General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[Velikilawyer123]

I doubt it will be a (over) confidence thing. They are different points.

did you answer most or all of the questions?

No, I actually felt that I had answered too few! I think out of 6-7 questions (including followups) I answered maybe 1, and followed up on 1 more which another person from my group answered (there were four of us in the group). Another guy answered like 4, and several in a row, so I was sure if anyone would get a negative comment on that it would be him, but if anything I was afraid I would be told I didn't stand out enough - quite the opposite from being too intense I think!

 

[Velikilawyer123]

Does anyone have any insight into Paul Hastings TC interview?

When did you hear back from PH?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

No, I actually felt that I had answered too few! I think out of 6-7 questions (including followups) I answered maybe 1, and followed up on 1 more which another person from my group answered (there were four of us in the group). Another guy answered like 4, and several in a row, so I was sure if anyone would get a negative comment on that it would be him, but if anything I was afraid I would be told I didn't stand out enough - quite the opposite from being too intense I think!

It may have been the manner in which you delivered your part of the presentation then (eg style, pace etc).

Did you say that more than one person had said the intense comment? (I may have read it wrong).

 

[Velikilawyer123]

It may have been the manner in which you delivered your part of the presentation then (eg style, pace etc).

Did you say that more than one person had said the intense comment? (I may have read it wrong).

Yes, so basically out of the 3 parts of the AC, the intense comments came from two of them. One was the partner doing the group exercise, the other was a partner with whom I had a discussion following a written task - there was a topic to choose and write about for about an hour, and then another hour of discussion regarding the topic I had chosen and what I wrote about it. It was pretty commercial, like "do you think a company should take into account X" or "how would your answer change if Y" or "overall, do you consider Z to have been a successful policy" and it was on a topic I felt I knew pretty well, so in retrospect I'm thinking maybe my answers came across as overconfident? Like not enough counterarguments, etc.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Yes, so basically out of the 3 parts of the AC, the intense comments came from two of them. One was the partner doing the group exercise, the other was a partner with whom I had a discussion following a written task - there was a topic to choose and write about for about an hour, and then another hour of discussion regarding the topic I had chosen and what I wrote about it. It was pretty commercial, like "do you think a company should take into account X" or "how would your answer change if Y" or "overall, do you consider Z to have been a successful policy" and it was on a topic I felt I knew pretty well, so in retrospect I'm thinking maybe my answers came across as overconfident? Like not enough counterarguments, etc.

I don’t think it’s an over confidence thing - that’s very different to being intense.

As the comment was said by two different people, they could both be relatively minor comments but given they have both raised it its enough for them to be concerned.

I suspect this is something with how you communicate, not what you communicate.

 

[LS12]

Hi can anyone advise me on the best firms for banking and financial services please?

 

[thirdtimelucky]

What is the best way to find out about a firm’s main practice areas? I know Legal 500 is good for top ranked but these aren’t always directly correlated with main practice areas! I’m particularly interested in firms with a good litigation/disputes department

 

[Velikilawyer123]

I don’t think it’s an over confidence thing - that’s very different to being intense.

As the comment was said by two different people, they could both be relatively minor comments but given they have both raised it its enough for them to be concerned.

I suspect this is something with how you communicate, not what you communicate.

Hmm that's an interesting point, and yeah I agree, I think it's probably more to do with how I communicated my thoughts there (though I have to say I haven't ever gotten this type of feedback in my previous interviews / ACs, so maybe it was just this specific one).

Just going back to your point about the plane journey / mentoring test, what would make you like a candidate? What kind of quality would really sell a candidate's likeability to an interviewer?

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi can anyone advise me on the best firms for banking and financial services please?

Again, check Chambers UK for their Banking & Finance rankings

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hmm that's an interesting point, and yeah I agree, I think it's probably more to do with how I communicated my thoughts there (though I have to say I haven't ever gotten this type of feedback in my previous interviews / ACs, so maybe it was just this specific one).

Just going back to your point about the plane journey / mentoring test, what would make you like a candidate? What kind of quality would really sell a candidate's likeability to an interviewer?

you don’t have to like a candidate. You just have to believe that they won’t be a distraction from their work and/or your own.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

For those who have had issues with A&Os SJT - you might want to look at this

A&O SJT

 

[Andrew M]

What is the best way to find out about a firm’s main practice areas? I know Legal 500 is good for top ranked but these aren’t always directly correlated with main practice areas! I’m particularly interested in firms with a good litigation/disputes department

I tend to use both Chambers & Partners and Legal500.

If you look through the tiered practice areas on Legal500 for a firm, you'll likely see that Litigation comes up frequently as a specific practice area (e.g. Banking & Finance Litigation, Commercial Litigation, ) or within the description of work typically undertaken within a practice area (e.g. Health, Social Housing).

But Chambers and Partners does have the broader "Litigation" groupings, if you're looking to compare (e.g. Google chambers and partners litigation north west).

 

[XARA]

Just to add to this, I think more than Finanace/Banking Slaughters are particularly renowned for their public M&A work. Just google some of the biggest mergers this year and you’ll see they probably hand a hand in most of it!

Thank you !

 

[D]

What is the best way to find out about a firm’s main practice areas? I know Legal 500 is good for top ranked but these aren’t always directly correlated with main practice areas! I’m particularly interested in firms with a good litigation/disputes department

I highly recommend simply engaging with the firm. See if they are running webinars etc. You'll soon get a feel for where their strength is and who they perceive their competitors to be. This will increase your understanding of that area of the market.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I highly recommend simply engaging with the firm. See if they are running webinars etc. You'll soon get a feel for where their strength is and who they perceive their competitors to be. This will increase your understanding of that area of the market.

Agree with this - sometimes a firm can be highly ranked in something but they may not take a lot of trainees into that area (and even fewer NQs). It is something to be mindful of and balance when thinking about your motivations and how you will apply them in your applications.

 

[TChopeful2021]

When asked to bullet point extra curriculars and positions of responsibility in 100 words, is it best to only mention 2-3 in detail or list more but in less detail?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

When asked to bullet point extra curriculars and positions of responsibility in 100 words, is it best to only mention 2-3 in detail or list more but in less detail?

Generally I’d list more with less detail. Too many people describe the self-explanatory with extra curriculars. If it was me, I’d list each one maybe with a key achievement or two eg:

Treasurer - University Law Society (2018-19) increased revenue by 50% through commercial sponsorship.

Mooting (2019-20): reached semi-finals of Random Moot Title and finals of Second Random Moot Title.

Student Law Clinic (2018-20): Volunteered approximately 8 hours each week. Worked on tenancy and student finance matters, successfully resolving three cases with support from qualified lawyers.

The above is only 53 words and so it shows you could go into slightly more detail or add more entries quite easily.

 

[Deleted member 5185]

Has anyone heard from Addleshaw Goddard’s London office yet?

 

[Andrewp]

Anyone from Dentons or Goodwin?

 

[Crastle]

Anyone applied to Haynes and Boone?