Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Zsaurcaks1]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for all your help so far.

A firm I’m applying to stresses the importance of taking ownership for your work- I’m trying to weave in examples of this, but struggling with what this actually means- is this where you’ve led a team for example and been accountable for the team and the work they produce?

It would be great to get your thoughts!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Cleary ask for a transcript as part of their application. If I can't get a copy of one, what do you advise I should do? Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you!

I am assuming you will have some form of electronic copy of your transcript? Something that notified you of your grades via email/or a student portal log in?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

Thanks for all your help so far.

A firm I’m applying to stresses the importance of taking ownership for your work- I’m trying to weave in examples of this, but struggling with what this actually means- is this where you’ve led a team for example and been accountable for the team and the work they produce?

It would be great to get your thoughts!

no - not necessary leadership or teamwork. It just means when you have taken the responsibility to ensure something is completed, typically to a high standard or to the benefit of others (eg customer/client). In many ways good examples might also come from examples you haven’t relied on other, but instead have taken your own initiative/time to deliver something (the leadership examples are fine to use too though).

 

[Sergiulix]

One of the Skadden questions is:

Please give details of any interests/hobbies you have outside of university/work.

i am interested in international arbitration, and I have attended some seminars and debates on the topic. As this doesn’t really fit into the two other questions (cover letter and positions of responsibility qs) should I write about it here, despite it might be related to work? Or should I fit it into the cover letter?

thanks.

 

[W]

One of the Skadden questions is:

Please give details of any interests/hobbies you have outside of university/work.

i am interested in international arbitration, and I have attended some seminars and debates on the topic. As this doesn’t really fit into the two other questions (cover letter and positions of responsibility qs) should I write about it here, despite it might be related to work? Or should I fit it into the cover letter?

thanks.

I mean it’s quite similar to work related stuff. You would have to word it in such a way to make it like a hobby such as writing a blog online on the topic for example.

 

[Jessica Booker]

One of the Skadden questions is:

Please give details of any interests/hobbies you have outside of university/work.

i am interested in international arbitration, and I have attended some seminars and debates on the topic. As this doesn’t really fit into the two other questions (cover letter and positions of responsibility qs) should I write about it here, despite it might be related to work? Or should I fit it into the cover letter?

thanks.

it’s not work related - it’s an interest and so appropriate to put there. You could obviously reference it again in the cover letter if tied to your motivations and if Skadden have a strong IA practice

 

[Kelvin]

I was paid a couple weeks before I started the LPC, but it is different depending on the firm. Some firms pay their grants in two instalments (the second instalment halfway through the LPC) and I know people whose firms only paid their grant a couple weeks after starting the LPC. I would email grad rec to confirm what their policy is, but they might only be able to confirm closer to your actual LPC start date

Thank you

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

it’s not work related - it’s an interest and so appropriate to put there. You could obviously reference it again in the cover letter if tied to your motivations and if Skadden have a strong IA practice

Hi Jessica,

What is meant by providing the most relevant education? Would I provide my most recent education or my first degree at the top and A- levels last?

My qualifications are as follows:
LLB Law
LLM Law
LPC
A-Levels

Many thanks,

Judy

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica,

What is meant by providing the most relevant education? Would I provide my most recent education or my first degree at the top and A- levels last?

My qualifications are as follows:
LLB Law
LLM Law
LPC
A-Levels

Many thanks,

Judith

I’d provide all of the above, backdated

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

I’d provide all of the above, backdated

Great! Thank you Jennifer

 

[R203]

Hi Jessica!

For this question:
Please give details of any interests/hobbies you have outside of university/work (250 words)

Could I mention about how I developed an interest in disputes/intl arbitration through internships, which I furthered through competing in advocacy competitions? Or would that be overlapping into the region of "work" and "university"?

Thank you so much.

 

[jan28]

For a question like Please outline why you wish to pursue a career in commercial law? ...

As I have a non-law background, I was thinking of answering it with a 'why law' element first, and then why commercial law specifically afterwards. However, my worry is that they're not really asking why law but just why commercial law. Is this a convincing way of 'telling a story' for these questions or should I just stick to points about commercial law?

Thank you!!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica!

For this question:
Please give details of any interests/hobbies you have outside of university/work (250 words)

Could I mention about how I developed an interest in disputes/intl arbitration through internships, which I furthered through competing in advocacy competitions? Or would that be overlapping into the region of "work" and "university"?

Thank you so much.

no - an internship is work.

If the advocacy competition is outside of uni, then it is fine to use. But even then I don’t think this is the point of the question - the point is to find out things about you that are actually interesting - the things you do that keep you sane and normal.

 

[Jessica Booker]

For a question like Please outline why you wish to pursue a career in commercial law? ...

As I have a non-law background, I was thinking of answering it with a 'why law' element first, and then why commercial law specifically afterwards. However, my worry is that they're not really asking why law but just why commercial law. Is this a convincing way of 'telling a story' for these questions or should I just stick to points about commercial law?

Thank you!!

have you started/completed the GDL?

 

[jan28]

have you started/completed the GDL?

I have not. Just graduated

 

[D95]

Hi Jessica!

I am struggling with one question on the application form and hope you could help a bit with clarifying what is required here. The question is as follows:
"What do you consider to be the key attributes of a lawyer in business? What kind of qualities and expertise do you think they should have? Can you give us an example of where you have demonstrated these qualities?

As it effectively consists of three different questions, I am struggling to formulate my answer properly. Initially, I thought about the following structure: 1. Key attribute, 2. Expansion on this, 3. My example of how I demonstrated this quality. 4. Repeat the above points with another key quality.

However, I am now having second thoughts about this approach and wonder whether these questions should be answered separately in the order that they appear. What do you think?

 

[Jessica Booker]

I have not. Just graduated

Then I think it is important to mention briefly (and I mean very briefly) what drew you to law, but to focus your content on why commercial law.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica!

I am struggling with one question on the application form and hope you could help a bit with clarifying what is required here. The question is as follows:
"What do you consider to be the key attributes of a lawyer in business? What kind of qualities and expertise do you think they should have? Can you give us an example of where you have demonstrated these qualities?

As it effectively consists of three different questions, I am struggling to formulate my answer properly. Initially, I thought about the following structure: 1. Key attribute, 2. Expansion on this, 3. My example of how I demonstrated this quality. 4. Repeat the above points with another key quality.

However, I am now having second thoughts about this approach and wonder whether these questions should be answered separately in the order that they appear. What do you think?

sounds like a pretty reasonable approach to me. I think the only other way to do it is to deal with all the attributes upfront, then explain why they are important in the next paragraph, and then the final paragraph can explain how you have developed the attributes. This may make your answer more concise - for instance you might have one example that demonstrates more than 1 attribute and therefore doesn’t need repeating. But I don’t think there is any advantage/disadvantage of structuring your answer in either way.

 

[D95]

sounds like a pretty reasonable approach to me. I think the only other way to do it is to deal with all the attributes upfront, then explain why they are important in the next paragraph, and then the final paragraph can explain how you have developed the attributes. This may make your answer more concise - for instance you might have one example that demonstrates more than 1 attribute and therefore doesn’t need repeating. But I don’t think there is any advantage/disadvantage of structuring your answer in either way.

Brilliant as always, thank you Jessica!

 

[R203]

no - an internship is work.

If the advocacy competition is outside of uni, then it is fine to use. But even then I don’t think this is the point of the question - the point is to find out things about you that are actually interesting - the things you do that keep you sane and normal.

thank you! Would you count volunteering as an interest (if not part of uni)?