Ask Paul, Weiss Anything!

[hateno]

Hi,

Could you tell me a bit more about the IP and technology transactions group at Paul, Weiss? What kind of clients do you advise and on what type of work?

Thank you!

 

[Paul @ Paul Weiss]

Hi, I hope you're well! I was wondering when we would hear back about the outcomes of our open day applications for the one on 30/10? Thanks!

Hi @josiemusgra

Thanks for the question. You'll hear back about the open day by Monday.

Thanks for applying!

Paul

 

[cityhopes]

Hi, are mitigating circumstances taken into considerations when applying at Paul Weiss? I have not seen anything in this regard but I might have missed it.

 

[DanielRG]

Hi all! Thank you for taking some time out of your days to answer our Qs!

My question relates to the link between the US and UK parts of the firm. Is there a sense of connectivity, and that the US partners understand and appreciate the different structure of the UK market (for example, the requirement for training contracts as opposed to a law degree being a post-grad offering)? Either from a recruitment/strategy perspective, or from an associate perspective!

Secondly, as Paul, Weiss is traditionally a litigation focused firm, how is the litigation department supported as part of the firm’s global network?

 

[danielles]

Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

My first question is about the LPC—apologies, as I know you likely receive many queries on this topic. As I am still eligible to pursue the LPC, if I were to begin the program in January 2025 and complete it by October 2025, would the firm accept this, or would I still be required to pursue the SQE?

My second question is about making a strong impression in applications. If I am already working at the firm in a support role (such as an assistant or secretary), what are the best ways to stand out when applying for vacation schemes? How can I leverage my existing experience at the firm, even if my current role doesn’t directly involve legal work?

 

[sambhavishivani]

I actually wanted to ask about the firm’s take on recruiting international students from Non Russell group universities.
I have a follow up questions as well - Does the firm consider a non-UK law degree holder as a non-law candidate? Because, I have seen a few firms explicitly mentioning about this.

If a candidate is on their student visa but they'll soon be switching to the graduate visa, how should one mention this in their application?

 

[Rasheedat.O]

Hi good morning all, I was wondering what are the key skills you believe the firm looks for in their candidates?

 

[TC Chaser]

Hi Paul, how receptive is Paul Weiss to international grades?

 

[Nidhi Agrawal]

Hello, thank you for taking the time to speak to all of us today! I have two questions:

1. As an international student studying in India, how can I make my application stand out? What kind of skills/experiences will be instrumental in showcasing my interest in the firm?
2. Does Paul, Weiss provide visa sponsorship for international students for their vacation scheme?

Looking forward to your response!

 

[Tamilore101]

Good morning! Can you confirm recent cases that the firm has advised in please?

 

[fingersarecrossed]

Hi Paul, I hope you’re doing well!

I’ve had a look at the LinkedIn profiles of associates at the firm and noticed many Oxbridge graduates.

My question is, how much value does the firm place on university calibre? I graduated from a non-Russell group uni and want to know whether I stand a chance of being interviewed given my academics. Thank you!

agreed. even though i got a first in a non-russell group uni, i feel barred from applying as majority of the people i found on linkedin who were trainees/associates went to either Oxford/Cambridge/Warwick + your firm has not disclosed any data on legal cheek regarding this.
-
As a firm, what exactly are you doing to ACTIVELY take an INTERSECTIONAL approach to recruiting? e.g., social mobility AND ethnnic diversity? Is this a priority for you? I understand all law firms have affinity groups etc, but is there something specific the firm is doing to fix the gap?


Thank you in advance.

 

[Michellev24]

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I am very excited to learn more about the firm! I have a few questions I would love to ask.

1. What makes private equity an exciting practice area to work in? And how is private equity at Paul, Weiss unique from the work of other firms that excel in the area?

2. Could you give us an example of a particularly memorable deal you completed within in the PE practice area and your role?

Kind regards,

Michelle

 

[pb15]

Hi All,

Thank you for your time!

Paul, Weiss’ significant private equity clientele definitely means the firm is at the forefront of industry trends. In what ways do you see the realm of private funds (equity and debt) evolving in current market conditions? I’ve read a lot about the private credit boom, and how that has fed into the PE market. Is this something Paul, Weiss has observed?

