Hearing Back from Law Firms, Assessment Centres & Interview Tips - 2019 - 2020

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Selggib16

Star Member
Jul 20, 2019
38
57
Me too! Did you have a Scottish woman as the interviewer? I had a Partner who was from the Real Estate team and asked some very unusual and difficult questions. Interested to know if anyone had the same experience or interviewer.
No I didn’t have a Scottish woman. Both mine were Male. I don’t think my partner interview was unfairly difficult I just unfortunately didn’t prepare well enough in the hour we were given :/
 
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Holly

Legendary Member
Forum Winner
Nov 23, 2019
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424
@Holly No, I think your structure is good, and appears to answer the question. Just ensure that you answer both parts: 1) why Macfarlanes, and 2) what your career ambitions are. Then you can choose to link the two at the end, depending on your preference :)

I personally answered 'why Macfarlanes' and then wove in my career ambitions throughout as I felt artificial in stating the ambition in it's own right and didn't have too much to say about it really - but obviously there is more than one right way to go about the question.

Thank you both!
 

LuLa

Star Member
Future Trainee
Nov 28, 2019
38
79
hey, I did the scheme in summer 2018 and there was no individual "assessment" per se
you are assessed by your supervisor who writes up a report after each week and at the end of the scheme based on how well you did you may be offered the TC
however the might have changed this!
 
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Alice G

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M&A Bootcamp
Nov 26, 2018
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No I didn’t have a Scottish woman. Both mine were Male. I don’t think my partner interview was unfairly difficult I just unfortunately didn’t prepare well enough in the hour we were given :/
I’m really sorry to hear this and really cannot express how incredibly well you did to get the CC AC, I hope this has given you the confidence that you are good enough and sometimes these little things on the day do just happen. Will they give you a more thorough feedback call or did they go into more depth about the case study there and then so you can take the feedback forwards? :) really hope you’re ok and believe me when I say I empathise with you entirely.
 
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Selggib16

Star Member
Jul 20, 2019
38
57
I’m really sorry to hear this and really cannot express how incredibly well you did to get the CC AC, I hope this has given you the confidence that you are good enough and sometimes these little things on the day do just happen. Will they give you a more thorough feedback call or did they go into more depth about the case study there and then so you can take the feedback forwards? :) really hope you’re ok and believe me when I say I empathise with you entirely.
Thanks so much for the encouragement! It has definitely given me confidence as I wasn’t even going to apply to CC as I thought I had no hope of making the AC! However being so close is perhaps more upsetting! Yeah I got some good feedback it all came down to my misunderstanding of one particular point - they said my competency and written were really good! Ultimately it just comes down to working on my commercial awareness! I won’t let it get me down though!
 
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Alice G

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Nov 26, 2018
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Thanks so much for the encouragement! It has definitely given me confidence as I wasn’t even going to apply to CC as I thought I had no hope of making the AC! However being so close is perhaps more upsetting! Yeah I got some good feedback it all came down to my misunderstanding of one particular point - they said my competency and written were really good! Ultimately it just comes down to working on my commercial awareness! I won’t let it get me down though!
Absolutely keep your head high! It’s best to get feedback and work on things now and then you’re all the more prepared for being a trainee I like to think :)
 
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Ben1897

Active Member
Jan 20, 2020
15
26
Interested in getting opinions on this: If you have an upcoming vacation scheme, but still intend to make a couple more vacation scheme applications, would you write 'Incoming Vacation Scheme at X firm' in the work experience section of those applications? Do you think it would add value? Thanks!
 

FutureCity

Legendary Member
Future Trainee
Dec 23, 2018
281
311
Interested in getting opinions on this: If you have an upcoming vacation scheme, but still intend to make a couple more vacation scheme applications, would you write 'Incoming Vacation Scheme at X firm' in the work experience section of those applications? Do you think it would add value? Thanks!

Shearman & Sterling clearly states that if you have any upcoming internships to state it. It definitely applies to Vacation Schemes too. I would include it, especially if the firms are competing or are in the same category.

If the VS dates at the two firms would clash, then you would need to be careful. You could potentially play it to your favour saying "I got x, but I like your firm more so I would choose you over them" but that's tricky and I'd be cautious with it.

Finally, if the firms are not similar at all, then it is a matter of discretion. To see if they play off of each other well.

Overall, in most cases, I would personally include it.
 
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