I was hoping to get some advice on here as everyone seems to be really good at giving it
It recently hit me that I have been putting in so much effort into my applications and I feel like if I do end up getting to AC/interview level, then I will have no idea what to do because I haven't been prepping for them and I haven't done any yet! I'm concerned that all my effort will go to waste! What type of things will I have to prep for? And do I need to know intricate and complex legal/commercial things? I'm extremely worried 😭
Hey, can I just start by saying how relatable your username is 😅 .
Honestly, I used to feel exactly like this as well and I think most people do. I think almost everyone goes into the app process thinking barely any of their apps will work out and then when you do get to the AC stage the panic sets in because you feel like you either don't know where to start or if you do know where to start it's stressful because it can feel like you're starting from zero all over again. Please don't feel like you are alone in feeling like you are unprepared. Everyone feels like this and in fact I was literally just talking to a close friend who is still going through the process about how she feels the same thing!
The best way to approach ACs would be to systematically break down the different components of the AC. Typically most ACs involve a case study, a partner interview and a group exercise of some kind (sometimes a negotiation, sometimes a discussion)
@Jacob Miller has written some of the most fantastic resources out there on most of these AC elements and I'd recommend starting there.
Hi all, please see below the third of my Monday Article Series! This week is my definitive guide to case studies. It's a long one - you might want to go get a coffee and settle in! Introduction This week’s Monday Article will cover how to approach law firm case studies, one of the most...
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Hi All! Please see below my Guide to Assessed Negotiation Exercises at Assessment Centres and during Vacation Schemes. This guide has been built from my own experiences of assessed and real-world negotiations as well as having consulted with Grad Rec specialists. This is also the first in a...
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In terms of commercial/legal knowledge, law firms definitely don't expect you to be a legal genius or know every intricate detail. Some great advice a friend once gave me was that no law firm would hire someone who is an expert in these things for an entry level role in which the whole point is to train you! Firms just want to see that you have a clear interest in the commercial world, the ability to develop an opinion on issues, and that you are able to logically work through problems. To help you understand basic commercial concepts I'd really recommend Jake Schogger's Commercial Law Handbook, TCLA's own Commercial Booklets and the M&A Course on TCLA as well (the latter is especially helpful because a majority of law firm case studies tend to involve an M&A transaction) Other than that there are some great podcasts you can listen to (linked to a thread on this
here), to help you keep up to date on news stories.
Also don't forget that AC invites are extremely difficult to secure and you only make it that far because 1. You've already demonstrated some of the most important qualities they are looking for (including the commercial knowledge) and 2. The firms genuinely want to understand your motivations better. It's all about selling your experiences and the great thing about that is all you have to do is talk about yourself in the best way possible!