Ask Willkie Farr & Gallagher Anything!

[WillkieGemma]

Hi all,

To clarify (looking at all the posts on the forum), there was no word count limit on our exercise. As per the candidate brief on the platform: "Please note that there is no word count function on this platform which means we do not place a word count limit. However, we advise that your advice should be approximately 500 words, or approximately 40 to 50 lines." The advice is just a guideline as we think that is (approximately) all that is needed and we are simply trying to help dismiss any idea that you need to write 1000+ plus words.

Additionally, as stated in my emails, you'll hear back from me by 7 pm on Weds 26 February. Every single candidate will receive an email informing them of their outcome at the same time.

Many thanks
Gemma

 

[AnAnonymousDuck]

@WillkieGemma

Hi Gemma, hope you are well. In the email sent, it states that we will hear back by 7pm on Weds 26 Feb. Apologies for a silly question, but does this mean we will definitely hear back at this exact time, or does this mean this is when we will hear back at the latest? (we might hear back before if the exercises happen to be marked a bit earlier than anticipated?)

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[Deleted member 31343]

@WillkieGemma

Hi Gemma, hope you are well. In the email sent, it states that we will hear back by 7pm on Weds 26 Feb. Apologies for a silly question, but does this mean we will definitely hear back at this exact time, or does this mean this is when we will hear back at the latest? (we might hear back before if the exercises happen to be marked a bit earlier than anticipated?)

Thank you so much for your time!

The outcome will be the same regardless if it’s the 25th or 26th we hear back…

Stay positive and I’m sure you’ll get the outcome you want

 

[WillkieGemma]

@WillkieGemma

Hi Gemma, hope you are well. In the email sent, it states that we will hear back by 7pm on Weds 26 Feb. Apologies for a silly question, but does this mean we will definitely hear back at this exact time, or does this mean this is when we will hear back at the latest? (we might hear back before if the exercises happen to be marked a bit earlier than anticipated?)

Thank you so much for your time!

Hi there,

It means you will hear by 7 pm on 26 Feb, not at 7 pm on 26 Feb. It means this is the latest you will hear. If the associates who are marking are able to all complete the marking earlier, then of course we will email all candidates sooner, but this is in no way guaranteed. Please do bear in mind, it takes some time for the associates to mark all the exercises with care and diligence on top of their normal workload.

As @Legalstalker says above, when you hear back is not going to change the outcome.

thanks
Gemma

 

[AnAnonymousDuck]

Hi there,

It means you will hear by 7 pm on 26 Feb, not at 7 pm on 26 Feb. It means this is the latest you will hear. If the associates who are marking are able to all complete the marking earlier, then of course we will email all candidates sooner, but this is in no way guaranteed. Please do bear in mind, it takes some time for the associates to mark all the exercises with care and diligence on top of their normal workload.

As @Legalstalker says above, when you hear back is not going to change the outcome.

thanks
Gemma

Thank you so much for the clarification!

 

[legal18]

Hi Gemma, will feedback be provided to those who are unsuccessful?

 

[WillkieGemma]

Hi Gemma, will feedback be provided to those who are unsuccessful

Yes, I generally do offer feedback, depending on my capacity. However, please do bear in mind it is only me in the team and sometimes it just isn't possible.

 

[emma.d]

Yes, I generally do offer feedback, depending on my capacity. However, please do bear in mind it is only me in the team and sometimes it just isn't possible.

Thank you so much!

 

[legal18]

Hi Gemma, am I correct to assume that we won't be asked competency-based questions in the partner interview?

 

[WillkieGemma]

Hi Gemma, am I correct to assume that we won't be asked competency-based questions in the partner interview?

Hi @legal18

The structure of the interview is outlined in my emails and that is all the information I can give as, in the interests of transparency and fairness, I can't give more information to one person, and not all others.

thanks!
Gemma

 

[emma.d]

Hi Gemma,

I had a few questions about the Partner Interview - don't worry if you can't answer them.

1) How many people were invited to the interview?
2) How does the decision-making process work? Do all the interviewers meet and discuss?
3) Does Willkie encourage applying next cycle? Or is it unlikely that someone who reached a partner interview could reach that point again?
4) On the above point would you expect initial application answers to have substantially changed?

Thank you so much!

 

[WillkieGemma]

Hi Gemma,

I had a few questions about the Partner Interview - don't worry if you can't answer them.

1) How many people were invited to the interview?
2) How does the decision-making process work? Do all the interviewers meet and discuss?
3) Does Willkie encourage applying next cycle? Or is it unlikely that someone who reached a partner interview could reach that point again?
4) On the above point would you expect initial application answers to have substantially changed?

Thank you so much!

