[Official] Willkie, Farr & Gallagher Vacation Scheme Thread 2025/26

[Bruce Wayne Attorney at Law]

Hi @BatmanBeyond

You can simply edit and update your previously provided answer if it remains mostly relevant.

Thanks!

Kirsty

Thanks Kirsty!

 

[TortillaTC]

Hi @Kirsty Wilkins, thank you in advance for reviewing our applications.

I'm curious if we should wait with submitting the written application due to the technical error of no GCSE entries on the Vantage form, given that the firm has a rolling deadline closing in 9 days; or we should submit ASAP.

Thank you!

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Hi @Kirsty Wilkins, thank you in advance for reviewing our applications.

I'm curious if we should wait with submitting the written application due to the technical error of no GCSE entries on the Vantage form, given that the firm has a rolling deadline closing in 9 days; or we should submit ASAP.

Thank you!

Hi @TortillaTC ,

You should go ahead and submit whenever you're happy with your application as there's actually no technical error with the GCSE entries. Although you aren't adding them into your application, they are being pulled through into the submission we receive, so I think this happens automatically via Vantage.

Good luck!

Kirsty

 

[legallybrunnette]

Hi @legallybrunnette

Gemma no longer works at Willkie, but I can answer your questions for you.

1. Your answer to this question should have a focus on Willkie hosted events;

2. Yes, this shoudl include third party events, and you can include events where you watched the recorded version, as we usually have a note of everyone who has watched the recording, which enables us to confirm this for you.

Good luck!

Kirsty

Thanks, Kristy — that’s really helpful.

Just to confirm, when you say I’m allowed to list third-party open-access events, does that also include events hosted by peer firms? I wasn’t sure whether these count as acceptable third-party events or whether they need to be Willkie-exclusive.

Thank you again for your time — I really appreciate it.

Best regards,
LB

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Thanks, Kristy — that’s really helpful.

Just to confirm, when you say I’m allowed to list third-party open-access events, does that also include events hosted by peer firms? I wasn’t sure whether these count as acceptable third-party events or whether they need to be Willkie-exclusive.

Thank you again for your time — I really appreciate it.

Best regards,
LB

Hi @legallybrunnette

Yes, you can include events hosted by peer firms.

Best wishes,

Kirsty

 

[yk1906]

Dear @Kirsty Wilkins !

I was wondering whether we should include mooting and pro bono experience in the WE section or the dedicated question on positions of responsibility? Thank you so much, and sorry if this question has been answered before.

 

[Bread]

Hello @Kirsty Wilkins
Thank you for your replies on the forum so far. I was just wondering what sorts of additional "checks and balances" have been introduced for candidates, and how this will affect the integrity of the recruitment process. Do these new measures apply those who have already progressed in the process?
Gemma was always very transparent about recruitment, which is part of why I applied.
Thanks

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Dear @Kirsty Wilkins !

I was wondering whether we should include mooting and pro bono experience in the WE section or the dedicated question on positions of responsibility? Thank you so much, and sorry if this question has been answered before.

Hi @yk1906

I think it depends on the context in which those activities took place. If the pro bono was (for example) as part of a job you had at the time, I would place it in the work experience section. If the mooting was (for example) as part of a university society's work, I would place it in positions of responsibility.

Hope that helps,

Kirsty

 

[yk1906]

Hi @yk1906

I think it depends on the context in which those activities took place. If the pro bono was (for example) as part of a job you had at the time, I would place it in the work experience section. If the mooting was (for example) as part of a university society's work, I would place it in positions of responsibility.

Hope that helps,

Kirsty

Thank you, that helped a lot

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Hello @Kirsty Wilkins
Thank you for your replies on the forum so far. I was just wondering what sorts of additional "checks and balances" have been introduced for candidates, and how this will affect the integrity of the recruitment process. Do these new measures apply those who have already progressed in the process?
Gemma was always very transparent about recruitment, which is part of why I applied.
Thanks

Hi @Bread

No problem at all.

One person screens all initial applications and puts them into three categories ('yes', 'no', 'maybe'), just as used to take place previously. However now, 10% of applications in each of those three categories are then read by an additional person (me, or one of two partners). The same review will also take place for 10% of the video interviews. This applies to this entire application cycle.

Thanks,

Kirsty

 

[James Wakefield]

Hi Kirsty,

I hope you’re well.

Just a short note to say I’m still waiting to hear back from Willkie post application.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to have received an outcome at this stage. Are you still reviewing written apps at this point?

Thank you!

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Hi Kirsty,

I hope you’re well.

Just a short note to say I’m still waiting to hear back from Willkie post application.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to have received an outcome at this stage. Are you still reviewing written apps at this point?

Thank you!

Hi @James Wakefield ,

If you can privately message me with the name you used when you applied, I can take a look for you.

