Ask Paul, Weiss Anything!

[Ali Wathan]

Good morning!

For Paul: Thanks for being here! I'm aware that you can apply for both an open day and vacation scheme under the same application form. Do you recommend we use one application form to apply to both, or do you prefer we send in completely separate forms one after the other?

For Ali and Anthony: Hey! What made you guys decide to jump over to Paul, Weiss after qualifying in different law firms? What drew you to the firm?

For anyone on the panel: What is P,W's strategy or the key metrics it focusses on to ensure it has a competitive edge and stays ahead-of-the-curve?

Morning! Thanks so much for your questions - I'll take the one for me and let Paul and team jump in on the others.

There were lots of reasons for moving to Paul Weiss, but most notably it was the opportunity to be part of the set-up of one of the remaining (if not THE remaining) elite US law firms in London - and one that was determined to grow at scale and at speed (which is very different to how a lot of US firms have approached their London presence). It's also incredibly exciting to be somewhere that has the dynamism of my previous firm (Kirkland & Ellis) but also a fresh approach to what can make a US firm successful in London - with a focus on having the leading PE practice but also leading teams across the full spectrum, including Public M&A, Finance, Restructuring, Funds Antitrust and IP.

 

[BBsharkk]

Good morning all,

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions!

For Paul,
1. What specific attributes do you look for from potential candidates? Do you expect applicants to mention specific skills or adopt a certain writing style in the application?

2. Do you recruit from a specific academic background, e.g. target universities, grade requirement? Is there a strong preference over academic excellence and track record?

For all the associates,
1. What expectations do you have for future trainees at Paul, Weiss?

2. Is there a specific "type" of lawyer for Paul, Weiss?

Thank you all!

 

[Monzer Joujou]

Hello all,

I hope all is well, thank you for making time to meet us

Questions to Mr Paul Gascoyne:
1- What qualities does Paul Weiss look for in their trainees?
2- Are students who have completed the LPC required to take SQE2?
3- How will the training contract at Paul Weiss be set up and are there any mandatory seats?

Questions to All trainees:
- How does the firm integrate AI and tech in each of your areas?
- Kindly describe the level of interaction you have with overseas offices.
- How would you describe the culture and partner approachability at Paul Weiss?

Question to Naomi Shode and Anthony Isichei:
- What makes Paul Weiss stand out from other firms in the PE practice area?

Questions to Ali Wathan:
- What are the key qualities needed to thrive as a litigator?
- What makes the Litigation area exciting and unique at PW?

Questions to Ali Fazeli-Nia:
- What are the key changes affecting the tech sector and do you expect the UK to be a hot spot for tech companies looking?
- In your opinion, what are the key skills a trainee must possess to thrive in the Tech area?
- What impact do you think AI regulation will have on tech transactions in the UK?

Thank you all for your time.

 

[Ali Wathan]

Morning everyone. Thanks to Paul, Weiss, Jaysen, and TCLA for putting this together.

Firstly, to the associates - when dealing with your workload and queries, who do you turn to currently at the firm? Do you expect to fulfil similar roles of guidance for trainees?

Secondly, to Paul and the Recruitment Team, I wanted to ask more about the timeline following an application to the Spring/Summer vacation schemes (ie: when do you expect to run the interviews and assessments). I am a SQE student and so I am trying to plan accordingly.

Lastly, again to the associates - has there been a deal/case that you are particularly proud of?

Thanks again and can't wait to hear what you say!

I'll take the first question - which is a great one. PW operates an incredibly flat hierarchy - so I am in regular dialogue with the partners in my group as well as the more senior lawyers in my team on workload and also different opportunities to get involved with new work. And this is the same for all team members in our group - from paralegals to the most senior associates, so this will be equally the case for trainees.

 

[Milpasoak]

Good morning to the panel. Thank you all for giving up your time to answer our questions today. It’s fantastic to have these tangible connections to the firm, especially as the buzz around Paul, Weiss now and for the future is very exciting.

