Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[RS134]

Hi Jessica,

I am applying to a law firm for which the questions are:

1. Please explain your interest in pursuing a legal career at an international law firm and your specific interest in (firm).
2. Please detail a recent news article that has interested you and highlight how this might have an impact on (firm)'s business.
3. Please outline your personal achievements, interests and positions of responsibility. How do you think they may be relevant to the pursuit of a career in law.
4. Please include any other information that you consider to be relevant to your application.

All 4 questions are marked with a 'required' asterisk and do not have a word count. Is it acceptable to put N/A in Q4 if I don't have extenuating circumstances? Or should I write something?

Thanks

If this is the firm I think it is ('cause I'm finishing the app today too aha), then the graduate recruitment team said Q4 was for anything extra you wanted to show them. They have a specific section for mitigating circumstances on a later page, albeit it is very small.

 

[Numerius Negidius]

Thanks Jessica!

If this is the firm I think it is ('cause I'm finishing the app today too aha), then the graduate recruitment team said Q4 was for anything extra you wanted to show them. They have a specific section for mitigating circumstances on a later page, albeit it is very small.

Thanks for sharing this!

 

[Shami7]

Good Afternoon everyone,

I hope this message finds you all safe and well in these trying times.

I became a TCLA gold member recently - I'm really enjoying the content so many thanks for all your effort.

I had a couple of questions that I couldn’t find the answers to on the online forums. I was hoping that somebody could advise me.

I’m a recent graduate, having obtained an overall First Class mark in my degree. The issue is that during my 4-year degree, my grades from years 1-3 were poor: I averaged 55%. It was only in the final year where I obtained 70+ and fortunately for my university, only the final year counts towards degree classification. I should mention that I studied at Strathclyde University - not a member of the RG, but does scores relatively high in the league tables nontheless.

My first question is - would it be futile for me to apply to Magic Circle, Silver Circle or large US/ commercial firms based in London, due to:
(i) My poor degree results (years 1-3) and;
(ii) My poor A level results - BCC?

So far, I have applied for four winter vacation schemes (Travers Smith, Norton Rose, Herbert Smith, Clifford Chance) but to no avail. I dont know whether this is down to the grade issue mentioned above, or perhaps because i need more practice in applying.

My second question is whether further study would insulate my previously poor grades, thereby strengthening my application? I’ve been brazen about in applying for the Cambridge LLM, and the LLM at the LSE as a back-up choice.

Finally, given that I have not yet secured a vacation scheme (but I have completed mini pupilages in the past, through which i realised that the Bar route isnt for me), would it be more prudent to apply for more vac schemes or would it be worth it to apply directly for TC's.

I would greatly appreciate your help and insight. I look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks & warm regards
Usama Khan

 

[Jessica Booker]

Good Afternoon everyone,

I hope this message finds you all safe and well in these trying times.

I became a TCLA gold member recently - I'm really enjoying the content so many thanks for all your effort.

I had a couple of questions that I couldn’t find the answers to on the online forums. I was hoping that somebody could advise me.

I’m a recent graduate, having obtained an overall First Class mark in my degree. The issue is that during my 4-year degree, my grades from years 1-3 were poor: I averaged 55%. It was only in the final year where I obtained 70+ and fortunately for my university, only the final year counts towards degree classification. I should mention that I studied at Strathclyde University - not a member of the RG, but does scores relatively high in the league tables nontheless.

My first question is - would it be futile for me to apply to Magic Circle, Silver Circle or large US/ commercial firms based in London, due to:
(i) My poor degree results (years 1-3) and;
(ii) My poor A level results - BCC?

So far, I have applied for four winter vacation schemes (Travers Smith, Norton Rose, Herbert Smith, Clifford Chance) but to no avail. I dont know whether this is down to the grade issue mentioned above, or perhaps because i need more practice in applying.

My second question is whether further study would insulate my previously poor grades, thereby strengthening my application? I’ve been brazen about in applying for the Cambridge LLM, and the LLM at the LSE as a back-up choice.

Finally, given that I have not yet secured a vacation scheme (but I have completed mini pupilages in the past, through which i realised that the Bar route isnt for me), would it be more prudent to apply for more vac schemes or would it be worth it to apply directly for TC's.

I would greatly appreciate your help and insight. I look forward to hearing from you.

Many thanks & warm regards
Usama Khan

I am assuming there are no mitigating circumstances to your A-levels and years 1-3?

 

[Shami7]

I am assuming there are no mitigating circumstances to your A-levels and years 1-3?

Hi Jessica,

Yes there are - to both. I'm unsure whether or not to include them though

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Yes there are - to both. I'm unsure whether or not to include them though

It’s a personal decision on whether or not, but without declaring them you are on a massive backfoot, as ultimately only one out of six years of your education looks strong enough and that could be considered a fluke (especially if it was 2020 as firm know that grade inflation is awful from this year due to compensation systems).

Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss your Ext circs in more detail.

 

[LawGrad19]

Hello! I just did a telephone interview and I have been told I will hear back in 2 weeks. I expect feedback is usually given if its a rejection if you ask for it but is it frowned upon to ask for feedback if I get to interview?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello! I just did a telephone interview and I have been told I will hear back in 2 weeks. I expect feedback is usually given if its a rejection if you ask for it but is it frowned upon to ask for feedback if I get to interview?

No - you can ask for feedback even if you are successful. Some firms may not offer feedback at telephone interview stage, but there are not any issues with asking for it.

