Ask Ropes & Gray Anything! Join Maya Shah to learn about applying to a leading transactional law firm

[Jaysen]

Hi everyone,

I'm delighted to welcome Maya Shah, Early Careers Specialist at Ropes & Gray, to the TCLA forum!

If you're starting your law firm journey this cycle and would like to learn directly from graduate recruitment, understand what it's like to work for an American firm, and how to stand out in the application process, please do feel free to ask a question in this thread and Maya would be more than happy to help. She is live right now to answer your questions.

I asked Maya to introduce herself and this is what she had to say:

Hi – My name is Maya and I work for Ropes & Gray London as an Early Careers Specialist. I have worked at Ropes & Gray for nearly a year now and would love to share all my knowledge on anything from the myths about American law firms, the importance of application strategies and what makes Ropes & Gray a great place to work.

@Ropes&GrayMaya is happy to discuss any of the following: application strategies, the Ropes & Gray recruitment process, the application cycle, the Ropes & Gray culture, what the firm looks for in their trainees, myths surrounding American law firms, the differences in UK law firms to US law firms, and what candidates can do to stand out.

Finally, the deadline to apply for the Ropes & Gray vacation scheme is 31 January 2024. You can apply here!

 

[attempting law]

can you please tell us the three top elements of an application that make it stand out when you are reading it?

 

[AK105]

Hi Maya, my question is whether you would accept an application from someone with B and C grades at A Level, inconsistent modular performance at degree level, but with a 2:1 overall, with no mitigating circumstances or contextual flags. Or would you recommend that someone with such an academic record steer clear from US firms.

 

[SolicitorHopeful]

Hello, I was wondering if you could tell me what the firm's main practice areas are?

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

can you please tell us the three top elements of an application that make it stand out when you are reading it?

Hi Ellie. Thank you for your message. Applications that stand out have strong academics and the answer to the commercial awareness question has been structured well and demonstrates your commercial knowledge as well as your understanding of Ropes & Gray. This means understanding the markets we service, our clients and the type of work we do. The more research you do and the more bespoke your application is to Ropes & Gray will really make you stand out.

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hi Maya, my question is whether you would accept an application from someone with B and C grades at A Level, inconsistent modular performance at degree level, but with a 2:1 overall, with no mitigating circumstances or contextual flags. Or would you recommend that someone with such an academic record steer clear from US firms.

We do not have a minimum grade requirement, however it is a competitive process so you do need to have strong academics. However, having an upward trajectory in terms of grades is helpful. i.e. if you had inconsistent grades during college, but at university there was an uptake in grades, you will definitely be considered. It’s worth adding that we weight your answer to the commercial question in our application form more than your grades.

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hello, I was wondering if you could tell me what the firm's main practice areas are?

Hello! Our main practice area are private equity and all of our trainees are required to do a seat in private equity as part of their training contract. Asset management is another key practice, alongside: Antitrust, Business Restructuring, Data/Privacy and Cybersecurity, Finance, Life Sciences, Private Equity Real Estate, and Tax,.

 

[Aga123+]

Hi @Ropes&GrayMaya, thanks for being here!

My question relates to the commercial question: Does it have to relate to private equity or can it relate to other sectors that Ropes & Gray is in? Also, what is the next stage after application (if one was successful)?

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hello! Stats we have is the following:

47% of our trainees are from an ethnic minority background. We have about an equal split when it comes to non-law and law graduates training at the firm. We have two career changers in our current cohort of 24 trainees. We also have two trainees who were paralegals at the firm previously to becoming trainees, who went through the standard application process to secure a training contract.

hello @Ropes&GrayMaya , I wondered if there are any stats you are allowed to share about the trainee cohort in terms of how many are non-law/law, Oxbridge/Russell Group, fresh grads/career changers, BAME etc thank you!

hello @Ropes&GrayMaya , I wondered if there are any stats you are allowed to share about the trainee cohort in terms of

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hi @Ropes&GrayMaya, thanks for being here!

