Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.
January 2020
Please specify what the interview was for.
Summer Vacation Scheme 2020
Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.
9:30 arrival, followed by a Watson Glaser test, a 30 minute interview with two partners, a trainee tour and a group exercise (mine was with 3 other people) - food and drink was provided throughout the day. The order of your assessments will vary.
Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.
Watson Glaser: a standard test; just practice to make sure you receive a strong mark. You can find out your mark if you request feedback. The questions are often identical to the one in WG tests used by many Magic Circle firms.
Group Exercise: make sure you either do not dominate the group, or allow a dominant figure to take control. Be collaborative and conscious of the time. We had to pick a company for a mock client to acquire/merge with. They provided five options for the four of us, so it is essential to work effectively. Make suggestions to demonstrate that you are directing the group towards a decision, rather than bulldozing other opinions. You will be asked to present your decision to assessors posing as mock-clients, who will then ask you questions about your decision. They will also ask you a question about your performance at the end.
Partner Interview: Your motivation and commercial awareness will be scrutinised here. Make sure you have a compelling career narrative and trajectory to demonstrate why you want to become a commercial lawyer, and why it is you have applied to Osborne Clarke. Supplement your answer with detailed case studies of work OC has completed. Know about their sector-based approach - you will be asked about it! You will be asked two 'surprise questions'. Mine related to setting up an office abroad and driverless cars. As long as you take the time to think your answers through, these should not pose a problem. As a general rule, you should make sure you have a basic understanding of how law firms structure themselves as businesses. Shearman & Sterling's YouTube channel has a useful explainer for this.
The trainee tour, as far as I know, is not assessed. Make sure you keep an eye on the time, as some trainees can forget that you are on a very tight schedule and overrun.
Please list any interview questions you were asked.
See Above.
What is your best advice for each aspect of the assessment on the day? Please break this down for each assessment. This can include advice for preparation, as well as tips for the day.
Know about OC, their work, business model and sectoral approach. Read widely when completing your commercial awareness preparation. This will help you to answer the surprise questions thoughtfully, and perhaps even allow you to bring in something relevant you know about. Practice the Watson Glaser test, its the only way to prepare. Attend a mock group exercise if you can since a practice-run really helps you understand how to succeed.
Were you successful?
Other - I secured schemes during the OC dates before they responded to me.
