Ask Alice G (Future Trainee at Freshfields) Anything!

[Alice G]

Hi Alice,

If you apply for a direct training contract at Freshfields without having done a vacation scheme before do you think they would reject you for this?

Hi Alice!

You do not need to do a vac scheme with the firm to be considered for a direct training contract. Indeed, I know candidates who haven't had any vac scheme experiences at any firm who have interviewed for a direct TC with FF.

Just in case you have some other questions about the process, I found this FAQ page really helpful when I was applying to FF: https://ukgraduates.freshfields.com/faqs

 

[k.k]

Hi Alice,
I was wondering when applying for a direct TC at FF how to discuss a vac scheme completed at another MC firm but not having converted it into a TC.
Thanks

 

[Alice G]

Hi Alice,
I was wondering when applying for a direct TC at FF how to discuss a vac scheme completed at another MC firm but not having converted it into a TC.
Thanks

Hi there,

You don't have to broach not converting or anything like that when you write about your vac scheme experience, you just want to focus on what you did and what you gained from the experience itself

 

[k.k]

Hi there,

You don't have to broach not converting or anything like that when you write about your vac scheme experience, you just want to focus on what you did and what you gained from the experience itself

Thanks Alice😊

 

[f41zal]

Hi Alice, I hope you are keeping well. I have been following your beneficial advice, thank you!

I have made an application for a direct TC at Freshfields. I have been shortlisted for the Watson Glaser Test. I don't know how ecstatic I should be, given many people probably get to this stage?

I just wanted your advice on how best to prepare for the WG test. They have only given me 3 days to complete it. Any advice would be highly appreciated!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Alice, I hope you are keeping well. I have been following your beneficial advice, thank you!

I have made an application for a direct TC at Freshfields. I have been shortlisted for the Watson Glaser Test. I don't know how ecstatic I should be, given many people probably get to this stage?

I just wanted your advice on how best to prepare for the WG test. They have only given me 3 days to complete it. Any advice would be highly appreciated!

There are some threads /resources we have that might be of interest:

Watson Glaser Cheat/Hint Sheet

Hi all, As discussed, here's a WG cheat/hint document a friend and I put together which hopefully you will find helpful! Obviously, feel free to adapt and change it as you see fit so it works best for you. Good luck! Dan

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Watson Glaser Practice Questions

Hi All, An anonymous candidate sent me over these practice questions for the Watson Glaser Test which they found publicly available online. In the spirit of sharing this information with everyone, I thought I'd post it publicly here. While there are no answers to the questions (aside from the...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

The Watson Glaser Test | Advice from a Graduate Recruitment Specialist

Advice and resources for the Watson Glaser Test by Jessica Booker Jess has spent 10 years working in graduate recruitment, including as trainee recruitment manager for a magic circle firm. […]

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

 

[f41zal]

There are some threads /resources we have that might be of interest:

Watson Glaser Cheat/Hint Sheet

Hi all, As discussed, here's a WG cheat/hint document a friend and I put together which hopefully you will find helpful! Obviously, feel free to adapt and change it as you see fit so it works best for you. Good luck! Dan

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Watson Glaser Practice Questions

Hi All, An anonymous candidate sent me over these practice questions for the Watson Glaser Test which they found publicly available online. In the spirit of sharing this information with everyone, I thought I'd post it publicly here. While there are no answers to the questions (aside from the...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

The Watson Glaser Test | Advice from a Graduate Recruitment Specialist

Advice and resources for the Watson Glaser Test by Jessica Booker Jess has spent 10 years working in graduate recruitment, including as trainee recruitment manager for a magic circle firm. […]

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Thank you for this Jessica!

 

[Bee6]

Hi everyone - hope you all are well! please may I know if Freshfields' WG test is timed and if so, how many questions and how long is the test? Thank you!

 

[taiwoa]

Hi there,

I can’t remember exactly I’m afraid, I think for the WG I would say it took maybe around 3 weeks after submission? Then I want to say it was maybe another 2-3 after for the AC invite? These are true approximations so don’t quote me!

Hi Alice,

Do you remember how long it took to receive an offer post-AC?

