Travers Smith Interview 2019 - 2020

[Jaysen]

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

February 2020

Please specify what the interview was for.

Summer Vacation Scheme 2020

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

12pm arrival. 12:15 taken into the interview. 1:30 interview finished.

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

There really wasn’t much of a structure per se. It was nearly an hour and a half and the discussion went in various directions. (Will expand on in the interview q’s section)

Please list any interview questions you were asked.

Initially the discussion was why law, why X university, why did I not do English at university and do the GDL etc. Also asked about my opinion about the GDL as a law student. I was honest in my answer but controlled. He made it clear that he appreciated the honesty.

We then spoke a lot about social mobility and I was asked moral questions. Should firms intake X amount of people from a particular ethnicity? Asked about my perception of the firms D&I initiatives etc. We then went into a fictional scenario of company X wanting to merge with company Y and what practice areas I would recommend. Then we discussed potential issues of the merger. My CV was then “scrutinised” - what did I learnt or do in my work experience with Firm A. Where else have I applied? You did work experience with Firm B but didn’t apply for a vacation scheme?

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.

This was quite a relaxed interview. It was a relatively commercial interview but extremely “moral”. I was asked about various things that would be considered controversial so I would say make sure you familiarise yourself with some of these questions. Also, do not sit on the fence. They like you to have an opinion and be prepared to fight your corner. The partner will always play devils advocate no mater what side you pick. Sitting on the fence makes you look indecisive and doesn’t really leave a lot of leeway for an engaging debate.

Were you successful?

Yes

 

[Jaysen]

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

March 2020

Please specify what the interview was for.

Summer Vacation Scheme 2020

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

Arrival 14:00, 14:30 interview with 1 Partner from Employee Incentives Group

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

1 Full Interview - no prep; see questions below.

Please list any interview questions you were asked.

Tell me about your school/education experiences
Why London
Why Travers
Tell me about a recent news story -> what’s a direct listing
Describe the best of me in 3 words, my worst in 2
What would you do if you were asked to close down a family factory
What law would you enact if you were Prime minister
What 3 practice areas within Travers would you advise for IKEA
Why not freshfields?

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.

Definitely be ready to talk about your experiences. Don’t be afraid to argue a point and stick to it (as long as its not unethical). They’re looking for someone they can work with, so personality, integrity, curiosity is key!

Were you successful?

Yes

 

[Jaysen]

Please state the month/year you interviewed at the firm.

November 2020

Please specify what the interview was for.

Winter Vacation Scheme 2020

Please give an overview of the day with approximate timings.

Virtual Interview with one partner over Zoom. The interview was scheduled to be 40 minutes to an hour.

Please provide a summary of each assessment on the day with approximate timings.

i. One Partner - led interview, which asked questions to ascertain your interest in a legal career at Travers Smith, but these were not asked in the standard way. For example, in my cover letter I discussed how my interest in business was sparked by attending a business course in New York. The partner asked me why I would rather become a legal advisor rather than go straight into business management.

ii. Towards the end of the interview, I was also given scenarios that I would face as a trainee and asked how I would respond.

Please list any interview questions you were asked.

• Interest in law:

Why a legal advisor rather than business management?

What are the key differences between these two careers?

• Interest in Travers Smith

What makes Travers Smith different to the other firms that you have completed vacation schemes at?

In your opinion, who are Travers Smith’s biggest competitors?

knowledge of legal career

- What do you think are the three most important qualities of a solicitor?

scenario based questions

• Need to be able to understand what would be included in a law firm’s pitch to gain a place on a company’s legal panel.

Consider ethical considerations that lawyers need to make when deciding on whether to advise a particular client ?

Familiarise yourself with warranties and indemnities.

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.

- Ensure that you understand the key news themes in politics and the business world etc. You can obtain this information from a variety of sources, but the best ones would be ‘Financial Times’, ‘The Economist’, ‘Business Matters’ podcast and ‘The Commercial Awareness’ podcast and ‘Bloomberg Business’ podcast.

You will be told the name of the partner interviewing you, so have a look at their profile page and the practice area and matters they have worked on. Ensure that you ask them questions that demonstrate your commercial knowledge and interest in finding out more about the firm.

- For any scenario based questions, vocalise your thought process and do not rush into giving an answer. I think the purpose of these questions is to see how you think, that you can cope under pressure and produce an answer. Be prepared to justify your response.

- In terms of preparation, I would recommend familiarising yourself with key aspects of a transaction and understand

- Ultimately, my advice would be to keep calm and to be yourself, because the interview is very much a conversation and I felt that the partner wanted to get to know me, in order to see if I would be a good fit for the culture at Travers Smith, because this is something that the firm prides itself on.

Were you successful?

Awaiting results