Hello!
Hey!
Hey!
Congratulations on the TI invite! Whilst I wouldn't have any specific insights into Morgan Lewis' TI, I can offer some general tips on how you could approach this interview. Given the interview is only 20 minutes, I think preparation is less about covering lots of ground and more about having very clear and concise answers.
I would re-read your application carefully and be prepared to speak about anything that you mentioned on it, as questions are often taken directly from it. For example, in similar interviews, I have been asked about some of the academic modules that I studied or particular initiatives that I was a part of.
Additionally, I would create a mini-bank of competency examples that you can adapt to different questions, keeping the background / context of them structured and to the point. This could involve picking 2-3 main experiences from your work experience or academic background and highlighting what competencies you displayed.
I would make sure that you have a clear and specific answer to the more common interview questions - namely, "why Morgan Lewis", "why law" and "why you". Try to focus on a few genuine reasons, rather than trying to cover everything, and always make sure to back up your points with evidence.
As there is a time constraint, it will help to focus on clarity and structure - it might be the case that they are looking at how well you can communicate and prioritise under pressure rather than how much detail you give.
Best of luck!!
Hey!
Hey!
Thank you so much for these words - really needed this motivation!Hey!
I am really sorry to hear about the PFOs - I know that is never easy, especially when you make it further into the process.
Whether you should apply to HFW really depends on whether you are interested in the firm and can put together a tailored application - you have clearly been competitive enough to secure a Travers Smith DTC interview and a Reed Smith vac scheme, which suggests your fundamentals are strong!
One thing that may work in your favour is that HFW and Reed Smith have a number of overlapping strengths, particularly in areas like shipping and international trade. If those are practice areas that you have enjoyed learning about during the vac scheme and are genuinely interested in, you may find it easier to articulate your motivations for both those areas of law and HFW more broadly. This is because drawing on your experiences from Reed Smith could help give you more informed and authentic reasons for why HFW appeals to you, and backs up those motivational elements.
I would also make sure you have taken some time to reflect on your recent interview experiences so that you can continue refining your approach - every process is different, and one firm's decision doesn't necessarily predict another's.
Wishing you the best of luck with BCLP - fingers crossed!
I think this answer is very interesting!
The structure is iffy, normally firms prefer full prose and not bullet points. Its very generalised and doesn’t actually mention anything specific to RS or even a specific client that they represent. For example you mention clients may want to invest in the football clubs, which clients and why? Why would it even matter to RS if they got more transactional work or if stadiums were built or the increased regulations? You say more work for all of these which is very surface level and could be developed further. You also don’t really answer the question, it asks about the specific industry group which you briefly mention before going on to speak about a practice area within that. The wording and sentence structure could also be better.
Thank you very much for the feedback! Really appreciated it - can I just ask where I can find the names of those clients? Should I just ask current trainees at LinkedIn, or is it too intrusive?
Hi!
Hi @LegallyBrunette_ !
Huge congratulations on being invited to AC - what a fantastic achievement!
In the AC that I completed for my TC, I had to complete both a group exercise and a case study interview, so I can understand wanting to do all you can to prepare in advance. I can share what worked best for me!
Group Exercise
- In the group exercise, they are typically looking at how you work with others, not just what you contribute. Be collaborative, listen actively, and build on other people's points.
- Aim to contribute regularly but avoid dominating - asking others for their views on a topic can show leadership without being overbearing. I would always aim to not be the loudest or the quietest in the room, although I know finding this balance can be quite tricky!
- Keep the group focused on the task! I would always try and keep track of your progress and summarise the key decisions made as you go along.
- If you have to select an idea, don't worry if yours isn't chosen. What matters is how you respond and whether you support the group's direction.
Case Study Interview
I would also brush up on Jones Day's structure (e.g. their non-rotational training system and international work) just in case it comes up. They're assessing potential, not perfection - so as long as you stay calm and do your best, you'll be fine.
- You'll usually be given a business / legal scenario with background documents. I would start by reading quickly to understand the big picture, and then go back to confirm the smaller details.
- Structure your response clearly - identify the client's goals, outline the key issues, and suggest practical next steps.
- They won't expect you to know black-letter law. Focus on logic, prioritisation, and showing that you can think commercially.
- Talk the interviewer through your thought process - even if you get stuck or seem confused, they can see how you reason.
- If given a contract to assess, make a note of the exceptions and calculations in the contract. You might be asked how your stance would change if X event occurred, and it's useful to be mindful of when it might fall under any exceptions.
At the end of the day, they want to see the real you - someone who can think clearly, work well with others, and stay composed under pressure. If you go in with a collaborative mindset and a clear structure for approaching problems, you'll put yourself in a strong position.