 

[Mehma]

Hi Alice,

I hope you are well. I was wondering if you could help me with this, I am applying to Eversheds Sutherland again having got to the AC stage. I have edited 2/3 answers from last year, however, there is one scenario question where I think I have used the best example I have. Can I leave the same scenario and tweak it slightly or would you recommend using another example?

Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Alice,

I hope you are well. I was wondering if you could help me with this, I am applying to Eversheds Sutherland again having got to the AC stage. I have edited 2/3 answers from last year, however, there is one scenario question where I think I have used the best example I have. Can I leave the same scenario and tweak it slightly or would you recommend using another example?

Thanks!

Hi - Alice isn’t as active on the forums these days as she is currently busy with her LPC. But I think she’s agree with me that it is fine to do this if you think it is still your best example.

 

[W5690]

Hi everyone,

As promised, I am creating this thread so that you can ask me any questions which you may have, whether they are questions about my journey to a TC or more general ones about the process itself, ask away!

By way of background for those of you who are maybe new to the forum, I decided to explore corporate law as a career option in October 2018 and went to every event I possibly could that month. I applied to open days at the firms whose cultures I felt appealed to me and managed to secure a few of those open days. I subsequently applied for around 7/8 vacation schemes at those firms I had engaged with and I interviewed with Hogan Lovells, Shearman & Sterling and Latham, in that order. I managed to secure a spring vacation scheme with Shearman and a summer one with Latham.

Sadly, following both schemes, I was unsuccessful. However, I was really able to take stock and reflect on my journey up until that point and it set me on a slightly different path. I thoroughly enjoyed both schemes (honestly, I had the most incredible time on each of them for which I am so grateful) but I did have slight reservations regarding the training styles and how I am and operate as a person. I am someone who prefers a more hands-on teaching style, which is something I came to appreciate more about myself at university. Therefore, I decided to apply exclusively to UK-origin firms in my second cycle.

**Just to clarify, please note how I discuss the different training styles in the context of myself as an individual. There is nothing inherently 'right' or 'wrong' with US-origin and UK-origin training styles - it is all about what is best for you as a person. I have incredible friends joining US firms and who are applying to them whose personalities and preferences mean that they will thrive more with that style of training.**

In my second cycle, I made 6 applications and interviewed at HSF, A&O, Linklaters and Freshfields. I was unsuccessful with each of those firms except Freshfields, which many of you will know from my pre-interview posts was my first choice firm! I really believe that this process, whilst difficult, truthfully does work in your favour in the end. Recruiters and interviewers know their firm and they are looking for those candidates who they feel will fit in with their firm's culture and working style. Whilst rejection hurts, it really is redirection and you are on the right path for the firm which is right for you - so please keep the faith!

That's it really from me so please ask away!

If any of you have questions which are deeply personal then you can message me instead and I will try to help as best as I can. Otherwise, please do post your questions in here

Thank you for reading and I hope this thread helps!!

Dear @Alice G,

First of all, thank you very much for creating this highly helpful and interesting thread.

Moreover, I am writing to you as I would be glad to discuss the below matter with you and would then really appreciate your thoughts.

As an international student, I studied Law for five years at the university in France where I obtained an undergraduate degree, a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a postgraduate degree (a five-year degree, based on a competitive selection process). Also, I did not become a French qualified lawyer on purpose. Although my academic background is in civil law and not in common law, I am obviously not new to the field of Law, intensive law degrees/courses, and a huge amount of written and oral exams within those five years studying Law.

My goal is to become a qualified solicitor in England and I will take the SQE in due course, starting with the SQE1 exam. In light of my academic background, I am wondering whether I would rather enrol in an SQE preparation course that would cover the areas of law that are taught as part of a bachelor's degree in law and, by extension, as part of a law conversion course, e.g. the PGDL, in order to also allow me to master the foundational legal knowledge in-depth, or enrol in a law conversion course as long as the latter is also designed to prepare for the SQE1 exam. Also, although completing a qualifying law degree or a conversion law course is no longer a regulatory requirement by the SRA, some firms still expect trainees to have completed a qualifying law degree or a law conversion course prior to embarking on the SQE.

Thank you very much for your time.