My question relates to the commercial question: Does it have to relate to private equity or can it relate to other sectors that Ropes & Gray is in? Also, what is the next stage after application (if one was successful)?

Not necessarily. Indeed, if anything, I focus your answer on commercial issues more broadly. By way of example, the current question relates to what is going on in the legal market and how you think Ropes & Gray might be positioned to tackle these issues. I’d recommend suggesting broad economic issues or general issues that impact law firms. The application is quite simple. We ask for your grades and one answer to the commercial question. If successful, you will be invited to the assessment centre at our offices in London in March 2024. It is a full-on day. You will be assessed via a partner interview, written exercise, negotiation exercise and elevator pitch. If successful at our assessment centre, you will be invited to one of our two-week vacation schemes, either in the Spring or Summer. We exclusively recruit trainees through our vacation schemes.

 

[nicogly]

Hi Maya! My question is, what makes Ropes & Gray training different to other law firms? What are the firm’s approaches, what are the structures in place to provide world class training? Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hi Maya! My question is, what makes Ropes & Gray training different to other law firms? What are the firm’s approaches, what are the structures in place to provide world class training? Thank you very much in advance!

Hello! Our trainees and associates attend a comprehensive induction programme when they join the firm. New associates and trainees attend training camps, which feature workshops on the technical and soft skills they will need to progress in their careers. All our lawyers benefit from regular access to an in-house writing coach and an extensive catalogue of in-house skill and topic-specific training. These can be partner led or senior associate led. Training is structured as you progress your career at the firm. For example, associates who get to their third PQE or sixth year PQE enjoy firmwide retreats with sessions on strategy, management, leadership skills and business development. Trainees get training from partners in-house as well as by industry-leading training and a team of business support professionals focused on the trainees development. Trainees also sit with a partner or senior associate at the firm in their own office. We value trainees learning by observation and taking on more responsibility as they progress through their training contract.

 

[km_bntn]

Hi Maya! Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today ) I just wanted to ask, more specifically in relation to its practice areas and its internal working culture at Ropes and Gray, what would you say are Ropes and Gray’s unique selling points? And a follow up question, would you have advice on the common pitfalls applicants fall into and how to avoid them? Thank you!

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hi Maya! Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today ) I just wanted to ask, more specifically in relation to its practice areas and its internal working culture at Ropes and Gray, what would you say are Ropes and Gray’s unique selling points? And a follow up question, would you have advice on the common pitfalls applicants fall into and how to avoid them? Thank you!

Hello! Yes sure. I think the biggest selling factor for Ropes & Gray is our private capital expertise. If you want to be a commercial lawyer and work with big businesses and banks on transactional deals, then Ropes & Gray is definitely the place for you. You can get stuck in and have a lot of exposure to the deals. We have a small trainee cohort of 12 trainees per year, which means leaner teams and more responsibility for trainees. You won't become a cog in the wheel. We have offices all over America as well as in Asia. We also have our London and Dublin offices. It is very likely you will be working with colleagues in the US and Asia on deals, as well as lawyers in other jurisdictions around the globe. Whilst, private equity is our focus in London, we have other practice groups that have their own clients and work such as life sciences, data regulation, anti-trust and asset management. This means you will get a good exposure as a corporate lawyer. Pro-bono is also something we encourage all our lawyers (especially our trainees) to get involved with. It will provide you with transferable skills you can put into your role as a corporate lawyer. We have worked with many charities and organisations, such as the Windrush Compensation Scheme to APPEAL.