Best of luck - you've already done the hard part by getting to this stage!
Hello!
Huge congratulations on getting an invite - that's a great achievement, especially in your first cycle!
Case studies are usually designed to test your commercial awareness, logical reasoning, and ability to interpret financial information. Whilst I haven't completed the case study interview at A&O Shearman, here are a few general tips:
There are also some amazing resources on TCLA that I used when I was preparing for the AC that resulted in my TC, so I would absolutely check these out as they were a lifesaver:
- Get comfortable with basic financial concepts: as you mentioned, I would have a look at thinks such as revenue vs. profit, market share, valuation, interest rates, and how macroeconomic factors can impact businesses. I would recommend sites such as Investopedia, as this is what I used when trying to digest all of the basic financial concepts for commercial awareness.
- Practice breaking down information / data logically: you might be given a short brief and asked to make recommendations or discuss implications. Focus on structuring your thoughts clearly - identify the key issue, explain the relevant factors, and conclude with a reasoned judgment. There won't necessarily be one 'right' answer, however, you should make sure to show your thought process and be able to defend your stance if questioned (although make sure you are also flexible if it is an aspect that you hadn't thought of!).
- Stay calm under time pressure: it can feel very overwhelming to be handed a bundle of documents and know that you have to go through it all under the time limit. I would start by reading through all of the documents, and then go back over and start highlighting the important parts and areas that you would want more information. They're more interested in how you think and communicate than whether your answer is 'right'.
- Brush up on A&O Shearman's key practice areas: if this is a finance-based case study, make sure to have a look at their finance, M&A, and restructuring teams. Have a look at recent deals, and see if you can link these to your reasoning in the case study.
- Practice: if you have time before your AC, I would try a few practice case studies online just to get used to analysing data quickly.
- Structure: I would go into the case study interview with a clear structure of how you have analysed the brief and what your conclusions are. How you want to structure this is completely personal to you, but I would make sure that you have a rough idea so that you can go into the interview and discuss all the most important points without missing something out. Some case study interviews have set questions, whilst others will be a conversation on the brief, but going in with a rough idea is a great way to prepare yourself and manage nerves.
Overall, I would treat it as a conversation where they're assessing how you approach problems. If you show curiosity, commercial reasoning, and an open-mind - you'll do great!
Wishing you the best of luck, and I'm sure you'll smash it
Hello!
Congratulations on getting the invite!Whilst I haven't completed the Ashurst written exercise, they will usually test your ability to communicate clearly and structure your arguments logically - similar to what you'd do as a trainee when drafting emails or internal notes.
I've outlined some previous tips that I always used when preparing for written exercises below:
- Practice timed writing - pick a 30-45 minute slot, read a short business or news article, and summarise the key points in a structured 1-2 page memo with a clear conclusion summarising your findings.
- Work on prioritisation - pick an article with a lot of information, and practice picking out the 3-4 most important issues rather than trying to summarise and include everything.
- Use a clear structure - this was the main thing that I implemented that helped me score higher on written assessments! Follow a clear structure in your answer, and practice what this would be for each type of document.
- Check clarity - after writing (potentially one of the above), ask yourself if someone with no context to the facts could follow along with the information and your reasoning.
- Proofread under pressure - I would get used to quickly checking grammar and flow, as this is really important in a written exercise! I sometimes struggled with this, as the pressure made me skip parts of my writing, but I found that literally following along with a pen or your finger can make sure you don't miss anything.
- Review sample case studies - I would have a look online and see if there are any free resources that you can have a go at. A true lifesaver during my last cycle was this forum post by Jacob Miller, and I would definitely give it a read!
The main thing that assisted me in written exercises is following a clear structure! I would go through and read all of the materials first, and then go back to pick out the key details. You should be looking for key issues, areas that you will require more information, and anything that you think is important for the client to know.
I would then follow a clear structure in your answer. There are a a few different types of documents that they could test you on - e.g. an email, memo, report, note, etc. I would have a look beforehand at the formatting of each, and have a go at writing them! If you are writing a letter / email to a client, make sure that you aren't including technical terms and writing in way that is easy for them to understand.
I would also try and find ways to showcase that you have the skills that they are looking for in trainees. For example, in one of my previous ACs I was asked to write an email to a supervisor. In this email, I outlined my arguments and recommendation, but I ended it by offering to draft the email / document for the client (e.g. proactivity). This will be dependant on each exercise, but if you can incorporate this in some way, I think it's a great way of standing out!
I hope that assists - best of luck with the written exercise, I'm sure you'll smash it!
Hello!
