I dont think there is any real way to know for certain if it will be held against a candidate. But the reality of the profession is that it will likely be held against them as a lawyer.
Law firms do no bill by the hour it’s billed every 6 minutes. Those doing billable work will have an hourly rate.
I work in a legal adjacent field and there have been many times I’ve been given work to do and the deadline is yesterday. The unfortunate fact is as much as firms wax lyrical about being inclusive and reasonable adjustments, they ultimately answer to their clients who are paying them silly sums of money to get work done. If a deadline needs to be met or a deal needs to be closed and it doesn’t happen, they’re not going to be able to explain it away by saying “well, someone on the deal has reasonable adjustments.”
Just to push back on this a little bit - I have personally been asked before by an associate to do specific work with X trainee over Y trainee because Y trainee is slower.
I do think if extra time is needed as an actual trainee it probably would look bad, but I just don’t see why it would be applied in an AC when they know candidates aren’t finished products? Maybe I’m being too optimistic on recruitment lol
Recruitment is full of biases. I’ve done recruiting before and those experiences have made me extremely careful about what I disclose in terms of reasonable adjustments. It’s not right or fair, but then again, if I wanted a fair industry to work in I wouldn’t choose a corporate career.
I don’t see how this is supposed to weaken my argument. 6-minute increments are just hourly rates divided by 10 lol clients still get charged for the time
I wasn’t suppose to weaken your argument it was to provide accuracy around how billing works in a law firm…
Hi!
Hi @fatimaanjum56 this is certainly a strikingly unusual question
- Connected more strongly to your sense of who you are, your conception of yourself (from the "real") part; thus, here you will want to look for abilities/qualities that are tied to your important character traits and to your major passions/interests.
- Somewhat unusual or very noticeable (from the "striking" part): I think your answer will have to go beyond a usual story about how an example of an experience evidences a relevant skill or ability; it will have to be something more unusual or extreme, which will capture the attention of the reader.
If I were answering this question, I think I would go for the following structure:
Paragraph 1:
Paragraph 2/3:
- Name the relevant quality/ability/passion and provide a brief explanation of why this is something that is deeply important to who you are.
- Provide an example of an experience where that quality/ability is showcased in a particularly unusual/noticeable manner. To the extent applicable, you can also elaborate your previous explanation of why this is so important to your sense of self.
- Explain how this quality/ability is connected to the any of the firm's unique selling points (i.e. if, say, the quality is a relentless passion for advocacy, and the firm is great in disputes work, there would be a clear overlap).
- Briefly explain how this quality/ability would be relevant for your work at the firm and your success in the TC (here, there may be some overlap with step 3, so you can consider merging them into one).
- Repeat the above for a new ability/skill/passion if you have available word count.
Hey!
Great question - the wording definitely feels a bit abstract!
From the way RPC uses the phrase "strikingly real", you're right that it is mostly about authenticity, self-awareness, and the strengths that make you effective in real situations (rather than generic traits). One way to link that to your motivation for applying is to show how your real qualities naturally align with what RPC is known for. For example:
1. If you're collaborative or commercially curious, connect that to RPC's reputation for an open culture and its strong client-centric approach
2. If you're drawn to a specific practice area at the firm, explain how parts of your personality or past experiences make you thrive in the type of work that team does.
So I'd look at it as: "who I am -> why this environment and type of work fits me (specific to RPC)"
For the "confidence in succeeding" part, you don't need to sound overconfident - just grounded. You could talk about things such as:
1. Past experiences where your "strikingly real" qualities helped you progress or overcome challenges;
2. The way you learn, adapt, or build relationships;
3. How those traits will help you grow at RPC
It's more about self-belief that's backed by evidence - simply stating that you have the traits is not enough.
I hope that helps, and best of luck with your application!
My Bakers application is stuck at the post VI stage. I completed the VI at the end of May. Though I saw that some people have already done their ACs! I have no idea how many batches of people they will invite and until when but I’m assuming PFO now.
I dont think BCLP got back to anyone, besides rejections which are triggered automatically if you don't pass the test
They said "late in June" when I spoke to recruitment
Macfarlanes have said that they're working through VIs now so it might be another month (!) until we hear back. They made it sound like they haven't sent any AC invitations out
