2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[LeilaScott]

Also should I be expecting a PFO from Morgan Lewis, I applied last week (lol) but have seen someone get a telephone interview invite?

 

[Jacob Miller]

I am feeling so overwhelmed at the moment. I am trying to come up with examples for different competency questions and I am blank. Completely blank. I feel like I have nothing to talk about. But I also don't want to make up things. How are people tackling such questions and preparing examples?

Hi,

My recent article on this topic might help you think of some examples based on the exemplar answers I've used:

Definitive Guide to Law Firm Interviews! *Monday Article Series*

In this week's (slightly delayed - sorry!) Article, we take a look at law firm interviews. Introduction Almost every law firm’s application process involves some form of interview. This style of interview is designed to find out about your motivations, experiences, skills and characteristics...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

If you're really struggling to get to grips with examples, I would recommend identifying they key points you need to hit for each question and working back therefrom rather than trying to shoehorn an example in first.

 

[layla rose]

Also should I be expecting a PFO from Morgan Lewis, I applied last week (lol) but have seen someone get a telephone interview invite?

Morgan Lewis was non rolling & deadline was yesterday. Don’t assume it’s a PFO yet!

 

[I_S]

From what I have gathered, it seems that this application cycle is so much more competitive than previous cycles. Does anyone have any idea of how long this might take to correct, or is this how it is going to be from now on?

 

[LeilaScott]

Morgan Lewis was non rolling & deadline was yesterday. Don’t assume it’s a PFO yet!

Ah thank you! I thought it was rolling and was worried!

 

[Holly]

Depends a lot on the applicant. Applicants who've got IB experience will likely be asked about it, similarly those with consulting experience etc.

I've personally been asked "why law and not stay a full-time day trader?" and "why law and not a career entrepreneur?" (as a result of being a trader and having launched a few businesses). I was once at an AC and another applicant was a junior doctor in the NHS, he was asked "why law and not continue in medicine?" etc.

Yeah this definitely makes sense! Thank you

 

[collie_121]

From what I have gathered, it seems that this application cycle is so much more competitive than previous cycles. Does anyone have any idea of how long this might take to correct, or is this how it is going to be from now on?

I guess its hard to predict, in terms of volume of applications this may lessen over the coming few years, but then again, there would technically be more applications anyway as the population rises. Perhaps, this competitive cycle has raised the standard of applications in general, meaning firms may expect this quality to continue. Its hard to say and I am definitely no expert, but I guess all we can do is try our best and it'll work out in the end

 

[tractor12]

I think if Mayer Brown are experiencing what a lot of the other firms are this year in terms of just a never-ending influx of applicants, they might be re-considering their criteria for AC?

(this is what I imagine graduate recruitment looks like )

What do you mean?

 

[HorsesForCoursesNeighNeighNeigh]

Depends a lot on the applicant. Applicants who've got IB experience will likely be asked about it, similarly those with consulting experience etc.

I've personally been asked "why law and not stay a full-time day trader?" and "why law and not a career entrepreneur?" (as a result of being a trader and having launched a few businesses). I was once at an AC and another applicant was a junior doctor in the NHS, he was asked "why law and not continue in medicine?" etc.

Worried I'm going to get "why law and not crazy cat lady?"

 

[Holly]

Does any know if there's an option to pause briefly between Simmons&Simmons's online written exercise and VI, e.g. by not clicking a certain button? Just want to see if it's possible to do my written assessment in pj 😅

Yeah I’m pretty sure it’s the video interview first. Once that’s completed, then it’s the written exercise. But you have to click a button to continue to the written exercise.

 

[NikkiT]

I found it really nice and easy on my laptop because the screen was a lot bigger, which I personally thought made it easier for me to focus. With the tasks requiring a faster reaction speed, the game instructs you to press certain keys, which I found easier than pressing on my phone because I could physically feel the keys (I'm not sure if this makes sense, it just meant that I could rest my fingers on them instead of being less steady with my fingers in the air and pre-empting certain answers). I had to actually switch from my phone to my computer after the first task because it kept registering that I had pressed the wrong thing, which meant I scored near zero.

Can you switch from phone to laptop midway then? it's annoying you can't do the practice on a laptop!

 

[Hele25]

The main thing that holds open university candidates back is not that they studied at the open university, but more their academics more generally. They are much more likely to not meet A-level grade criteria.

They also tend to not have the extra curricular activities too, where they are generally working full time.

But if they submit a good application, they can be recruited. I have done so in the past.

Thanks for this @Jessica Booker, I really appreciate the insight.
Fo you have any suggestions on how to get around the extra-curriculars issue? I do work part-time and run my own business, so any extra time is in the gym or 🍷 😂 It’s just difficult to know what to mention/highlight. Is it about showing outside interest/being able to work as a team player?

 

[Jessica Booker]

From what I have gathered, it seems that this application cycle is so much more competitive than previous cycles. Does anyone have any idea of how long this might take to correct, or is this how it is going to be from now on?

Depends how long the recession goes on for. But I would expect it to pick up in the 2022-23 recruitment cycle based on my previous experience.

 

[Jacob Miller]

Thanks for this @Jessica Booker, I really appreciate the insight.
Fo you have any suggestions on how to get around the extra-curriculars issue? I do work part-time and run my own business, so any extra time is in the gym or 🍷 😂 It’s just difficult to know what to mention/highlight. Is it about showing outside interest/being able to work as a team player?

For what it's worth, I'm at a 'conventional' uni and don't have EC's coming out my ears (in fact, only like 1 in the entire time I've been at uni) - 99% of what I talk about comes from work history/ work experiences/ life experiences/ running my businesses etc

 

[Barnsworth]

Thanks for this @Jessica Booker, I really appreciate the insight.
Fo you have any suggestions on how to get around the extra-curriculars issue? I do work part-time and run my own business, so any extra time is in the gym or 🍷 😂 It’s just difficult to know what to mention/highlight. Is it about showing outside interest/being able to work as a team player?

I think the fact you run your own business is immensely impressive and should impress firms. I'd even go as far as saying that extracurricular activity is perhaps the focus because most students dont, as you do, run their own business. Extracurricular is usually a supplement for actual experience in time, team, and organisational management. Team player could be exemplified by any engagements you have with your business, whether that's clients, working with people from other companies etc. Also working part time is also pretty impressive, do you work in a team?

 

[JayC]

Yeah I’m pretty sure it’s the video interview first. Once that’s completed, then it’s the written exercise. But you have to click a button to continue to the written exercise.

I had the written exercise first, but yeah you have to click a button

 

[Jessica Booker]

Worried I'm going to get "why law and not crazy cat lady?"

There just isn’t an answer to that question!! Being a crazy cat lady is so much better than a career in law in my opinion. 😂

(here’s my cat Sid that turned me into one)

 

[Cho]

I just got an invitation for AC from Taylor Wessing! If anyone could give me some tips, that would be great!!

 

[tk166]

Just out of curiosity, which firms have asked “why not investment banking?” I’ve never been asked this anywhere

I was asked it because I had a scientific/statistic background and the interviewer wanted to know why corporate law vs banking

 

[user254]

For BCLP, I have two test invites on my apply4law homepage and they are both titled the same. I have completed one and it has been recorded as finished but not sure whether the other is a duplicate or another test I have to complete? Should I contact grad rec to ask?