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

Hello! Yes sure. I think the biggest selling factor for Ropes & Gray is our Private Equity expertise. If you want/or know that you want to be a commercial lawyer and work with big businesses and banks in transactional deals then Ropes & Gray London is definitely the place for you. You can get stuck in and have a lot of exposure to the deals. We have a small trainee cohort of 12 trainees per year which means leaner teams and more responsibility for trainees. You won't become a clog in the system. If you are interested in doing a lot of international work too - then this training contract will definitely provide this for you. We have offices all over America and some in Asia i.e. Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong. We also have our London and Dublin offices. It is very likely you will be working with the US and Asia on some deals as well as lawyers in other jurisdictions around the globe. Whilst, private equity is our focus in London. We have other departments who have their own clients and work with them such as life sciences, data regulation, anti-trust and asset management. This means you will get a good exposure as a corporate lawyer. Due to the US nature of the firm, pro-bono is also something we encourage all our lawyers (especially our trainees) to get involved with. It will provide you with transferable skills you can put into your role as a corporate lawyer. We have worked with many charities and organisations such as the Windrush Compensation Scheme to APPEAL.

In terms of the other question re: pitfalls on applications. The most common mistake I see is applicants not using the full 500 word count to really expand on their points. They are not concise and there is no structured answer. Common mistakes people make is typos or referring to another law firm in the application. Keeping it bespoke and specific to Ropes & Gray is super important. Best way to avoid mistakes is to read over your application or print it out or ask a friend/family member to read over your answer before you submit it.

 

[prettyprincess24]

Hi Maya,

I would like to understand the difference between the following questions, please?

1. Motivations for a career in commercial law with a firm?

v

2. Why commercial law career with a firm?

Thank you.

3. Would I need to draw out motivations more-so in first question or is question 1 same as question 2 in terms of answering on application form?

Please advise.

Thank you.

 

[Ropes&GrayMaya]

In terms of the other question re: pitfalls on applications. The most common mistake I see is that applicants either don't use the full 500 word count to really expand on their points. They are not concise and there is no structured answer. Common mistakes people make is typos or referring to another law firm in the application. Keeping it bespoke and specific to Ropes & Gray is super important. Best way to avoid mistakes is to read over your application or print it out or ask a friend/family member to read over your answer before you submit it.

I would also recommend speaking to law lecturers at university to help you with your application or reach out to lawyers or future trainees over LinkedIn to help you with your commercial question answers.

 

[prettyprincess24]

Hi everyone,

I'm delighted to welcome Maya Shah, Early Careers Specialist at Ropes & Gray, to the TCLA forum!

If you're starting your law firm journey this cycle and would like to learn directly from graduate recruitment, understand what it's like to work for an American firm, and how to stand out in the application process, please do feel free to ask a question in this thread and Maya would be more than happy to help. She is live right now to answer your questions.

I asked Maya to introduce herself and this is what she had to say:



@Ropes&GrayMaya is happy to discuss any of the following: application strategies, the Ropes & Gray recruitment process, the application cycle, the Ropes & Gray culture, what the firm looks for in their trainees, myths surrounding American law firms, the differences in UK law firms to US law firms, and what candidates can do to stand out.

Finally, the deadline to apply for the Ropes & Gray vacation scheme is 31 January 2024. You can apply here!

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• #17

Hi Maya,

I would like to understand the difference between the following questions, please?

1. Motivations for a career in commercial law with a firm?

v

2. Why commercial law career with a firm?

Thank you.

3. Would I need to draw out motivations more-so in first question or is question 1 same as question 2 in terms of answering on application form?

Please advise.

Thank you.

 

[Hani]

Hi Maya,

I'm interested in applying to Ropes and Gray, but I've noticed that your recent trainee intake includes graduates from Oxbridge and Russell Group universities. I didn't attend either of these institutions. Would it still be worth my while to submit an application?

Thank you in advance.

 

[NJS]

Hi Maya, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, just a few from me. In regard to the commercial question, I know you mentioned that it can be about what is going economically and how this effects the legal market, but have you found applicants are rewarded for linking this to the firms practice areas, most specfically PE, or is it sufficient to show an understanding of the the current general commercial and legal issues and how ropes and gray are postioned to tackle these? i.e., should the answer be focussed or more general?

Also, maybe a sily quesiton, but I know the firm is top in PE, I also have an interest in banking and finance, I know these pracitices are similar, but does ropes and gray have specialities in this practice too?

Finally, will you be hosting any online events for the graduate recruitment cycle?

Apologies if this is a lot, but thank you in advance!!