For Paul Gascoyne Paul @ Paul Weiss: The firm's website mentions that trainees at Paul, Weiss experience 'authentic training' during their training contract. What makes the training at Paul, Weiss so authentic and differentiated from the trainee experiences offered by your competitors? Additionally, are there any mandatory seats, such as in finance or litigation, that trainees must complete during their rotations?

For Anthony Isichei Anthony - Paul Weiss: As someone who also studied at the University of Nottingham, it’s great to see fellow alumni at an elite firm like Paul, Weiss. With the firm rapidly expanding in London, how do you see its Private Equity practice evolving, and what makes Paul, Weiss stand out in this area compared to other US firms, for example?

For the entire panel: With the firm’s bold recruitment strategy and rapid growth in London, how is Paul, Weiss fostering a culture that balances the ambitious growth targets and lateral hires whilst maintaining the firm’s collaborative and supportive environment, especially for junior associates and trainees?

Thank you again, I really appreciate your time and insights!

Milan

 

[solhan1125]

Morning! Thanks so much for your questions - I'll take the one for me and let Paul and team jump in on the others.

There were lots of reasons for moving to Paul Weiss, but most notably it was the opportunity to be part of the set-up of one of the remaining (if not THE remaining) elite US law firms in London - and one that was determined to grow at scale and at speed (which is very different to how a lot of US firms have approached their London presence). It's also incredibly exciting to be somewhere that has the dynamism of my previous firm (Kirkland & Ellis) but also a fresh approach to what can make a US firm successful in London - with a focus on having the leading PE practice but also leading teams across the full spectrum, including Public M&A, Finance, Restructuring, Funds Antitrust and IP.

Hi Ali, thanks for your response!

I see what you mean! It was super impressive seeing P,W recognised for its other practice areas in London, such as IP, which I believe is incredibly rare for such a PE-specialised firm.

I had two follow-up questions, first namely whether this means P,W is truly considered a "one-stop-shop" for its clients, assuming each of the leading teams you mentioned are fully fleshed out and cover a multitude of services and/or sectors.

Secondly, considering how strong P,W's PE practice is, does this mean a lot of your work in litigation trickles in through the firm's PE clients, or can the teams be considered independent with their own organic work?

Thanks!

 

[Mace2121]

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I am a graduate from a non-Russell Group university, and I was wondering if this would have any negative impact on my application?

 

[KKGX]

Hi, as the vacation scheme explicitly states, it is open for international students also. The two question I request the firm to address are:
1. Will the firm sponsor visas who doesn't have a work permit to work in U.K..
2. What work-experience, the firm is expecting from the international applicants, who couldn't attend an open day or a vacation scheme of an international law firm, but apart from these two, they have all other relevant legal work experiences and non-legal work experiences ?

 

[afazeli-nia]

I know there has been a lot of interest surrounding the launch of the new training contract with Paul, Weiss.

Paul Gascoyne, the Senior Recruitment Manager at Paul, Weiss, is live right now to answer your questions in this thread.

We’re also very lucky to have four associates from Paul, Weiss, including:

1. Naomi Shode and Anthony Isichei, private equity associates at Paul, Weiss
2. Ali Wathan, a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss
3. Ali Fazeli-Nia, an associate in the IP and technology transactions group at Paul, Weiss

Please feel free to ask any questions you have for the firm in this thread and the team will answer your questions. You might want to consider: Is there anything you want to know about writing a stand-out application to the firm? Is there anything more you want to know about what it's like to work at Paul, Weiss?

---

Interested in Paul, Weiss?​

• Apply for the November or December Open Day.
• Apply for the Spring or Summer Vacation Scheme.
• Join TCLA and Paul Gascoyne on 14 October 2024 to learn: ‘How to Secure a Training Contract at Paul, Weiss’ - Register here!

Hi all

Just a quick one to tell you a bit more about myself. I will leave some time for questions to build up and then start adding answers where I can!

