NEW: Training Contracts Deadline Thread 2026-27

[Gioiabwear Yong]

Hi! May I know if anyone actually went to Morgan Lewis before? I would like to know what is really unique about their training contract (apart from just small trainee headcount).

Thank you!

 

[WillKitchen]

This week I had a feedback call after an unsuccessful AC at a transatlantic firm. The HR representative was very encouraging, and said that I performed very well. I did not progress to the final stage of the DTC assessment process, but they said that it was only "a matter of percentages".

They helped me identify one key thing to work on for future interview responses: Being more confident in presenting my conclusions and client recommendations.

Here are my thoughts about what is means for me...

Lawyers often have to make decisions when faced with inadequate information. That's just part of the job. When pressed for a "yes" or "no" answer, my first instinct is a healthy academic skepticism: "Well, it depends. We need more info." Academics might have the privilege of sitting on the fence, but in commercial law, for good or ill, clients need actionable advice. Whatever action you recommend might make things worse, of course; it might not. Either way, some decision is better than none. An interview panel is looking for a confident answer that you are able to articulate and defend. As far as a TC interview goes, it doesn't even matter if the recommendations are wrong or right. What matters is that a candidate demonstrate that they can state a reasonable conclusion based on the facts available, even if we don't have all data necessary to offer foolproof advice. You have two whole years of being a trainee to actually learn what the right thing to do might actually be. In a TC interview, it is ok to risk saying the wrong thing. Just articulate like a potential lawyer. The rest comes later.

...

(I'm still a big advocate of academic skepticism, but the way. Philosophically speaking, we never have all the facts we need to make a perfect decision. Ironically, I wrote a whole book about how sitting on the fence is a problematic philosophical concept. It's not too surprising that law should re-open some old questions! ... If anyone is interested: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/film-negation-and-freedom-9798765105542/)