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[Legal_rawn]

This is probably a really stupid question (that has probably been asked before sorry) but do you write mergers & acquisitions or M&A in application forms?

 

[Jessica Booker]

This is probably a really stupid question (that has probably been asked before sorry) but do you write mergers & acquisitions or M&A in application forms?

M&A is fine where it is a very common abbreviation

 

[Larry HC]

you might have to select something (the form might not let you leave it blank) but you could always clear this up in a free text box or extra information section.

perfect, thanks Jess

 

[Helpme12345]

Hi everyone

I am currently working on CMS' application questions and feel as though I have demonstrated good commercial awareness but not really spoken about CMS specifically as a firm. The questions are:
Focusing on one or more of CMS’s sectors, what challenges and opportunities for growth do you see presenting themselves over the coming 12-24 months? (200 words)
- I have talked about a sector's challenges & opportunities and briefly at the end how CMS can capitalise on this (but I suppose a lot of law firms would be able to capitalise on the same opportunities)
What does exceptional client service look like from a future facing lawyer? (200 words)
- here I have focused on directly answering the questions, very briefly adding how I fit the picture, but again no CMS-specific info
How would you describe the relationship between law and business? (200 words)
- I think this is the question where I can really demonstrate my research of the firm, but I don't feel like i'm properly answering the question.

I keep trying to fit some sentences in there, but it feels disingenuous and shoved in. When I rewrite the answers to make them more CMS-specific, they no longer directly answer the question. I'd love people's advice on which question is best suited to be focused more on CMS-specific content!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone

I am currently working on CMS' application questions and feel as though I have demonstrated good commercial awareness but not really spoken about CMS specifically as a firm. The questions are:
Focusing on one or more of CMS’s sectors, what challenges and opportunities for growth do you see presenting themselves over the coming 12-24 months? (200 words)
- I have talked about a sector's challenges & opportunities and briefly at the end how CMS can capitalise on this (but I suppose a lot of law firms would be able to capitalise on the same opportunities)
What does exceptional client service look like from a future facing lawyer? (200 words)
- here I have focused on directly answering the questions, very briefly adding how I fit the picture, but again no CMS-specific info
How would you describe the relationship between law and business? (200 words)
- I think this is the question where I can really demonstrate my research of the firm, but I don't feel like i'm properly answering the question.

I keep trying to fit some sentences in there, but it feels disingenuous and shoved in. When I rewrite the answers to make them more CMS-specific, they no longer directly answer the question. I'd love people's advice on which question is best suited to be focused more on CMS-specific content!

CMS might not care as much about why them and might just assess that at a later stage.

I would stick to what you had and avoid what you are suggesting.

 

[em311]

This may be a silly question so I apologise in advance! If you have a telephone interview but you are not living in the UK can it be changed to a Zoom interview as there are no costs involved in that?

 

[Jessica Booker]

This may be a silly question so I apologise in advance! If you have a telephone interview but you are not living in the UK can it be changed to a Zoom interview as there are no costs involved in that?

Usually a call wouldn’t cost you anything if it was incoming. But if you are going to incur costs from it, then yes, ask the firm whether it could be changed to Zoom instead.

 

[juswantavacscheme]

Hi Jessica - I have a vac scheme offer from a firm (firm 1) which said the offer is open for a week. I got this on Thursday. I am also waiting for the outcome of an interview I did 1.5 weeks ago at a firm (firm 2) which I would take over firm 1 if offered. I called firm 2 on Thursday to ask if I could get the outcome sooner in light of this, and they said they would get back quickly, but I haven’t heard yet.

Is it worse to keep firm 1 waiting until closer to the deadline (they’re small so I am worried they would remember me for it/see it as a lack of interest in them), or to chase firm 2 with a call on Monday saying that I really need to make a decision quickly? Would trying to speed up firm 2 damage my chances (might there be some sort of ‘backups’ list they are working down which I would be taking myself off by asking for a quick decision)?

Sorry for how long this is...

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica - I have a vac scheme offer from a firm (firm 1) which said the offer is open for a week. I got this on Thursday. I am also waiting for the outcome of an interview I did 1.5 weeks ago at a firm (firm 2) which I would take over firm 1 if offered. I called firm 2 on Thursday to ask if I could get the outcome sooner in light of this, and they said they would get back quickly, but I haven’t heard yet.

Is it worse to keep firm 1 waiting until closer to the deadline (they’re small so I am worried they would remember me for it/see it as a lack of interest in them), or to chase firm 2 with a call on Monday saying that I really need to make a decision quickly? Would trying to speed up firm 2 damage my chances (might there be some sort of ‘backups’ list they are working down which I would be taking myself off by asking for a quick decision)?

Sorry for how long this is...

It’s not an issue to wait until the deadline.

If you haven’t heard back from firm 2 a day or two before the deadline, contact them again.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I hope you are doing well. There is a question on the application form that asks if I have applied to the firm before, and if so, I should provide the detail and outcome of my application. I never heard back from the firm regarding an outcome of my application from the previously cycle and I did check the spam/junk section of my mailbox. My friends did receive rejection emails from the same firm for the same vacancy, which made me think that the firm would not send out 'silent rejections'. At the risk of sounding silly, may I ask if I should leave out mentioning the outcome, say that I have been rejected or say that I have yet to receive an outcome? Thank you very much

You should say you are yet to hear back.