As summarised by Jaysen, I am an associate in Paul, Weiss' IP and Tech Transactions Group ("IPTG"), which deals with all of the commercial, technology, IP and carve-out aspects of the transactions we work on. This means we tend to be on most of the wider firm's transactions, preparing licensing, technology, commercial or carve-out agreements and assisting with diligence. We also have standalone matters in areas such as brands, IP licensing and increasingly the AI regulatory space advising on matters such as the EU AI Act.

As for personal background, I qualified in 2022 and moved to Paul, Weiss in February this year as the first associate (with one other) to join IPTG. Before my TC, I did a BSc in Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method at LSE and after that my GDL and LPC, sponsored by my previous firm. I am the first person in my family to attend university and grew up in a low-income family so have been involved with some kind of social mobility organisation since the age of 16 and credit those organisations with me securing my TC in my final year of university. Now, I try my best to give back to people in a similar position, having run the social mobility network at my previous firm for about 3 years.

I believe this career should be accessible to everyone, particularly those whose financial situation denies them certain advantages, so if that is you and you have a question about our work then please feel comfortable reaching out!

Best
Ali

 

[rjay]

Can an international law graduate that studied in an African country apply for the vacation scheme?

 

[Innocent]

Dear Paul Weiss team,

I am interested in learning more about the structure of your training program. Could you please provide information on the following:

1. How many Vacation Scheme and Training Contract positions are available annually?
2. Whether recruitment for Training Contracts is primarily through the Vacation Scheme or open to external applicants.
3. Available seats and practice areas for trainees (e.g., Corporate, Litigation, Tax).
4. Types of work and responsibilities trainees can expect.
5. Seating arrangements for trainees (e.g., shared office space with associates or partners).
6. Expectations for work volume and complexity for Vacation Scheme candidates and trainees in the initial stages.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Best,
Innocent Anguyo

 

[sbire]

Hello
I have a question for the recruitment team. As a French international student, if I enroll in the LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) course at the University of Law, will I still need to complete a conversion course?
Thank you.

 

[Anthony - Paul Weiss]

Hello everyone!

I thought I would briefly introduce myself and then I will start getting to your questions!

I am an associate in the Paul, Weiss Corporate M&A/PE team in London. The Corporate team advises public and private companies, including private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, on a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, carve-outs, recapitalizations and corporate restructurings.

Prior to joining Paul, Weiss I trained at another US law firm and qualified into their PE team in 2022. My practice is split between core PE transactions and infrastructure M&A, and I have previously completed client secondments at two major infrastructure PE investors.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about Paul, Weiss, the Corporate M&A/PE team, our training program or anything else!

Kind regards,
Anthony

 

[W5690]

Hello,

I read on the firm's website that the firm has a 2.1 requirement. Could you please let me know what is comparable to a 2.1 and a 2.2 under the French grading system? As far as I am concerned, I got 61,25% in my postgraduate degree in Law (a fifth-year degree based on a competitive selection process) at a French university, that is 147/240 which equals to 12,25 out of 20 and the grade is "Assez Bien". Therefore, I am wondering whether it is equivalent to a UK 2.1 or 2.2. If the latter, could a solid legal work experience compensate for a 2.2 and would then allow me to submit an application to the firm?

Many thanks for your time.

Best regards

 

[Anthony - Paul Weiss]

Hi everyone!

@Paul @ Paul Weiss I would love to know your advice on researching and discussing our interest the firm's London office, seeing as its practice here is new and many resources aren't updated on it yet.

@Naomi - Paul Weiss How would you say working in PE at Paul, Weiss differs from PE at Weil?

@Anthony - Paul Weiss What do you enjoy the most so far about your work at Paul, Weiss? What would you say its competitive strengths are in the PE space?

For any of the associates: What's the firm's approach to gaining ground in London, apart from lateral hires? Is it leveraging its US client base, or looking to lead quite a separate European practice?

Thank you all so much for being here.

Hello Shana,

Thanks for your question. I will take the one for me and add my thoughts on your general question.

