Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker !

This year, I am travelling back and forth between the UK and a CIS country.

In the UK I am staying with a friend of mine. I don’t pay rent or bills there so if I get to the VERO screening the only thing I may obtain is his written confirmation that I stayed with him.

On the other hand, I can use my address in another country where I do have the tenancy confirmation. However, I am worried that this may make the firm doubt my commitment to the UK or undermine my application in some other way.

Which address would you recommend indicating on the application form?

I’d use your address outside of the U.K. I would not worry about firms doubting your commitment to the U.K. That won’t be decided by an address.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi I just received Freshfields WG and was given 48 hours to complete it. Unfortunately I’ve fallen quite ill today and am worried I won’t be well enough to complete it. Does anyone know the best way to contact Freshfields’s grad recruitment team about a possible extension? I’m just wary it’s almost the end of day Friday and I won’t be able to contact someone over the weekend

They will pick it up on Monday or early next week and will be able to provide an extension then.

I would just email them and ask for an extension. You might find the test is still live on Monday/Tuesday anyway, and if so you could just complete it then.

 

[Carli K]

They will pick it up on Monday or early next week and will be able to provide an extension then.

I would just email them and ask for an extension. You might find the test is still live on Monday/Tuesday anyway, and if so you could just complete it then.

Thanks Jessica!

 

[Casual]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Thank you for answering my never-ending questions, I really do appreciate it😅

I just had one more re SQE qualifying work experience. The application form I am currently filling out asks "SQE Qualifying work experience?" next to each work experience entry.

Does a 2-week vacation scheme count as QWE? What about a paralegal position in a civil law jurisdiction outside the UK/EU?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Thank you for answering my never-ending questions, I really do appreciate it😅

I just had one more re SQE qualifying work experience. The application form I am currently filling out asks "SQE Qualifying work experience?" next to each work experience entry.

Does a 2-week vacation scheme count as QWE? What about a paralegal position in a civil law jurisdiction outside the UK/EU?

Potentially both roles do - however I can’t determine that, you’d need to check the SRA framework as to whether they do or not.

I don’t think you would apply QWE to a two week scheme though. That’s a lot of work to go through to knock two weeks off your qualifying time.

The role outside of the U.K. would need to have decent levels of exposure to English law for to be QWE. If it does, then it could be QWE but would you have full records of the work you did at that role? If not, then it could be a long process of trying to recall what you did for QWE purposes.

 

[Casual]

Potentially both roles do - however I can’t determine that, you’d need to check the SRA framework as to whether they do or not.

I don’t think you would apply QWE to a two week scheme though. That’s a lot of work to go through to knock two weeks off your qualifying time.

The role outside of the U.K. would need to have decent levels of exposure to English law for to be QWE. If it does, then it could be QWE but would you have full records of the work you did at that role? If not, then it could be a long process of trying to recall what you did for QWE purposes.

Understood, thank you for the detailed answer!

 

[traineesolicitor123]

Hi Jessica,
I've been successful in my Winter Workshop application with Slaughters and am therefore guaranteed a TC interview. However, i've read on multiple websites that if you are being considered they call both your referees to have extensive conversation/questioning, and that this is a more important step for Slaughters than other firms who normally just confirm grades/workplace with referees. I am unsure what to do as the references I have listed (personal tutor for academic and manager at workplace in my part time job) do not really know me or my personality or capabilities, as personal tutors aren't very involved with students at my uni and I only see my fairly new manager when I go home to work during uni holidays. Any advice would be highly appreciated!

Hi, Did Slaughter and May end up contacting your referees in this much detail? If yes, what exactly did they ask the referees? And did they call prior to the interview or after the interview?

 

[cls33]

Hi, Did Slaughter and May end up contacting your referees in this much detail? If yes, what exactly did they ask the referees? And did they call prior to the interview or after the interview?

Hey, congrats on your interview that's great! I haven't had my interview yet and the workshop is next week so I haven't been able to ask, but if I get the chance to ask during the workshop I can let you know. My understanding is they only call your referees if you're successful after your interview to confirm a couple things.

 

[EVjuji]

Dear @Jessica Booker
Just wanted to thank you for your continous and extremly valuable advice!
I do - and many other TCLA member will agree - really appreciate your support!

 

[Carli K]

Hi Jess, hope you’re having a great Christmas! I had a question about how to approach the “why this firm” question. I have a really strong interest in the energy sector and so I’m interested firms with strong energy practices but I feel like a lot of firms with strong energy practices are better known for other things, e.g. Latham & Watkins has a band 1 ranked energy practice but it’s better known for finance and M&A. In these sort of situations, I was wondering if it’d be inappropriate to talk about my interest in their energy practice.

 

[ScoUting]

Hi Jess! hope you are having a good holiday. Please could I have some advice?

I am dyslexic and so can get extra time, but when I emailed for adjustments for a verbal reasoning test I received an out-of-office for the Christmas holidays. I decided to do the test without extra time as I did not want to miss the deadline, but did end up running out of time.

I initially thought the deadline was the 1st, but upon checking again I saw I had misread the date and it was the 12th.