 

[Numerius Negidius]

Hi Jessica. I have a training contract interview soon following a vacation scheme where the work portion was cancelled. For questions like "what did you learn from/think about the scheme", should I mention the technical content that I learned in the training workshops to demonstrate knowledge of what trainees do (eg that lawyers do XYZ in an M&A), or should the focus be on "why this firm" (deals, USPs)?

Additionally, they said there will be a commercial question to show an understanding of the legal industry and ability to think critically. They also suggested looking into SWOT/PESTLE. Does this appear to suggest that they will ask about law firms' business specifically rather than a general industry's relationship to the law?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica. I have a training contract interview soon following a vacation scheme where the work portion was cancelled. For questions like "what did you learn from/think about the scheme", should I mention the technical content that I learned in the training workshops to demonstrate knowledge of what trainees do (eg that lawyers do XYZ in an M&A), or should the focus be on "why this firm" (deals, USPs)?

Additionally, they said there will be a commercial question to show an understanding of the legal industry and ability to think critically. They also suggested looking into SWOT/PESTLE. Does this appear to suggest that they will ask about law firms' business specifically rather than a general industry's relationship to the law?

Thanks in advance!

Focus on what you personally took from it - there isn’t a right or wrong answer there, they just want to find out more about you and what you personally gained.

I don’t think it means anything - I think it just means you going to be asked to analyse something. It could be a whole range of things.

 

[Helpme12345]

Hi Jessica, I was wondering what firms use the academic reference for? I was not very close to my personal tutor but my former university German lecturer has said she would happily be my referee. However, my 'home' school was the business school, not the languages department, so I'm not sure she would have access to all of my module scores. Although, I have my academic transcripts so would this be a problem?

 

[juswantavacscheme]

Hi Jessica, I was wondering how likely it is that a firm which says that it 'expects' its future trainees to do the GDL with BPP would let me do it elsewhere if I got a TC there?

 

[Daniel Boden]

Hi Jessica, I was wondering how likely it is that a firm which says that it 'expects' its future trainees to do the GDL with BPP would let me do it elsewhere if I got a TC there?

Firms tend to be more flexible regarding the GDL. For instance, my firm, Gibson Dunn, has allowed me to do the GDL at ULaw as it has a campus close to where I live but they would prefer me to do the LPC at BPP with the rest of my cohort, apart from anything else so that we can get to know each other before we start at the firm. Hope that helps

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, I was wondering what firms use the academic reference for? I was not very close to my personal tutor but my former university German lecturer has said she would happily be my referee. However, my 'home' school was the business school, not the languages department, so I'm not sure she would have access to all of my module scores. Although, I have my academic transcripts so would this be a problem?

They use it to verify your grades more than anything else. Any additional comments regarding character are a plus, but are rare these days (especially outside Oxford and Cambridge). I would just go with a reference from your home faculty - it can always be supplemented by a reference from the German faculty.

 

[sebastianyatra]

Hi @Jessica Booker , I've heard from some people that you should write down the amount of money you secured as sponsorship for a society and from others that you shouldn't. For a figure of e.g. £2000 secured across four sponsorships, would you recommend I write both figures down or just the 'four sponsorships' part?

I've been told that four-figure numbers don't really mean anything to firms with huge budgets (understandable) but was wondering whether you would recommend putting them down anyway as this is quite significant for a student.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker , I've heard from some people that you should write down the amount of money you secured as sponsorship for a society and from others that you shouldn't. For a figure of e.g. £2000 secured across four sponsorships, would you recommend I write both figures down or just the 'four sponsorships' part?

I've been told that four-figure numbers don't really mean anything to firms with huge budgets (understandable) but was wondering whether you would recommend putting them down anyway as this is quite significant for a student.

Thanks in advance!

It’s up to you whether you put the amount or the number of sponsorships, or both.

Firms won’t look negatively on either - just because they have significant budgets doesn’t mean anything in this context.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jessica, I was wondering how likely it is that a firm which says that it 'expects' its future trainees to do the GDL with BPP would let me do it elsewhere if I got a TC there?

How likely depends on the firm and your personal circumstances. Some may say you will need to do it with their preferred supplier, or may choose not to fund it if you do it elsewhere (have heard it happen) others maybe more open to you doing it anywhere, especially in light of current situations and also if your personal circumstances mean it’s better for you (eg geographical location means you will not get into debt). However, if it’s just you want to do it at UoL in London rather than BPP in London, expect them to say no. Also, they may only give you the fees that they pay to the provider rather than reimburse the full fees if you do go elsewhere - that might not seem a problem on the face if it if the fees look the same on the provider’s website, by firms will get substantial discounts by having a “preferred supplier” - can be anything from 10-30% cheaper where they buy in bulk.

They tend to be stricter on the LPC though as they want you to work with your fellow trainees as a minimum, but also tend to have bespoke courses, so expect that to be far less likely if you also needed that that be different.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please answer a slightly odd question that I have. I wanted to know why the 'role of a trainee' is one question that is asked at the outset. I mean don't the firms want the trainees to qualify and become full-fledged lawyers. Why is their horizon in the interview just around the role of a trainee?
Thank You.