First of all, huge congratulations on being invited to the PwC virtual AC - that's an amazing achievement! Whilst I'm not too sure on the specifics of PwC's AC, I can share some general advice when it comes to preparing for a virtual assessment centre, as I completed a few last cycle. I have also quoted some of my previous posts below that discuss other assessment types that might be useful, as I wasn't too sure what is involved in the PwC AC.
Some general tips:
Most importantly, be yourself! Focus on showing how you think and work with others when you are performing at your best, rather than trying to be "perfect" overall. Firms are often looking for potential, not perfection!
- Prepare the basics: you may have already been doing this, but make sure you understand PwC's values, business areas, and the current market issues that will affect them. You don't need to know absolutely everything (so try not to panic!), but it's good to have an awareness of what PwC does so that you can link this to why you are interested
- For group exercises: usually, the focus of the group exercise isn't actually what you say - it is how you interact and communicate with the others around you. Focus on being collaborative rather than trying to dominate the conversation - I always tried to be neither the quietest nor the loudest (which can be a tricky balance!). I found this particularly challenging for virtual ACs where it can be difficult to get the timing right, but try to listen actively and build on others' ideas. When you do present your part of the group exercise, make sure to clearly explain your reasoning and thought process!
- For interviews: if you are asked competency questions, it's always helpful to have the STAR structure in the back of your mind, and have a few examples ready that show teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. As part of my preparation for assessment centres, I used to spend an hour or so just noting down all my experiences and what skills / competencies came out of each. This means you aren't desperately racking your brain for examples in the moment!
- Virtual elements: it sounds silly, but make sure that you test your technology beforehand (i.e. WiFi, camera, microphone) and choose a quiet space - I even made sure to let all of my housemates know so that none of them disturbed me. I would make sure that you have water and a notebook nearby, as you never know when you might need to jot something down.
Everyone is nervous going into ACs, so you're definitely not alone! You've earned your place there by excelling in the process so far - so just go into it and try your best
Hi!
Huge congratulations on receiving the AC invite for Reed Smith!!
Whilst I can't share any specifics, I'm happy to share some general tips for case studies, motivational interviews, and proof reading exercises! Across all of the exercises, I would say that structure and clarity are really key. The assessors are usually less focused on you having the "perfect" answer and more on how you approach the task, prioritise issues, and explain your reasoning as you go along.
For the case study, I would absolutely make good use of the preparation time. What helped me was to read through all of the documents first to get a sense of the overall scenario, and then go back over it to familiarise myself with the finer details. If there is anything that is unclear or confusing, I would try to work it out during the prep time so that, if it comes up in the interview discussion, you are able to explain your understanding confidently (or at least explain your thought process in working it out if you are still not 100% sure!). One piece of advice that my mentor gave me that I found really helpful was to become comfortable with what contracts actually look like in practice - i.e. understanding common clauses, what they mean, and the effect they can have (and whether they are favourable / less favourable to your client). I would also try not to overcomplicate it - this is something I really struggled with at first, but if the answer feels like it is relatively straightforward, I would go with your gut! If the interviewers / assessors require more information, they might be able to ask follow-up questions that you can then address.
For the motivational interview, I would make sure that you have researched the firm (which I'm sure you have!) and can clearly articulate why Reed Smith specifically. Think about how your experiences and interests align with the firm's distinctive features (e.g. its sector focus or initiatives like the Professional SQE Placement Year). For example, I linked my previous vacation scheme experience at a firm with shipping expertise to Reed Smith's expertise in the area, as I could explain how my interest in the area had developed and why Reed Smith's practice stood out to me (compared to the other firm). As with any interview, it also helps to prepare a few thoughtful questions to ask at the end - although if any questions naturally arise due to things discussed in the interview, I'd always encourage you to ask those! Importantly (and I know this is the most annoying advice ever), be yourself! They're assessing your fit to the firm as much as motivation and experience, so I'd try to be friendly and match the atmosphere in the room as this really does go a long way.
For the proofreading exercise, I would encourage you to work slowly and methodically. One practical tip that I found helpful was to use your finger to guide yourself through the text and make note of anything that stands out. While I didn't personally do a proofreading exercise at my Reed Smith AC, I have done similar ones elsewhere and always looked for things such as defined terms (and whether they're capitalised consistently), spelling / grammar, and whether dates and deadlines match throughout the document. These are things that you might not necessarily think to check in a proofreading exercise, but are always important in the legal context!
Above all - stay calm, be structured, and try to explain your thinking clearly wherever you can. It sounds silly to say, but I did really enjoy my Reed Smith AC and I felt that the partners and graduate recruitment team wanted me to do well, rather than trying to catch me out.
