others have received some better news!

 

[Samar]

Rejection from Skadden direct TC yesterday - assumed it would be as such a small intake but made the app anyway! In case anyone is waiting on them

 

[Velikilawyer123]

Hi all, I had an AC with a US firm yesterday and I feel like the whole process went really well, there was just one part which I've been banging my head over.

I was having a discussion with a partner and an associate, I think the partner was at the time busy looking over a previous written exercise (so he might not have been paying attention as much, idk) and the associate asked what I like about US over MC firms, as I had previously done an experience at an MC firm. I basically said I prefer the US corporate focus and small team structure over the more full service, large team approach of MC firms. As I was saying it I kind of cringed internally, because the firm I was doing the AC with also sometimes describes itself as full service, so I'm afraid my criticism of the MC's full service approach might not be taken to too kindly.

Later in the inteview, in a completely unrelated question, the partner himself mentioned his firm's full service approach.

Do you think my comment re the MC could be a deal breaker?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi all, I had an AC with a US firm yesterday and I feel like the whole process went really well, there was just one part which I've been banging my head over.

I was having a discussion with a partner and an associate, I think the partner was at the time busy looking over a previous written exercise (so he might not have been paying attention as much, idk) and the associate asked what I like about US over MC firms, as I had previously done an experience at an MC firm. I basically said I prefer the US corporate focus and small team structure over the more full service, large team approach of MC firms. As I was saying it I kind of cringed internally, because the firm I was doing the AC with also sometimes describes itself as full service, so I'm afraid my criticism of the MC's full service approach might not be taken to too kindly.

Later in the inteview, in a completely unrelated question, the partner himself mentioned his firm's full service approach.

Do you think my comment re the MC could be a deal breaker?

You are over thinking it.

Everyone does it - but you wouldn’t be turned down on something like this alone.

 

[SaulGoodman]

Rejection from Linklaters for direct TC.

 

[EA]

Hi all, I had an AC with a US firm yesterday and I feel like the whole process went really well, there was just one part which I've been banging my head over.

I was having a discussion with a partner and an associate, I think the partner was at the time busy looking over a previous written exercise (so he might not have been paying attention as much, idk) and the associate asked what I like about US over MC firms, as I had previously done an experience at an MC firm. I basically said I prefer the US corporate focus and small team structure over the more full service, large team approach of MC firms. As I was saying it I kind of cringed internally, because the firm I was doing the AC with also sometimes describes itself as full service, so I'm afraid my criticism of the MC's full service approach might not be taken to too kindly.

Later in the inteview, in a completely unrelated question, the partner himself mentioned his firm's full service approach.

Do you think my comment re the MC could be a deal breaker?

I don't actually have an answer to your question.
However, I do have a general follow up question to anyone who could help. Is there a generic difference between US firms and MC? Or are the differences to teased out from the specific and unique features of individual firms instead of looking for a general difference between the two classifications?

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

Rejection from Linklaters for direct TC.

Same here!