2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[C]

Do you reckon those of us who haven’t heard from the London office post application will receive a PFO then?

They are scheduled to hold more AC's, yesterday was just the first one (according to the email I received). keep hope!!

 

[Anya B]

You haven't heard anything since the application?

Yup, total silence - checked the portal and nothing there

 

[corplawyer]

Me too!

If anyone has any insight into the Skadden AC and tips on how to prepare - I'd be grateful

Same here, I have the written exercise this evening at 6pm if anyone has any tips they wouldn't mind sharing - it's my first written assessment so no idea what to expect!

 

[cloud9]

They are scheduled to hold more AC's, yesterday was just the first one (according to the email I received). keep hope!!

Ah fantastic, thank you for letting me know!! Hope it went well for you

 

[MZ]

I'm currently mentally replaying the moment I said "fucking" out of nowhere in my partner interview earlier today, I have no idea how that happened. This is definitely going to haunt me every time I try to fall asleep for the next few weeks

I was presenting my solution to possible risk of litigation in an acquisition as part of my case study answer and got flustered and couldn't find the right words to describe what warranties/indemnities would do in this situation, so naturally, my genius brain thought the best way to stall while I could think of the right words was to throw in a filler word to buy me some time, except I chose the word "fucking" for some reason, which made me even more flustered because I immediately realised what I'd just said and started internally panicking a little. So I basically ended up saying something along the lines of "so you could basically tell them 'you take the fucking liability if it comes to litigation', you know?" and I'm honestly still cringing.

By some miracle, after this car crash interview and only getting through 2 out of the 10 pages in the document review exercise, I just got a vac scheme offer from Baker McKenzie!!

I really wasn't expecting that, I guess I'll take this as another reminder not to count myself out before I actually receive the rejection!

 

[C]

Ah fantastic, thank you for letting me know!! Hope it went well for you

No probs! I haven't heard back post VI, but am pretty sure they'll be holding more AC's

 

[Imababysolicitor]

Those who received a Mayer Brown AC invite - were there lots of dates available? I’m still waiting to hear back and I’m holding onto some hope!

 

[Celestie]

Is anyone still waiting for:
Weil post VI
Latham
Cleary
White & Case
Freshfields (direct TC)
Linklaters
Cooley

Feels like I'm going crazy waiting!

Myself and some other people got WG for Freshfields last week etc. Dunno about the rest

 

[tractor12]

Yup, total silence - checked the portal and nothing there

Very strange - have you emailed to ask?

 

[Bugsy Malone]

Vac scheme offer from Baker McKenzie!! Second vac scheme offer this cycle (humble flex).

Little motivation for anyone who has had an AC that they thought went horribly, here's how mine went:

1) Document review exercise-I didn't finish it, I got to page 8 of 10 and ran out of time.
2) Associate interview-I was expecting standard competency questions but I wasn't asked a single standard competency question, instead, I got questions like 'how does politics impact law and business' (how tf do you even answer that?)
3) Group exercise-my wifi cut and so I was out for 10 minutes and struggled to catch up when I rejoined which meant I said about 5 things in 30 minutes.
4) case study interview-I didn't have a SCOOBY what 2 of the questions were about, the partners were asking me about foreign investment regimes and sanctions??? wtf is that??

Safe to say I have been preparing for a rejection since, but it never came.

Here is my theory: If you have got to the interview stage or AC then they already know you're smart, so I think the key is likeability. For example, the first 30 minutes of my partner interview where the partners were basically speaking mandarin, didn't go well, but the second 30 minutes was just questions about my app, and the partners and I were laughing and joking and bouncing off each other the entire time (same goes for my associate interview). So, above all, it's important to show that you are likable and someone that they would enjoy working with and someone they're confident will interact with clients well.

So my unsolicited advice is: show them that you are a nice person, smile, laugh and speak with conviction. If you have got to the interview stage/AC then my friend, you are the shit, because you have beat off soooo many candidates to get there, so let that energy and confidence shine!

Good luck everyone!1

Congratulations! And LOVE this! Thanks for sharing

 

[Slawrelated]

Has anyone heard back post FF WG?

 

[Alisha S]

How do you find out what percentile you are in?

In the report sent to your email; some time after you completed all three tests. You’d have you scroll down, but it showed a graph and your general placement

 

[Anya B]

Very strange - have you emailed to ask?

I haven't yet - I might this week!

 

[SF1234]

Has anyone heard back post FF WG?

Yes - was invited to AC yesterday!! Did my WG about 3 weeks ago so they're definitely taking their time I think.

 

[CMB]

Addleshaw Goddard VS Offer !!!!!!!

 

[tla99]

I'm still waiting to hear back from Cooley and Linklaters, the latter I did the test ages ago, so not too sure what to think now!

exactly the same

 

[Ricky]

Those who received a Mayer Brown AC invite - were there lots of dates available? I’m still waiting to hear back and I’m holding onto some hope!

Next Tuesday was the only date available to me. I saw someone else mention another AC date on Thursday. The email highlighted the fact that they recruit on a rolling basis so it was in our best interests to attend at that time. I guess they will be making VS offers as they go along and not waiting until they have done a certain amount of ACs.

 

[Alisha S]

Just as a general rule, is being in the 72nd percentile for a WG test good? I think some firms may want higher, but I got my marks from a firm I was recently rejected from, so that was nice

 

[cryingoverTCs]

I have to answer a question about why I've chosen my preferred location - how do I go about answering this? I've had this once before and kinda just wrote about the fact that I loved the vibrancy London and that it was a global hub so there were more opportunities
but is that ok?

 

[M1999]

Has anyone heard from AG post VI? Some people have ACs and even VS offers. I don’t know if there are additional AC dates