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Jessica Booker

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hi jessica, i wanted to ask about your advice on a written exercise. the exercise will be in the format of an email to be sent to the client based on information given to us during the AC. whats ur advice on the best way to approach this kind of exercise given the time limit (30 mins)? thank you!!

no different to the advice above really. You aren’t going to be able to write much in 30 minutes and won’t be expected to (I suspect they won’t be expecting much more than 3/4 - 1 page - maybe even less if it is typed rather than handwritten) so your ability to prioritise the key/most important points is going to be vital on this.

If the email is to a client ensure it has an appropriate subject heading, introduction and sign off too - that’s the only thing I can really think of in addition to the above advice.
 

Changes

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Jan 7, 2020
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I wouldn’t think that rigidly.

Allocating time is going to depend on the amount of material you need to read, what you are specifically being asked to do, as well as how much time you have to complete the assessment. For one case study the ratio could be 15% reading, 85% writing, while the next could be 50% reading and 50% writing. I think there are also other things you might need to do rather than just reading/writing - that might be “brain-storming”, creating a brief outline to work from, or other things that help you write with structure and logic.

Key tips:

- think carefully about who your audience is. Writing something for a client will be very different to writing something for a partner

- ensure you leave enough time to proof read everything at the end

- quality over quantity will always win out. Rushing out 30 different short points with no order/logic/structure will be less impressive than writing 6 different detailed points with a logic and flow.

- if you can identify 30 points, prioritise a smaller number (probably approx 6 or so) to talk about in detail. You can always reference less important points very briefly

(eg “we also need to consider the following points in more detail:
  • Point 10
  • Point 11
  • Point 12
  • Point 13)

- think carefully about where you have had to make assumptions and identify these where necessary

- think carefully about what actions might be needed by anyone involved in the case study (eg the firm/the client/other parties). Identify these and make them clear in your writing

- don’t write an academic essay. Writing styles in law firms are probably the polar opposite of how you write an academic essay (if you have been out of academia for sometime and working, you are probably at an advantage!).

- Make sure to use evidence to back up what you are saying where needed. This could be evidence from the case study or from your own knowledge

- consider an executive summary at the start of the document.

That is amazingly useful - thank you!
 

dosblancos7

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Feb 16, 2019
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Hi Jessica

I received a WGT test from Freshfields(excited as I like the firm, but super nervous as my results are mixed)

From your time at Freshfields, is the WG a pre-requisite(so, having to achieve a certain benchmark/percentile, and you are out regardless?), or is it viewed holistically alongside the app. Have there been times where you invited candidates to an AC if their app was strong, but the WGT did not meet the requirements as much?

I forgot to ask this to FF recruiters are Open Days earlier, but your insight would be appreciated!!
Thanks :)
 

Jessica Booker

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Hi Jessica

I received a WGT test from Freshfields(excited as I like the firm, but super nervous as my results are mixed)

From your time at Freshfields, is the WG a pre-requisite(so, having to achieve a certain benchmark/percentile, and you are out regardless?), or is it viewed holistically alongside the app. Have there been times where you invited candidates to an AC if their app was strong, but the WGT did not meet the requirements as much?

I forgot to ask this to FF recruiters are Open Days earlier, but your insight would be appreciated!!
Thanks :)

Things might have changed since I was there - for instance it was a verbal reasoning test which was replaced by the WG a couple of years after I left

It used to be the case that they would check your eligibility for the programme, invite to the online test, and then review applications post online test weighing up the application and the results of the test if it was above a certain benchmark (that wasn’t actually that high).

If you didn’t meet the benchmark, your application wasn’t reviewed
 
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dosblancos7

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Feb 16, 2019
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Things might have changed since I was there - for instance it was a verbal reasoning test which was replaced by the WG a couple of years after I left

It used to be the case that they would check your eligibility for the programme, invite to the online test, and then review applications post online test weighing up the application and the results of the test if it was above a certain benchmark (that wasn’t actually that high).

If you didn’t meet the benchmark, your application wasn’t reviewed

Thank you ! :)
 

tractor12

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Oct 6, 2019
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Things might have changed since I was there - for instance it was a verbal reasoning test which was replaced by the WG a couple of years after I left

It used to be the case that they would check your eligibility for the programme, invite to the online test, and then review applications post online test weighing up the application and the results of the test if it was above a certain benchmark (that wasn’t actually that high).

If you didn’t meet the benchmark, your application wasn’t reviewed
So the application wasn’t reviewed before the test invite, just if they they fulfilled eligibility requirements?
 

Jessica Booker

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So the application wasn’t reviewed before the test invite, just if they they fulfilled eligibility requirements?

Yes - as I said though, this may have changed.

Eligibility used to be whether they were at the right stage of their academics, whether they were on track for/had obtained a 2.1.
 

Jessica Booker

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I see thanks! I think it has changed for anyone wondering :)

You’ll know by how quickly they get back to you between submitting the application and getting an invite.

it might be the case there is a more stringent “check” pre test and then a final review post test. It is highly unlikely the WG will be the final screening tool prior to interview (especially if that interview is not a pre-recorded video interview).
 

dosblancos7

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Feb 16, 2019
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So the application wasn’t reviewed before the test invite, just if they they fulfilled eligibility requirements?

Just to add, Freshfields has definitely moved away from this type of invitation, WGT's are based on the app, which is screened/reviewed by Grad Rec!

I know this, as earlier this cycle, I applied for their VS, and was rejected(I had the 2:1 from first year etc, was a 2nd year student, so I met the prerequisites).
 

Jessica Booker

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Just to add, Freshfields has definitely moved away from this type of invitation, WGT's are based on the app, which is screened/reviewed by Grad Rec!

I know this, as earlier this cycle, I applied for their VS, and was rejected(I had the 2:1 from first year etc, was a 2nd year student, so I met the prerequisites).

Doesn’t surprise me where they moved to the WG
 

tractor12

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You’ll know by how quickly they get back to you between submitting the application and getting an invite.

it might be the case there is a more stringent “check” pre test and then a final review post test. It is highly unlikely the WG will be the final screening tool prior to interview (especially if that interview is not a pre-recorded video interview).
Yes it would surprise me if that were the case but it’s a bit strange for them to screen the applications twice (pre and post test)? Does that not take too long?
 

Jessica Booker

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Yes it would surprise me if that were the case but it’s a bit strange for them to screen the applications twice (pre and post test)?

not at all - it’s how it’s worked at other firms I have worked at.

Getting predictable interview numbers would be very tricky if you just relied on a psychometric as a final screen.
 

Gloria

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    Hi everyone,

    I will attend BCLP assessment centre next week and could do with some help! Does anyone have some tips on where to find case study resources and prep materials?

    Any suggestion is very
     

    Jessica Booker

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    Hi everyone,

    I will attend BCLP assessment centre next week and could do with some help! Does anyone have some tips on where to find case study resources and prep materials?

    Any suggestion is very

    do you have any more specific details of the case study? Eg is it written/a presentation/interview format?
     

    33c

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    Hi Jessica. I was wondering how much weight is given to performance on a VS during a post-VS TC interview/if at all? I didn't think my interview went well but I got excellent feedback throughout my VS.
     

    Jessica Booker

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    Hi Jessica. I was wondering how much weight is given to performance on a VS during a post-VS TC interview/if at all? I didn't think my interview went well but I got excellent feedback throughout my VS.

    do you mean during the interview or post interview the feedback from your vac scheme is weighed up?
     

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