Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I hope this message finds you well.

Would you say that the 'Head Start' Programme at Shearman & Sterling is sufficient to be placed in the work experience section of a law firm application? For context, the event is only 1 day and for first-year students only, so it's essentially a first-year open day. If not, do you think I should combine all my open days including the head start programme into one section of the application?

Thank you.

I think it depends on the context Things to consider as to whether it’s appropriate:

Is there another section it could be included in?

Is it at the cost of you not putting in a more substantial bit of work experience (eg a part time job during your academics or a non-legal internship)?

Are you listing this but not open days? What’s the rationale of including this but not having individual entries for the others.

I’d always try to include something like this as it is great to have on an application form. But it might be better to combine with other events as you have suggested, or for it to be mentioned/referenced elsewhere depending on the other application sections and what other evidence you have.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

I think it depends on the context Things to consider as to whether it’s appropriate:

Is there another section it could be included in?

Is it at the cost of you not putting in a more substantial bit of work experience (eg a part time job during your academics or a non-legal internship)?

Are you listing this but not open days? What’s the rationale of including this but not having individual entries for the others.

I’d always try to include something like this as it is great to have on an application form. But it might be better to combine with other events as you have suggested, or for it to be mentioned/referenced elsewhere depending on the other application sections and what other evidence you have.

Thank you for this, @Jessica Booker!

Makes sense - every law firm has different application questions and so I'll have to adjust and measure with my own judgement. Also, some firms only ask for top 4 work experiences.

Appreciate your support!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, for a question that asks us the differences between a Share Purchase and an asset purchase, basically something as specific, can we also include the basic definitions plus the pros and cons of each, or would that be rambling?

I have a lot of questions on similar lines, but basically, if I think of answering the question to the point, I feel like it will be a pretty short answer but if I think of adding neighbouring details, I fear that this might reflect poorly since the interviewers never asked for the extra details. So, what would you advice generally?

Thanks.

Hi, @Jessica Booker I'm afraid that you missed this. Could you please help?

 

[hrb_pg]

@Jessica Booker

In a situational interview, I was asked a scenario question which stumped me at the time. Was wondering what your take is on this..

This was something along the lines of " You are a trainee at x firm, and your personal assistant is not completing any of your work that is assigned to them, rather, the personal assistant is completing work for a Partner in another team. What would you do?". I answered along the lines of communicating with the PA and being polite, requesting the work to be done etc, and the interviewers did push back on it. I was wondering if you had any insight as to answer that question

( I didn't receive any feedback on any particular situational questions, I just feel as though that was very difficult to answer)

Thanks

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I hope this message finds you well.

In the work experience section for a virtual vacation scheme, should I talk about presentations I attended (was pretty much the whole vac scheme - no billable work, such as drafting)? If so, how can I talk about them? Just struggling to write about a virtual vac scheme.

Apologies If I am asking you to repeat something - I am sure lots of people have asked this question lately with the rise in virtual schemes.

Thank you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I hope this message finds you well.

In the work experience section for a virtual vacation scheme, should I talk about presentations I attended (was pretty much the whole vac scheme - no billable work, such as drafting)? If so, how can I talk about them? Just struggling to write about a virtual vac scheme.

Apologies If I am asking you to repeat something - I am sure lots of people have asked this question lately with the rise in virtual schemes.

Thank you.

No - I personally wouldn’t go into that detail. Maybe just focus on 2-3 of the key learning you took from the various presentations, because that is specific to you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Could you please tell me, for a question that asks us the differences between a Share Purchase and an asset purchase, basically something as specific, can we also include the basic definitions plus the pros and cons of each, or would that be rambling?

I have a lot of questions on similar lines, but basically, if I think of answering the question to the point, I feel like it will be a pretty short answer but if I think of adding neighbouring details, I fear that this might reflect poorly since the interviewers never asked for the extra details. So, what would you advice generally?

Thanks.

I think it’s fine to very briefly talk about the pros and cons (maybe the biggest pro and biggest con) if you can do so concisely, but explaining the differences and then a long list of pros and cons would be pretty long winded.

 

[hrb_pg]

@Jessica Booker

In a situational interview, I was asked a scenario question which stumped me at the time. Was wondering what your take is on this..

This was something along the lines of " You are a trainee at x firm, and your personal assistant is not completing any of your work that is assigned to them, rather, the personal assistant is completing work for a Partner in another team. What would you do?". I answered along the lines of communicating with the PA and being polite, requesting the work to be done etc, and the interviewers did push back on it. I was wondering if you had any insight as to answer that question

( I didn't receive any feedback on any particular situational questions, I just feel as though that was very difficult to answer)

Thanks

Hi @Jessica Booker

Would it be possible to get some clarification on this? Is the question assessing how I balance the needs of a trainee and a partner, or is it assessing communication with other team members?
Thanks

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

I think it’s fine to very briefly talk about the pros and cons (maybe the biggest pro and biggest con) if you can do so concisely, but explaining the differences and then a long list of pros and cons would be pretty long winded.