Hi Emma

I would imagine decision making is the same in most firms - interviewers will have a marking sheet that they will complete independently of each other, and then they will discuss with the grad rec team.
Yes, there is no problem with reapplying but there is no guarantee of reaching the same stage
Yes, I would expect the why law and why Willkie answers to be different.

thanks
Gemma

 

[AS1999]

Hi @WillkieGemma,

I hope you are well.

I will be doing the partner interview at Willkie next week and have been preparing for it, but I wanted to see if you had any advice on how to best prepare, as it may spark further ideas on what to cover. Additionally, I hoped to understand more about what is meant by commercial motivation questions. I understand you may not be able to reveal too much, but any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you kindly in advance.

Best wishes,
Adrian

 

[emma.d]

Is the decision based purely on the interview? Or if two candidates were equal would the written exercise score be taken into account?

 

[Chris Brown]

Is the decision based purely on the interview? Or if two candidates were equal would the written exercise score be taken into account?

I’m not Gemma but I think I remember Gemma saying that both the written exercise and partner interview stages are entirely CV-blind, meaning the only thing that the partners will use to base their decision to offer a VS on, is the interview performance itself. I think the only thing they will know about us is our name and whether we did law or a non-law degree. Given the interview is entirely CV-blind, I don’t think written exercise scores would be accounted for at this stage.

Everyone that got to the partner interview stage will have scored really well in the written exercise. To my understanding, the written exercises are marked anonymously by some of the associates, to ensure fairness. I don’t think they themselves know whose written exercises they marked and the scores each person got. I think only Gemma knows this. I could be wrong here though. 🥲🥲​

 

[emma.d]

I’m not Gemma but I think I remember Gemma saying that both the written exercise and partner interview stages are entirely CV-blind, meaning the only thing that the partners can base their decision to offer a VS on, is the interview performance itself. I think the only thing they will know about us is our name and whether we did law or a non-law degree. Given the interview is entirely CV-blind, I don’t think written exercise scores would be accounted for at this stage.

Everyone that got to the partner interview stage will have scored really well in the written exercise. To my understanding, the written exercises are marked anonymously by some of the associates, to ensure fairness. I don’t think they themselves know whose written exercises they marked and the scores each person got. I think only Gemma knows this. I could be wrong here though. 🥲🥲​

Thank you Chris

 

[WillkieGemma]

Hi @WillkieGemma,

I hope you are well.

I will be doing the partner interview at Willkie next week and have been preparing for it, but I wanted to see if you had any advice on how to best prepare, as it may spark further ideas on what to cover. Additionally, I hoped to understand more about what is meant by commercial motivation questions. I understand you may not be able to reveal too much, but any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you kindly in advance.

Best wishes,
Adrian

Hi Adrian

The structure of the interview is outlined in my emails and that is all the information I can give as, in the interests of transparency and fairness, I can't give more information to one person, and not all others.

thanks!
Gemma

 

[WillkieGemma]

Is the decision based purely on the interview? Or if two candidates were equal would the written exercise score be taken into account?

Hi @emma.d as per the invitation to interview: "
"The interview is CV-blind, meaning the only thing the interviewers will know about you is your name. The interviewers will not have seen your application, your video interview or your written exercise." This information is also on our website: https://www.willkie.com/careers/leg...iscover-more-and-apply/united-kingdom#country

thanks
Gemma

 

[Chris Brown]

Hi Gemma,

I hope you are well. I have a few questions if that is okay. 🙂

1) Am I right in thinking that on the VS itself, there aren’t any further recruitment stages e.g., exit interviews? If so, can I ask why this decision was made?

2) If the above is the case, how does Willkie objectively assess people on the VS to determine who will be offered a TC, in order to ensure fairness and transparency?

3) Would performance in the various recruitment stages (written application, video interview, written exercise and partner interview) be considered when making the decision on who to offer a TC?

Thanks in advance. 🙂​

 

[WillkieGemma]

Hi Gemma,

I hope you are well. I have a few questions if that is okay. 🙂

1) Am I right in thinking that on the VS itself, there aren’t any further recruitment stages e.g., exit interviews? If so, can I ask why this decision was made?

2) If the above is the case, how does Willkie objectively assess people on the VS to determine who will be offered a TC, in order to ensure fairness and transparency?

3) Would performance in the various recruitment stages (written application, video interview, written exercise and partner interview) be considered when making the decision on who to offer a TC?

Thanks in advance. 🙂​

Hi Chris

Sure

1. Yes - we have four rounds to get to the vac scheme, so we don't feel any further formal assessment is needed.
2. On the basis of their work product and approach to the vacation scheme, taking into account their academic stage.
3. No - it is the vac scheme only.

thanks
Gemma