We have finished reviewing applications, and have had a number of people who have moved to the video interview stage. We are just finalising who from those will move forward to the written exercise. We do have a few people who are in the 'maybe' list who might be moved forward to video interview depending how many people we put through to written exercise following their video interview. I would expect you to have received a reply no later than next week.

Thanks,

Kirsty

 

[James Wakefield]

Hi @James Wakefield ,

If you can privately message me with the name you used when you applied, I can take a look for you.

We have finished reviewing applications, and have had a number of people who have moved to the video interview stage. We are just finalising who from those will move forward to the written exercise. We do have a few people who are in the 'maybe' list who might be moved forward to video interview depending how many people we put through to written exercise following their video interview. I would expect you to have received a reply no later than next week.

Thanks,

Kirsty

Thank you!

I’ve messaged you privately.

 

[I’m a celebrity get me out of here - VS/TC edn]

Hi @Kirsty Wilkins

I was invited to the WE in October. On the invitation email it stated Jan/Feb but I have been made aware that the WE is next week. Is this correct? If so I have had no further information since October.

Thank you

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Hi @Kirsty Wilkins

I was invited to the WE in October. On the invitation email it stated Jan/Feb but I have been made aware that the WE is next week. Is this correct? If so I have had no further information since October.

Thank you

Hi,

You should now have received an invitation for the Written Exercise. If you haven't please email me and I'll look into that for you.

Thanks,

Kirsty

 

[I’m a celebrity get me out of here - VS/TC edn]

Hi,

You should now have received an invitation for the Written Exercise. If you haven't please email me and I'll look into that for you.

Thanks,

Kirsty

Thank you I have all the information!

I had a few more follow up questions.

1) Once the WE is completed is the decision solely on the work we produce or is our application looked at in conjunction by the GR team as I understand it will be associates reviewing the work

2) Will be information in one batch (rejections and interviews) or will it be staggered communication up until the 6th?

Thank you!

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Thank you I have all the information!

I had a few more follow up questions.

1) Once the WE is completed is the decision solely on the work we produce or is our application looked at in conjunction by the GR team as I understand it will be associates reviewing the work

2) Will be information in one batch (rejections and interviews) or will it be staggered communication up until the 6th?

Thank you!

Hi,

To answer your queries:

1) The decision will be based solely on the score of your WE - you have already been assessed by Graduate Recruitment to get to the stage of the WE, so whether you progress to the next stage will be based on your WE score. Our senior associates mark the WEs, but they are marked twice by two different senior associates and are marked completely blind, so Willkie have no identifying information at all (which is held by Shortlister until after the marking is completed and decisions have been made), so we have complete confidence in that marking. I'm sure you can understand that our senior associates are better placed to mark legal technical work than our Graduate Recruitment Team.

2) This has yet to be decided but I expect the information to be staggered. If we send out interviews to those that have passed the WE and some people reject that invitation, we may decide to invite additional people to interview that only just missed the pass mark. We therefore usually stagger the responses as there's always a chance we have a few extra spaces open to invite people after the initial invitations go out.

Hope that helps,

Kirsty

 

[I’m a celebrity get me out of here - VS/TC edn]

Hi,

To answer your queries:

1) The decision will be based solely on the score of your WE - you have already been assessed by Graduate Recruitment to get to the stage of the WE, so whether you progress to the next stage will be based on your WE score. Our senior associates mark the WEs, but they are marked twice by two different senior associates and are marked completely blind, so Willkie have no identifying information at all (which is held by Shortlister until after the marking is completed and decisions have been made), so we have complete confidence in that marking. I'm sure you can understand that our senior associates are better placed to mark legal technical work than our Graduate Recruitment Team.

2) This has yet to be decided but I expect the information to be staggered. If we send out interviews to those that have passed the WE and some people reject that invitation, we may decide to invite additional people to interview that only just missed the pass mark. We therefore usually stagger the responses as there's always a chance we have a few extra spaces open to invite people after the initial invitations go out.

Hope that helps,

Kirsty

Thank you Kirsty this has helped tremendously

 

[Bread]

Hi @Kirsty Wilkins

Can those who complete the written exercise expect to receive feedback on their performance? I couldn't find anything online about this.

Thank you!

 

[Kirsty Wilkins]

Hi @Kirsty Wilkins

Can those who complete the written exercise expect to receive feedback on their performance? I couldn't find anything online about this.

Thank you!

Hi @Bread

Our senior associates are starting to mark the written exercises today, and we expect this to take a week or slightly longer. We'll then need to look at who has passed and is therefore progressing to the next stage of partner interview, and who unfortunately hasn't met that benchmark. As such we would hope to let people know sometime late next week.

Best wishes,

Kirsty