 

[LawGrad19]

No - you can ask for feedback even if you are successful. Some firms may not offer feedback at telephone interview stage, but there are not any issues with asking for it.

Thank you.

 

[IntrepidL]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I have a question in relation to what would be the best way to answer the strength-based interview question - "what do you to relax?" I've had some conflicting answers from various individuals with some people saying how the interest should always be linked back to law (i.e. a popular online video on law interviews stated that it would be best to say sewing, because it helps them increase their attention to detail etc). However, other lawyers have told me this wouldn't be the best way to answer such a question as it seems forced and un-authentic. To be honest, I myself thought this at first too.

Really would love to hear your thoughts on this.

 

[Velikilawyer123]

you’ll need full addresses - postcodes and city location etc. No need for email or telephone numbers in the cover letter. Many cover letters don’t have the person’s title either

PDF or word is fine generally. Just double check instructions as some firms may ask for it in a particular format

Got it, thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I have a question in relation to what would be the best way to answer the strength-based interview question - "what do you to relax?" I've had some conflicting answers from various individuals with some people saying how the interest should always be linked back to law (i.e. a popular online video on law interviews stated that it would be best to say sewing, because it helps them increase their attention to detail etc). However, other lawyers have told me this wouldn't be the best way to answer such a question as it seems forced and un-authentic. To be honest, I myself thought this at first too.

Really would love to hear your thoughts on this.

this is the problem with so much advice being out there - a lot of it won’t be very good! The idea that “sewing” is the best answer out there is absolutely absurd (I really want to swear I am so peeved at how rubbish this advice is, but I’ll refrain ).

Please PM me a link to this video so I can go and have a laugh at it though...

How the hell does relaxing have anything to do with law? You’d have to be a bit strange if your way of relaxing was doing anything that was related to your work or refining your skills to make you a better lawyer

From my experience, the “right” answer is the complete opposite of anything to do with law. It is more about assessing whether you have the ability to distance yourself from work and have enough EQ to be able to manage your own ability to relax and therefore know the best way to do it for you. It really doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s accessible (eg something you could do each week if you wanted to).

 

[IntrepidL]

this is the problem with so much advice being out there - a lot of it won’t be very good! The idea that “sewing” is the best answer out there is absolutely absurd (I really want to swear I am so peeved at how rubbish this advice is, but I’ll refrain ).

Please PM me a link to this video so I can go and have a laugh at it though...

How the hell does relaxing have anything to do with law? You’d have to be a bit strange if your way of relaxing was doing anything that was related to your work or refining your skills to make you a better lawyer

From my experience, the “right” answer is the complete opposite of anything to do with law. It is more about assessing whether you have the ability to distance yourself from work and have enough EQ to be able to manage your own ability to relax and therefore know the best way to do it for you.

I know! I actually cringed so hard when I heard it hahaha!

I thought the same thing. I thought answering your genuine reason as to how you relax was the way forward, and a way to also show your personality. PM'ing you the video! :')

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Approximately when do Freshfields send WG invites for VS applicants. The deadline is 07/01/2021 and non-rolling.

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Approximately when do Freshfields send WG invites for VS applicants. The deadline is 07/01/2021 and non-rolling.

Thanks

I don’t know.

It used to be the case that they would review applications for the basics (eligibility criteria mainly) and then invite people to testing, and that could typically take a couple of weeks, especially towards the end of the recruitment cycle. But I left Freshfields 7 years ago now - it’s more than possible that the process has changed.

 

[moesha12]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I'm doing a video interview soon and I was planning on doing it at a desk in my bedroom. This is the quietest room in my house, but my bed is in the background. Will this come across as unprofessional?

Thank you

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I'm doing a video interview soon and I was planning on doing it at a desk in my bedroom. This is the quietest room in my house, but my bed is in the background. Will this come across as unprofessional?

Thank you

no not an issue at all. It’s quite common, especially in a time when everyone is now working from home.

Just make sure the bed is made!

 

[Numerius Negidius]

Hi Jessica, I have a Magic Circle TC and submitted an application for a US firm VS. I listed the TC in my application for the US firm. I received an email from Grad Rec asking why I was applying for a VS with them despite holding an offer with the MC firm. In my "why firm" answer, I talked about the firm's practice areas and industries but didn't discuss the MC TC.

Do you have any suggestions on how I should respond to this email? Should I give a relatively brief answer since it's an email or give a longer answer as if it were an application question? I am guessing I should focus on the differences between the US firm and the MC firm specifically?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Paaris]

Hi Jessica!
I am currently completing an application but one of the questions is asking what my most significant achievement in my academic career. (There is also one about outside of academic career).
It has been a very long time since my studies and I usually will have an answer that is related to work and not study.
Would I have to reach far back into my academic time to answer this?
The term "academic career" is an odd one!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, I have a Magic Circle TC and submitted an application for a US firm VS. I listed the TC in my application for the US firm. I received an email from Grad Rec asking why I was applying for a VS with them despite holding an offer with the MC firm. In my "why firm" answer, I talked about the firm's practice areas and industries but didn't discuss the MC TC.

Do you have any suggestions on how I should respond to this email? Should I give a relatively brief answer since it's an email or give a longer answer as if it were an application question? I am guessing I should focus on the differences between the US firm and the MC firm specifically?

Thanks a lot!

I am assuming you are only holding a TC offer and that you haven’t accepted it?