I'm sure that you will smash it, and best of luck!
Hello!
A few resources below that I used / might be useful:
- Definitive Guide to Law Firm Case Studies (whilst this is a case study, instead of a written exercise, I found it super useful last cycle!)
- TCLA Written Exercises (a good way to practice if you are able to pay to access resources)
- Some law firms upload example written exercises online - I believe DWF has one available!
Hopefully they help as a starting point - best of luck!
Hey!
I'm not too knowledgeable on these areas myself, so my advice would be quite general! However, when I was starting to learn more about specific areas my starting point is usually Investopedia. For example, I've had a look for posts on Funds and Private Credit and have found:
If videos are what work best for you, I would definitely have a look at YouTube and search things such as "How private equity works", "What is private credit", "How a fund is structured", etc. When I was preparing for an interview at a PE-focused firm last cycle, I found this video from TCLA really helpful as an introduction: "What Private Equity Lawyers Actually Do? - with Bernie Rivard"
- Private Credit vs Private Equity: What's the Difference?
- Fund: Definition, How It Works, Types and Ways to Invest
- What Investors Should Know About Investing in Private Debt
In a case study, they are usually testing:
For example, in an M&A case study, you need to think about what the buyer is actually trying to achieve and what are the main risks to highlight in due diligence. For PE, this might be how the fund will exit and what could impact returns from the investment. Lastly, for private credit, you would want to consider what the lender would be worried about (e.g. repayment, security, etc.).
- Can you spot key risks?
- Do you understand the client's overall commercial objective?
- Can you think commercially and offer practical solutions?
A simple structure that might help you as you approach these exercises is:
Try to focus on keeping it logical and commercial - they won't be expecting you to address the technical complexities of an LBO model, but rather to show that you understand the client's objective, can identify the key commercial risks, and can think practically about how a lawyer would help protect the client's position.
- What is the client's goal?
- What are the main commercial risks?
- What would you prioritise as their lawyer?
I hope that helps!
Hey!
This is completely normal - they are definitely harder to predict, so it can be difficult to prepare for them! The key is remembering that they are not testing whether you "get it right", but whether you can analyse the case study in a structured and commercial way.
I wouldn't explicitly use the SWOT/PESTLE framework when answering, but instead use them as mental checklists to ensure that you cover everything.
WIth SWOT, it might help to quickly think:
Then, I would focus on 2-3 of the most material points and prioritise - sometimes it doesn't make sense to list absolutely everything.
- What are the client's key strengths and weaknesses?
- Where is the main opportunity in the scenario?
- What is the biggest threat (e.g. regulatory, financial, reputational)?
With PESTLE, I would use it to ensure that you haven't missed a big external factor (e.g. economic pressure, regulatory change, tech disruption). You won't necessarily need every category if it is not relevant. I'd say that the partners are looking to see the following:
You might not be able to give a definitive answer if there are areas that you would need further information, but it always helps to make a decisive answer where you can - even if you added a caveat of "...but this would depend on further information on X".
- Can you identify the core commercial issue(s)?
- Can you prioritise risks?
- Can you give balanced advice?
- Do you understand how a lawyer adds value in a transaction?
I hope that assists!
H
Hello!
No worries at all - I can't share too many specifics, but I'm happy to share some general advice that is hopefully useful!
From my experience with the Travers Smith vacation scheme, I'd say that it is best to prepare in the same way that you would for most case study exercises generally.
I would focus on getting comfortable with quickly analysing large volumes of information or picking out the key points, risks, opportunities, or issues that actually need to be addressed, rather than getting lost in the smaller details. It helps to cover most (if not all) of the issues that arise, but it is important to prioritise the most pressing issues and analyse those in more detail. I would also try to keep a client-centred perspective in mind when you are reading through the documents and think about what matters most from a commercial point of view.
I'd also recommend looking at different types of document formats/structures beforehand and getting a feel for how you would structure your answer clearly and logically, so that you can communicate your points in a way that is easy to follow under time pressure. A well-structured answer will make it much easier for the assessor to follow your reasoning, and ensures that your key points and recommendations come across clearly under the time pressure.
Overall, it is often more about your approach and structure rather than any specific technical knowledge. I'd therefore make sure that you feel comfortable with approaching the task under time pressure, so that you can stay calm, organised, and still produce a clear and well-structured recommendation even when the information feels quite overwhelming.
I have also quoted below some previous posts that I have made on case studies - I hope they are useful!
Wishing you the best of luck - I'm sure you'll smash it!!
hey! thanks for a reply… i don’t particularly understand the reply tho… last lot to do an AC for the vac scheme or TC?