Have I completely messed this application up or should I email graduate recruitment to explain? I am very aware this looks reckless and poor attention to detail so I don't want to further hinder my application by email. From your experience as a graduate recruiter, what would you advise?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jess! hope you are having a good holiday. Please could I have some advice?

I am dyslexic and so can get extra time, but when I emailed for adjustments for a verbal reasoning test I received an out-of-office for the Christmas holidays. I decided to do the test without extra time as I did not want to miss the deadline, but did end up running out of time.

I initially thought the deadline was the 1st, but upon checking again I saw I had misread the date and it was the 12th.

Have I completely messed this application up or should I email graduate recruitment to explain? I am very aware this looks reckless and poor attention to detail so I don't want to further hinder my application by email. From your experience as a graduate recruiter, what would you advise?

I would contact them and explain you took the test anyway (and don’t have to mention the deadline issue) but wanted to check whether they would advise doing the test again with the full time, and if so whether they would reset the assessment.

They may say no for a whole multitude of reasons (cost, fairness, time/effort, your score is high enough anyway) or reset to for you.

I don’t think it is an automatic “issue” that means your application, you may have just had to do the test with no adjustment and take the risk that your test score might not be high enough.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jess, hope you’re having a great Christmas! I had a question about how to approach the “why this firm” question. I have a really strong interest in the energy sector and so I’m interested firms with strong energy practices but I feel like a lot of firms with strong energy practices are better known for other things, e.g. Latham & Watkins has a band 1 ranked energy practice but it’s better known for finance and M&A. In these sort of situations, I was wondering if it’d be inappropriate to talk about my interest in their energy practice.

It’s not inappropriate to talk about your interest in energy, but I would just try to ensure there is a balance with other aspects of the firms work if it is a niche area that the firm works on.

 

[NW Law]

Just wanted to add to what Jess said about extra time (sorry if this is the wrong place!). But with extra time, firms (in my experience) tend to be pretty supportive in cases where you were not given extra time in specific circumstances (i.e., where you had a deadline and you have had no response by the end date; or Christmas break where they are incredibly busy and may be delayed in a response). I would just email and tell them you are entitled to extra time (be prepared to give supportive evidence as some require this) and explain the situation you were in. Firms will be pretty receptive.

Fwiw I have had two firms in similar cases not apply extra time before the deadline so I had to take their tests. One firm told me my score and that I passed so there was no need to re-sit but they did make a note it had not been sat with extra time; and another said I had passed but could resit the test but that my new score would automatically replace my old one. I expect, as Jess said, that there could be other reasons for firms not to do this. Particularly if you could have made all effort to have extra time included - but I wouldn't stress too much. Email them and they should be pretty helpful nonetheless.

 

[F12M34L]

Need some advice on the following question for Mischon app:

What role can lawyers play in influencing society (300 words max)

Can we generally discuss two ways in which a lawyer can influence society or do we have to link it back to our experience?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Need some advice on the following question for Mischon app:

What role can lawyers play in influencing society (300 words max)

Can we generally discuss two ways in which a lawyer can influence society or do we have to link it back to our experience?

There is no need to link it back to your experience - they just want to understand your analysis of this question rather than your experiences.

 

[F12M34L]

There is no need to link it back to your experience - they just want to understand your analysis of this question rather than your experiences.

And if its 300 words, should we discuss 3 points then? its a lot of words

 

[Jessica Booker]

And if its 300 words, should we discuss 3 points then? its a lot of words

I don't think it has to be three points (it could be 2-4, maybe even 5 at a push). I would potentially try to use examples of how lawyers have influenced society to back up my suggestion and that may help to get the word count to closer to 300 words.

 

[F12M34L]

I don't think it has to be three points (it could be 2-4, maybe even 5 at a push). I would potentially try to use examples of how lawyers have influenced society to back up my suggestion and that may help to get the word count to closer to 300 words.

Thank you Jess!!

 

[azakabam]

Hi Jessica, happy new year!

I've been offered and accepted a TC through a direct TC process (Firm A). I was then offered another TC through a direct TC process with another firm (Firm B). Prior to all of those, I completed a WVS (with Firm C) and agreed to be considered for a TC offer.

My questions are as follows:
1. What's the etiquette for turning down Firm B? I've been given a deadline to accept and was wondering whether an email or a call is most appropriate before this deadline, or whether they'd prefer I just let it lapse. Moreover, when I turn the offer down via either method, will I need to mention I've accepted an offer with Firm A? It's not a problem if so, I just don't want to say something they don't appreciate though I'm sure they've heard rejections for this reason before.

2. Should I withdraw from Firm C's recruitment process? We will hear in Jan whether we've been offered a TC and they don't offer that many people from the VS a TC. I think my chances of being offered aren't that high. Either way, I'd like to receive feedback on my performance on the scheme and I'm not sure I'd get that if I withdraw. Secondly, should this be done by call or email if I should withdraw?

I don't mind phoning instead of emailing for both, but I don't want to make it an awkward call for the myself and the grad rec teams if they'd prefer to hear this stuff by email haha!

Thank you in advance