I enjoy the dynamic and entrepreneurial culture of working in the London office. As we are developing a growing platform in Europe, there are lots of opportunities for associates to get involved with business development initiatives such as client pitches and marketing, as well as opportunities to have a say in how the London office operates. Partners look to associates to help drive the change and innovation we need to become a top law firm in London and that is a very exciting opportunity. A good example of this is we are currently establishing an Infrastructure sub-group in London. This is being led by a few associates/counsel with the support of the partners. We're encouraged to reach out to our client connections and leverage our previous experiences to build a team that will support Paul, Weiss' global Infrastructure strategy. This is a great opportunity to be involved in business development at an earlier stage than most associates would have at other law firms.

Our competitive strengths are definitely our full service transaction offering. Big ticket PE transactions require multiple areas of a law firm to come together to provide great advice. As well as M&A advice, advice on Debt Finance, Antitrust/Competition law, IP and Tax are crucial to ensure a seamless and successful transaction as issues in all of these areas always appear on transactions. At Paul, Weiss we have world-class partners in each of these areas who focus on PE transactions in particular. This full service offering provides a great platform to advice key PE clients in Europe. This definitely sets us apart from other law firms in the city working on PE transactions.

Our approach to gaining ground in London quickly involves leveraging our existing client relationships both from the US (i.e. US clients who also operate in Europe) and our previous experiences and also gaining new clients by providing an elite level of service.

Kind regards,
Anthony

 

[Evlampia]

Thank you to Paul Gascoyne, the Senior Recruitment Manager, and the associates — Naomi Shode, Anthony Isichei, Ali Wathan and Ali Fazeli-Nia — for taking the time to answer our questions and to Jaysen and TCLA for organising this.

To the Graduate Recruitment Team:

AI and Technology in Applications

1. How does Paul, Weiss perceive the role of generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, on the application process? Are there measures in place to identify AI-generated content in applicants’ submissions?
2. In what ways might AI influence the future assessment of applications and candidate selection at the firm? How can applicants adapt to these changes to enhance their applications?
3. Given the rise of AI tools like Harvey, how do you plan to evaluate tech skills in candidates? Are digital literacy and AI knowledge becoming more critical for applicants?

Insights into the Application Process

1. What qualities or experiences truly help an application stand out during the initial screening process?
2. What are the most common pitfalls candidates should avoid when applying to Paul, Weiss?

To the Associates:

1. Naomi and Anthony, what challenges do you face as private equity associates at Paul, Weiss, and how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance in such a demanding field?
2. Ali (Litigation), could you share an example of a case or project you’ve worked on that you found particularly rewarding and why?
3. Ali (IP and Technology Transactions), given the rapid pace of technological change, how do you stay ahead in your field, and what skills are critical for success in IP and technology transactions at Paul, Weiss?
4. Ali (IP and Technology Transactions), can you share specific instances where AI tools have improved efficiency in your day-to-day work, particularly in IP matters?

 

[Anthony - Paul Weiss]

Hi, what attracted you to Paul, Weiss' private equity practice? How is their private equity practice different from other US firms?

Hi Funmi,

Thanks for your question.

The once in a career opportunity to build a law firm almost from the ground up was a major attraction for me. Paul, Weiss in US is a very established elite law firm and the chance to build a platform of the same quality in Europe was a very exciting challenge I wanted to take on. Additionally, as a PE lawyer the chance to work in a law firm focused on working on the most complex and high profile PE and M&A transactions was an exciting opportunity. I also liked the entrepreneurial ethos at the firm as this provides associates with plenty of opportunities to learn and develop.

As mentioned in one of my other replies, I think what really sets Paul, Weiss apart from other US firms is that we have very talented lawyers in each of the practice areas that are key to a successful PE/M&A transaction i.e. M&A, Debt Finance, Antitrust/Competition law, IP and Tax.

Kind regards,
Anthony

 

[Crazy_f00]

Hello everyone!

I thought I would briefly introduce myself and then I will start getting to your questions!

