Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019

[_Will_]

Hey guys, I've got a silly question and I wonder if anyone can help me out with the answer.

Recently, Linklaters became the first magic circle firm to secure "Chinese law capability". What exactly does this mean? Is it just a regulatory thing?

Many thanks in advance for any help

 

[Serah O]

Hey guys, I've got a silly question and I wonder if anyone can help me out with the answer.

Recently, Linklaters became the first magic circle firm to secure "Chinese law capability". What exactly does this mean? Is it just a regulatory thing?

Many thanks in advance for any help

It probably mean they're able to advice on Chinese law.

 

[Serah O]

Is anyone able to provide insight on what to expect from Mayer Brown telephone interview?

 

[Selina]

Haven't heard anything back from Gibson Dunn since the beginning of December!

I interviewed with them last week (quite a tight turnaround, only received an email about it exactly a week before) and someone I know had theirs on Thursday so I would assume it's ongoing! Haven't heard back from them yet since though.

 

[J Wu]

Is anyone able to provide insight on what to expect from Mayer Brown telephone interview?

When I did the telephone interview last year, it was strengths-based and I got asked:

What keeps you motivated?
What practice areas are you interested in?
Time you took initiative?
How do you build a relationship?
If your senior colleague asked you to keep track of what might affect clients how would I?
And why is it important?
What kind of firms have you applied for?

 

[SaaraK22]

I interviewed with them last week (quite a tight turnaround, only received an email about it exactly a week before) and someone I know had theirs on Thursday so I would assume it's ongoing! Haven't heard back from them yet since though.

I still havent heard from then and I applied beginning of January, when did you apply?

 

[JoNo]

Hi guys,

I have applied to some law firms recently, and as this is my second cycle - will it look bad to law firms that I have selected I have applied before to the firm. Will this be taken into consideration in a negative light, when looking at my application?

Thank you

 

[Helena]

I still havent heard from then and I applied beginning of January, when did you apply?

Me too Sarah

 

[Jaysen]

Hey guys, I've got a silly question and I wonder if anyone can help me out with the answer.

Recently, Linklaters became the first magic circle firm to secure "Chinese law capability". What exactly does this mean? Is it just a regulatory thing?

Many thanks in advance for any help

It is a regulatory issue. Foreign law firms are restricted from offering Chinese law advice unless they partner up with a Chinese firm under the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (introduced in 2013). Linklaters formed an alliance with a smaller local law firm and sent quite a few of its lawyers over there. The firm was then granted government approval to practice Chinese law capability last year.

Here's a great article on this: https://www.leaders-in-law.com/legal-news/is-linklaters-china-alliance-a-game-changer/

 

[Bugsy Malone]

Thank you! I submitted my test on the 11th Jan

Good to know, thank you

 

[azbwcy]

does anyone have any advice for the mishcon case study interview (/face-to-face case studies generally)?? literally can't find any information about it & this is my first ever interview so any help at all would be very appreciated!!!!

 

[Selina]

I still havent heard from then and I applied beginning of January, when did you apply?

I also applied near the start of January

 

[Serah O]

When I did the telephone interview last year, it was strengths-based and I got asked:

What keeps you motivated?
What practice areas are you interested in?
Time you took initiative?
How do you build a relationship?
If your senior colleague asked you to keep track of what might affect clients how would I?
And why is it important?
What kind of firms have you applied for?

Thank you!

 

[Catherine]

Hi everyone, bit last minute (have interview tomorrow) but could anyone help me with who Jones Day's competitors are and why? I have really struggled to find any specific reference to their competitors in my research. Thanks!

 

[JL]

Hi everyone, bit last minute (have interview tomorrow) but could anyone help me with who Jones Day's competitors are and why? I have really struggled to find any specific reference to their competitors in my research. Thanks!

Hi Catherine,

I went about this using Legal 500. If you look at sections where Jones Day has tier-one status, then click on those links to a broader index of all firms, you should begin to see patterns emerge of firms it regularly competes with.

Hope this helps and best of luck for tomorrow!

 

[Abstruser]

Hey everyone,

I'm very overjoyed to share that I have finally accepted a training contract with the literal firm of my dreams, after over two years of applying for vacation schemes and training contracts. Funnily enough, the firm I will be joining had previously rejected me at the application stage just last year!

For everyone still chasing that elusive training contract, I just wanted to share a small reminder to never let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams. I come from a fairly unconventional academic background, having completed only two years of my law degree in the UK instead of the full three. I have never been able to secure a vacation scheme, and most of my work experience was obtained in local law firms back in my home country. I cannot count the number of times I was discouraged by career advisers, GR at law fairs, and even a partner at an open day, who all told me that I would be extremely unlikely to succeed on direct training contract applications because I had not completed a vacation scheme, or because I didn’t have any UK work experience.