Thank you for your time!

 

[usingh]

Good Morning All!

Thank you so much for joining us to answer our questions. My name's Ujjwala and I'm a final year law student. I had a fair few questions, so I thought I'd place them all together:

Questions directed more towards @Paul @ Paul Weiss

1. What does the vacation scheme look like in terms of structure and is it possible to gain sponsorship for it? I'm a third year international student, and my visa will end when I graduate, so it would be fantastic if the firm was able to sponsor that.

2. What are 3 of the top skills the firm is looking for in a successful candidate?

3. Within the work experience section of the application, does graduate recruitment prefer prose or bullet points?

Questions directed more towards @Ali Wathan , @Anthony - Paul Weiss & @Naomi - Paul Weiss :

1. What's your experience been with the firm's affinity groups/DEI initiatives and do you feel supported on a daily basis? What is the firm's culture regarding feedback and do you believe it has helped you grow in your career?

2. What made you choose Paul, Weiss initially/believe it was the right fit for you? Are the initial reasons the same as those that encourage you to stay with the firm now?

3. What does your day entail and what gets you excited about your roles in Private Equity & Litigation?

 

[Paul @ Paul Weiss]

I actually wanted to ask about the firm’s take on recruiting international students from Non Russell group universities.
I have a follow up questions as well - Does the firm consider a non-UK law degree holder as a non-law candidate? Because, I have seen a few firms explicitly mentioning about this.

If a candidate is on their student visa but they'll soon be switching to the graduate visa, how should one mention this in their application?

Hi @sambhavishivani

Thank you for your questions.

1. The university you attend does not feature as part of our entry criteria, so if you haven't attended a RG university, that won't be an issue.
2. We welcome applications from international students.
3. If you have a non-UK law degree, you will need to complete a law conversion course ahead of starting the SQE.
4. There is a section in the application form for you to tell us if you need sponsorship. This won't affect the outcome of your application though.

I hope that helps!

Paul

 

[Elyse123]

Hi,
I was wondering what would be a stand out client you have worked with on an M&A transaction and why they stood out for you?

I was also wondering about your culture. Is everyone approachable and would they be willing to have a chat with trainees if they needed help with something ?

 

[sunshine101]

Good Morning,

1. What distinguishes Paul, Weiss’ private equity practice from other firms?
2. What’s one skill that a future trainee possess at Paul, Weiss?
3. What is the firms international strategy?
4. What will be the level of responsibility for a trainee?

Thank you for answering my questions !

 

[solhan1125]

Hi Ali W.! Thanks for your time this morning.

1. Was your seat in litigation structured so that you could dip your toes in a range of different disputes, i.e., class actions, criminal prosecutions, etc.?
2. And, as a follow-up, did you feel you could get involved in cases that you were personally intrigued in?
3. Finally, I understand that P,W handles many different types of disputes. In your experience, which kinds have been most frequently cropping up, either recently or generally?

Thanks!

 

[ammiel]

Good Morning! Hope your week thus far has been great.

1. PW has this far impressed with the information it has put out about its TC this year. The firm has 8 offices around the world, could you talk about whether there will be secondment opportunities available for trainees (especially given the newness of the programme). Further, the London office has rapidly expanded in the last 18 months, is this indicative of a broader growth strategy at PW that may see the opening of a new international office in the coming years?

2. Given that this is the first season PW has offered TCs, and you are thus all lateral hires, what would you say attracted you to the firm in contrast to your old firm? For us seeking to be trained by the firm, what have you experienced/what is PW planning to offer trainees (regarding training and development) that stands out from the crowd?

3. Legal Cheek has plenty of information about finish and start times for your competitor firms in London? Obviously, this is a prestigious firm so I expect long hours, but I would like a clearer estimate on where you rank amidst other firms? What time do you start work averagely and when do you finish? Given your youth, how do you feel like you are able to balance the amazing work and having a life aswell? How does it look for those at the partner level who have families?

4. How would you rate the culture at PW? How do you think this enables you to be the best lawyer possible? And how does this reflect on the types of trainees you would like to recruit?

 

[shana]

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.