I am an associate in the Paul, Weiss Corporate M&A/PE team in London. The Corporate team advises public and private companies, including private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, on a variety of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, carve-outs, recapitalizations and corporate restructurings.

Prior to joining Paul, Weiss I trained at another US law firm and qualified into their PE team in 2022. My practice is split between core PE transactions and infrastructure M&A, and I have previously completed client secondments at two major infrastructure PE investors.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about Paul, Weiss, the Corporate M&A/PE team, our training program or anything else!

Kind regards,
Anthony

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today.

I was wondering if you could talk a bit more about the infrastructure M&A work you are involved in at Paul, Weiss? In particular, what are some of the transactions and clients you have been involved in, and what are some of the common commercial or legal issues you picked up while working on deals on your client secondments to PE infrastructure investors?

I currently work as a regulatory consultant for utilities companies in the UK after graduating from Oxford last year, and I'm looking to make the transition into the legal side of infrastructure deal work. Always interested in hearing more about M&A and PE work in the space!

Thanks, and have a great rest of the week.

Isaac

 

[Anthony - Paul Weiss]

Good morning, I hope you're all well! Why do you enjoy working at Paul, Weiss? What are the main qualities you believe a trainee would need to be successful in the role please?

Hi Tamilore,

Please see other replies on what I enjoy about working at Paul, Weiss. On the qualities that make a successful trainee, I think some of these are:

• Being entrepreneurial: This is a key part of the Paul, Weiss culture and we want trainees to be self-starters who are excited by the chance to join a different type of law firm in London on a high-growth trajectory. Having the ability to take on challenges and learning in a thoughtful manner are key attributes to being a successful trainee at Paul, Weiss.
• Positive attitude to learning: As a trainee there will be lots of things which you don't know which is fine (it's a training contract!) but having a positive attitude and willingness to learn is key. This is the only way you can develop as a junior lawyer. At Paul, Weiss trainees will not be short of opportunities to get involved on transactions so having a positive attitude towards taking ownership is key to succeeding.

Kind regards,
Anthony

 

[Anthony - Paul Weiss]

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today.

I was wondering if you could talk a bit more about the infrastructure M&A work you are involved in at Paul, Weiss? In particular, what are some of the transactions and clients you have been involved in, and what are some of the common commercial or legal issues you picked up while working on deals on your client secondments to PE infrastructure investors?

I currently work as a regulatory consultant for utilities companies in the UK after graduating from Oxford last year, and I'm looking to make the transition into the legal side of infrastructure deal work. Always interested in hearing more about M&A and PE work in the space!

Thanks, and have a great rest of the week.

Isaac

Hi Isaac,

Thank you for your message. We are currently in the process of speaking with clients and engaging on transactions so I cannot provide specific details!

Prior to joining Paul, Weiss I have been on secondments to Macquarie Asset Management in their Real Assets division as a trainee and to Antin Infrastructure Partners as an associate. A common issue/process which comes up in large scale infrastructure transactions is structuring co-investments. Given the size and value of some infrastructure assets, investors will typically form consortiums with other investors to purchase or invest in assets. This can be in the form of direct co-investment (i.e. giving a share of the purchasing entity to investors) or indirect co-investment (i.e. giving a share of one of the entities above the purchasing entity to other investors). This allows the purchasing entity to have more cash (in the form of equity from co-investors) to purchase the asset and the economic rights are then shared amongst the co-investors.

As an infrastructure M&A lawyer you will be involved in the M&A transaction (i.e. buying the asset), but you will also work with your client to establish the legal principles governing the relationships between the co-investors, for example who has what governance rights over the purchasing entity, how are the economic benefits from the asset shared amongst co-investors and what happens when a co-investor wants to leave or join the consortium group.

Another key consideration on infrastructure transactions is understanding the regulatory landscape the asset operates in. It is key to understand whether there any consent requirements for an M&A transaction to occur and whether there are any regulatory issues which might affect the asset's ability to operate following an M&A transaction.

These are some of the interesting challenges which often come up on large scale infrastructure transactions.

Kind regards,
Anthony