2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Celestie]

Hey Celestie, how is it going? How are the applications going? Any luck so far, with getting past the application stage?

Interview with Sidley coming up this week which gives me nausea every time I think about it - otherwise just waiting. What about you?

 

[jds555]

Interview with Sidley coming up this week which gives me nausea every time I think about it - otherwise just waiting. What about you?

Oh wow congratulations! I was going to apply to them but ran out of time as I had conflicting deadlines. At the moment only received a rejection from Links. Currently, waiting to hear on White&Case, Latham & Watkins and now Shearman & Sterling - I reckon I will get rejected from Shearman due to the quality of my application.

 

[NK]

I would go with Dear Mark or Dear Mr Dubes.

Agreed - I went with Mr Dubes and got through to the next stage, but I’m sure either is fine!

 

[Adrian_Healey]

I would go with Dear Mark or Dear Mr Dubes.

Always been at a lost with female addressees, is ‘Ms or Mrs’ okay or is there a better alternative to using their first name?

 

[LS12]

Hi guys, I’ve seen there’s a thread on this from 2018 but 8 don’t think anything has been shared more recently - does anyone have good resources on answering the question - where should we open an office?

 

[Bugsy Malone]

Agreed - I went with Mr Dubes and got through to the next stage, but I’m sure either is fine!

Great thanks and congratulations!

 

[Lily721]

Oh wow congratulations! I was going to apply to them but ran out of time as I had conflicting deadlines. At the moment only received a rejection from Links. Currently, waiting to hear on White&Case, Latham & Watkins and now Shearman & Sterling - I reckon I will get rejected from Shearman due to the quality of my application.

I am surprised that no one seems to have heard from White&Case given that they recruit on a rolling basis and I know people who have applied months ago!

 

[Jacob Miller]

Always been at a lost with female addressees, is ‘Ms or Mrs’ okay or is there a better alternative to using their first name?

I would always use Ms as it's the most neutral and least presumptuous. For a man, I would always use Mr [Surname] unless I'm genuinely on first name terms with the person for whatever reason.

Also, it's not important at all, but when signing off a letter, "Yours sincerely" should be used when you are addressing the letter to a particular person; "Yours faithfully" should be used when a letter does not have a named recipient but is instead "Dear Graduate Recruitment" or "To whom it may concern".

 

[Jessica Booker]

Always been at a lost with female addressees, is ‘Ms or Mrs’ okay or is there a better alternative to using their first name?

sometimes LCN makes it clear whether they are Mrs or Ms. But why Dear Jessica might be more appropriate than Dear Mrs Booker (which wouldn’t be correct in my case).

 

[Lily721]

Agreed - I went with Mr Dubes and got through to the next stage, but I’m sure either is fine!

Can I ask - does everyone who applies to Mayer Brown get asked to do their SS and VR tests or is it just those whose applications they like?

 

[Jacob Miller]

Hi guys, I’ve seen there’s a thread on this from 2018 but 8 don’t think anything has been shared more recently - does anyone have good resources on answering the question - where should we open an office?

Great question! This can be tough to brooch as an answer. In my experience, the actual answer you give is only a small part of what they're actually looking for in your response. Much more emphasis here is on the reasoning you can give and the commercial understanding you show in that reasoning.

In terms of deciding on a particular place, there are loads of factors to consider. These are some of the initial points I'd want to think about:
- Does the firm have a particular industry focus? If so, is there any location where the economy is linked to that industry or sector?
- Has the firm recently undertaken work which involved a given jurisdiction but had to appoint external counsel? Is it a jurisdiction where they are likely to do more work in the future?
- Is there a jurisdiction with a rapidly growing/ changing/ developing economy which will grow into a hub for commercial transactions?

You could also take a different frame on this answer- it's not something I've seen done super often, but if it's done properly, I see no reason why it wouldn't be just as valid:
- Is there somewhere else in the UK that the firm could open up an office to run certain tasks in a more cost-effective manner for clients? For example, Norton Rose have the Newcastle hub for a lot of more labour-intensive work which it would be too expensive to do in London; Freshfields have a large proportion of their business services staff based in a Manchester office, CC have a Newcastle office etc. Look at some of the advantages/ disadvantages, risks and benefits associated with other UK offices and then compare this with the given firm's model and work- could they benefit from a move like that?

 

[Celestie]

Oh wow congratulations! I was going to apply to them but ran out of time as I had conflicting deadlines. At the moment only received a rejection from Links. Currently, waiting to hear on White&Case, Latham & Watkins and now Shearman & Sterling - I reckon I will get rejected from Shearman due to the quality of my application.

Thank you, though I do not feel as though a congrats are in order as I am not sure I am suited to the interview style - which will cause issues.

Look at you! I am sure you will smash it - and dw about LL. And don't think like that, putting yourself down before you even start is not good for your health. Look after yourself, you are your own best friend and you wouldn't say to someone 'you're not gonna get it' before you have even done it.

 

[Law1099]

Does anyone know if when replying to an email where the email address is [email protected], should we find the actual GR email in order to contact them? Or just reply to that email? I’m confused how it gets to them!

thankyou

 

[S87]

Did anyone apply to Dechert and got to the next stage?

 

[SLKEJRWOI97]

Did anyone apply to Dechert and got to the next stage?

I applied on deadline day for Spring but haven’t heard back yet :/

 

[PP27]

This sounds like it is on Launchpad given the wording.

If so, it actually means 23.59 on the 20th Jan

lots of people are saying it means 23.59 on 19th. Did you mean to say 20th? (sorry just really would love that extra day because work has been so hectic)

 

[Jessica Booker]

lots of people are saying it means 23.59 on 19th. Did you mean to say 20th? (sorry just really would love that extra day because work has been so hectic)

It depends when you were invited. It is 23.59 of the date on your email.

 

[ZaraB]

Hi everyone, does any have any insight on how to approach the following question:

What advice would you give to a friend who wants to set up a business?

I would be really grateful for your thoughts!

 

[ellensdaleoriginal]

For Mayer Brown's cover letter it says to address it to 'Mark Dubes', should I start my letter with 'Dear Mark Dubes' or 'Dear Mr Dubes'? @Jessica Booker would be interested to know your thoughts on this

Are you setting this out like a normal cover letter with addresses and the date or are your just starting with 'Dear Mr Dubes' ?

 

[Lumree]

Hi everyone, does any have any insight on how to approach the following question:

What advice would you give to a friend who wants to set up a business?

I would be really grateful for your thoughts!

That’s a very open ended question! Is this for an interview? Do you know anything about the business?