General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[AH97]

Not sure if you've already seen this page. it has some great insight into the interview from the last cycle
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/travers-smith-interview-2019-2020.2286/

Also, I was doing some research on their interviews a few weeks ago (even though I don't have an interview invite) and quite a few resources said that travers like to ask quite a few 'moral' questions in the VS interview

As someone already said Travers like to ask moral questions and I attended a session with one of their partners. He said that there is no correct answer and no matter how good argument you have, they will challenge you just so they see how you react and what you should do is not trying to find the correct answer but present a well-structured convincing argument. The partner also said that he wants to see passion not only about law or Travers but in general. He said that he always asks a question which is unrelated to the law but about you/your CV or experiences, and he wants to see the candidate to talk passionately about it.

This is so helpful!!! Thanks so much to you both

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Before I teach my grandmother to suck eggs, does everyone understand the 4D's of time management?

 

[websterl]

Does anyone know if the time taken to complete the Watson Glaser is taken into account when they calculate the percentile you're in?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Does anyone know if the time taken to complete the Watson Glaser is taken into account when they calculate the percentile you're in?

Possibly - but this won't be standardised across firms. Some firms may use it, others may not. Those that do, may weight it in different ways.

 

[Staples]

Before I teach my grandmother to suck eggs, does everyone understand the 4D's of time management?

Only superficially - I'd be happy to know more about it!

 

[dosblancos7]

Seeing many enquiring about NRF Winter Vac Scheme. I received the telephone interview invite on 21 October and in the interview they said they will start sending AC invites out next week from 2 November.

Interesting. For me, they said they will screen all telephone interview candidates and let them know the outcome 2-3 weeks later!(I guess its 2 weeks from 21 Oct though..)!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Only superficially - I'd be happy to know more about it!

Its basically something to think of when you get scenario based questions in things like SJTs and scenario based questions in applications and interviews.

Basically the 4Ds are about time management and how to approach work when you have too much on. The 4Ds are:

Dump/Delete
Delegate
Delay
Do

(and in that order).

I think it is an important thing to consider because in most scenario based questions, people just jump to the "DO", thinking that the answer to everything is just to work harder to get things done. You've got to think about the risks of that though - what if you still don't get it done or if by doing it for so long, will you do it well?

So think about the other options - particulary the delegate and delay aspects. Reality is that is how lawyers work to ensure work is done efficiently and well. Delete is something to consider too though (and that shouldn't just be deleting your social life to do the doing).

 

[DrowninginSQE]

Before I teach my grandmother to suck eggs, does everyone understand the 4D's of time management?

Delete, delegate, defer, do. I even have specific highlighters for them.

 

[keira]

Has anyone heard back from Latham & Watkins yet, for Winter VS?

 

[DrowninginSQE]

Has anyone heard back from Latham & Watkins yet, for Winter VS?

Radio silence.

 

[Sekani Wraith]

Its basically something to think of when you get scenario based questions in things like SJTs and scenario based questions in applications and interviews.

Basically the 4Ds are about time management and how to approach work when you have too much on. The 4Ds are:

Dump/Delete
Delegate
Delay
Do

(and in that order).

I think it is an important thing to consider because in most scenario based questions, people just jump to the "DO", thinking that the answer to everything is just to work harder to get things done. You've got to think about the risks of that though - what if you still don't get it done or if by doing it for so long, will you do it well?

So think about the other options - particulary the delegate and delay aspects. Reality is that is how lawyers work to ensure work is done efficiently and well. Delete is something to consider too though (and that shouldn't just be deleting your social life to do the doing).

I have never heard of this until now so thank you!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I have never heard of this until now so thank you!

It gets thrown around a lot in professional working environments and time management training courses. But I was reading an application with a scenario based question and realised its often actually quite relevant to them.

If I could add another D, it would be direction - you need to be sure you are heading in the right direction, otherwise you will just waste more time!

 

[TC2020]

Hello

If it is not too much trouble, I would be grateful if someone could share some tips for the NRF telephone interview. I have tried looking on a few threads, but there’s not much information.

Thank you in advance

 

[gg332dd]

Re Watson Glaser: Does anyone know if firms look at each individual component or just overall percentile? I got almost everything right on evaluating arguments but did poorly in recognising assumptions. Not sure how this would be perceived by GR.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Re Watson Glaser: Does anyone know if firms look at each individual component or just overall percentile? I got almost everything right on evaluating arguments but did poorly in recognising assumptions. Not sure how this would be perceived by GR.

There won’t be one answer to this. It can vary between firms, some may put more weighting on certain parts of a test more so than others

 

[gg332dd]

There won’t be one answer to this. It can vary between firms, some may put more weighting on certain parts of a test more so than others

Thank you Jessica!

 

[websterl]

Has anyone heard anything from the following firms: -
- Mishcon de Reya
- Latham & Watkins
- Simmons & Simmons (post tests & VI)
- Linklaters (post tests)
- White & Case

 

[hunter]

I had an interview with a law firm for their vac scheme. Part of the interview was to discuss an article for commercial awareness, and to pick it apart and explain how lawyers would help, what it's talking about et cetera. The interviewer told me after that bit that my answers were "superb" and "excellent" to that bit. Then the conversation moved on to just chatting informally about a shared hobby we have.
Is this a good sign or was she being nice as I was obviously quite nervous?

 

[Staples]

Has anyone heard anything from the following firms: -
- Mishcon de Reya
- Latham & Watkins
- Simmons & Simmons (post tests & VI)
- Linklaters (post tests)
- White & Case

None - btw I know Mishcon say they recruit on a rolling basis in the FAQs, but I emailed them to ask for an update and they told me we’ll hear after the 31 Dec deadline

 

[Evelina]

Has anyone heard anything from the following firms: -
- Mishcon de Reya
- Latham & Watkins
- Simmons & Simmons (post tests & VI)
- Linklaters (post tests)
- White & Case

no from any of them at same stages!