For a while, I let the naysayers get to me. Any ACs I did manage to land, I attributed to pure luck, and performed extremely poorly in interviews as a result. However, I was lucky to have an amazing support group who helped me regather my confidence, and this cycle, I had the unbelievable fortune of securing not one but three training contract offers as the result of direct training contract applications.

Believe that you can and you are more than halfway there. Know your worth, and give yourself credit for getting as far as you have. I remember being in absolute despair over countless rejections, failed tests and interviews, and feeling like I could never make it, or that I wasn’t good enough. Take the time to reflect on how far you have come since you first started, and remember that even though you may not be the best, you will be set apart by your determination to be better.

Wishing all of you the very best of luck for your applications, and thank you to every member of this wonderful TCLA community for your support and comradeship! Looking forward to hearing of all of your successes this year!

 

[Salma]

Hey everyone,

I'm very overjoyed to share that I have finally accepted a training contract with the literal firm of my dreams, after over two years of applying for vacation schemes and training contracts. Funnily enough, the firm I will be joining had previously rejected me at the application stage just last year!

For everyone still chasing that elusive training contract, I just wanted to share a small reminder to never let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams. I come from a fairly unconventional academic background, having completed only two years of my law degree in the UK instead of the full three. I have never been able to secure a vacation scheme, and most of my work experience was obtained in local law firms back in my home country. I cannot count the number of times I was discouraged by career advisers, GR at law fairs, and even a partner at an open day, who all told me that I would be extremely unlikely to succeed on direct training contract applications because I had not completed a vacation scheme, or because I didn’t have any UK work experience.

For a while, I let the naysayers get to me. Any ACs I did manage to land, I attributed to pure luck, and performed extremely poorly in interviews as a result. However, I was lucky to have an amazing support group who helped me regather my confidence, and this cycle, I had the unbelievable fortune of securing not one but three training contract offers as the result of direct training contract applications.

Believe that you can and you are more than halfway there. Know your worth, and give yourself credit for getting as far as you have. I remember being in absolute despair over countless rejections, failed tests and interviews, and feeling like I could never make it, or that I wasn’t good enough. Take the time to reflect on how far you have come since you first started, and remember that even though you may not be the best, you will be set apart by your determination to be better.

Wishing all of you the very best of luck for your applications, and thank you to every member of this wonderful TCLA community for your support and comradeship! Looking forward to hearing of all of your successes this year!

You fully deserve this all!! Many congratulations once again, wishing you all the success!

 

[Jaysen]

Hey everyone,

I'm very overjoyed to share that I have finally accepted a training contract with the literal firm of my dreams, after over two years of applying for vacation schemes and training contracts. Funnily enough, the firm I will be joining had previously rejected me at the application stage just last year!

For everyone still chasing that elusive training contract, I just wanted to share a small reminder to never let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams. I come from a fairly unconventional academic background, having completed only two years of my law degree in the UK instead of the full three. I have never been able to secure a vacation scheme, and most of my work experience was obtained in local law firms back in my home country. I cannot count the number of times I was discouraged by career advisers, GR at law fairs, and even a partner at an open day, who all told me that I would be extremely unlikely to succeed on direct training contract applications because I had not completed a vacation scheme, or because I didn’t have any UK work experience.

For a while, I let the naysayers get to me. Any ACs I did manage to land, I attributed to pure luck, and performed extremely poorly in interviews as a result. However, I was lucky to have an amazing support group who helped me regather my confidence, and this cycle, I had the unbelievable fortune of securing not one but three training contract offers as the result of direct training contract applications.

Believe that you can and you are more than halfway there. Know your worth, and give yourself credit for getting as far as you have. I remember being in absolute despair over countless rejections, failed tests and interviews, and feeling like I could never make it, or that I wasn’t good enough. Take the time to reflect on how far you have come since you first started, and remember that even though you may not be the best, you will be set apart by your determination to be better.

Wishing all of you the very best of luck for your applications, and thank you to every member of this wonderful TCLA community for your support and comradeship! Looking forward to hearing of all of your successes this year!

I'm surprised to hear you received so much discouragement, but well done for proving them wrong!

 

[Shane]

Hi guys,

So I have just accepted my place on a vacation scheme with Clyde & Co !! Litreally so happy right now. Thank you to everybody on this thread for all the help and encouragement along the way !!

 

[Jaysen]

Hi guys,

So I have just accepted my place on a vacation scheme with Clyde & Co !! Litreally so happy right now. Thank you to everybody on this thread for all the help and encouragement along the way !!

Great news Shane, well done!