Thank you for this. I'm assuming, this advice follows generally too. Give the interviewer exactly what the question asks and just a little more here and there but no rambling.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker

Would it be possible to get some clarification on this? Is the question assessing how I balance the needs of a trainee and a partner, or is it assessing communication with other team members?
Thanks

It sounds a little directive to be honest. You aren’t really finding out from the PA what they are working on to work out whether your work is important. You also aren’t really factoring your time - could you do the work if the PA hasn’t got capacity for instance? I think it needed to be a more solutions based, rather than just saying you would ask the PA to do the work.

 

[AK105]

Hello @Jessica Booker,
I hope you are doing well.
I had a query regarding questions where they ask us to talk about Covid Related Legal issues.
Can I please talk about Net Zero carbon emissions and how it started as a result of the pandemic. And subsequently go into a lot of detail on how companies are becoming greener etc. Or is that too vague.
Many Thanks for all your help so far,
Rijul

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker,
I hope you are doing well.
I had a query regarding questions where they ask us to talk about Covid Related Legal issues.
Can I please talk about Net Zero carbon emissions and how it started as a result of the pandemic. And subsequently go into a lot of detail on how companies are becoming greener etc. Or is that too vague.
Many Thanks for all your help so far,
Rijul

I am not an expert on this, but I wouldn’t have thought net carbon was something that originated from the pandemic. People have been talking about net zero carbon targets etc for a number of years now, so I think the connection to the pandemic would need to be a bit more specific.

 

[AK105]

I am not an expert on this, but I wouldn’t have thought net carbon was something that originated from the pandemic. People have been talking about net zero carbon targets etc for a number of years now, so I think the connection to the pandemic would need to be a bit more specific.

Thank you sm Jessica!

 

[Gus Courtauld]

It doesn’t necessarily take two years to complete as it is just a set of exams. Technical no course is needed (eg you could technically learn the content needed through being self taught). It also depends on the firms approach to when you start the TC. Some firms are doing the SQE during the TC, some are saying you do SQE1 before starting and will do SQE2 before your qualifying work experience is up. Others are saying you need to do SQE 1 and 2 before starting.

So technically it could be 0 days needed.

Woah that is very interesting, thanks very much.

 

[Deleted member 8227]

Hi @Jessica Booker, can things like book clubs or going to the gym count as an extracurricular? I am struggling for relevant examples to highlight in an application post-graduation. Also can something that you volunteered for but were paid count as extracurricular? Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, can things like book clubs or going to the gym count as an extracurricular? I am struggling for relevant examples to highlight in an application post-graduation. Also can something that you volunteered for but were paid count as extracurricular? Thanks

I’d probably put both of them as interests rather than extra curriculars. Extra curriculars to me is something that you have to commit to that makes a different to others. So if you are organising the book club, that could be something to include.

 

[Deleted member 8227]

I’d probably put both of them as interests rather than extra curriculars. Extra curriculars to me is something that you have to commit to that makes a different to others. So if you are organising the book club, that could be something to include.

Thank you, this is very useful. I have also signed up to be a volunteer tutor but I haven't received a placement yet. Could I include that in an application question on extracurriculars?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you, this is very useful. I have also signed up to be a volunteer tutor but I haven't received a placement yet. Could I include that in an application question on extracurriculars?

Yes, you can include it, you’ll just not really be able to add much detail if it’s something you haven’t started yet.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker,

I hope this message finds you well.

I want to apply to A&O but am undecided at the moment on whether to apply to the summer VS or direct TC. At a recent grad rec Q&A on the londonyounglawyersgroup, Hannah Rolph, head of grad rec for london opportunities, said: 'every firm is different in terms of the volume of applications they receive for different programmes. My advice is always speak to the grad rec team and see if they have a preference over what you apply to based on your experience to date'. I will send the A&O grad rec team an email, but also wanted to get your perspective.

I am a final year LLB student with prior legal experience (formal schemes and informal) and non-legal experience. However, I haven't really interacted with the firm (much) and so I am worried if I apply via the direct TC route. What do you think? Lastly, please do let me know if you want me to provide further info about me or my experience to get a better understanding of my current position?

EDIT: my only motivation to apply via the direct TC route is simply a more streamlined/quicker process.

I’d just wait for the response back from A&O to see what they say.

Apart from that, use your judgement based on how much you’d want to do a VS with the firm (eg, if you got a TC offer would you need some form of reassurance they are the right firm for you that you might get from doing a VS).

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

I’d just wait for the response back from A&O to see what they say.

Was just gonna move this to pm, but no worries. Thanks for getting back to me and I'll see what the team has to say.