Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019

[MA96]

Hello! Congratulations to everyone that has secured a TC and VS recently! Just wondering if anyone has any advice, I have an assessment centre next week for a paralegal role with Clifford Chance. The AC consists of two written tasks. Does anyone have any insight to what they may be or any advice on how to do well? I have never done a written exercise or been to a AC before so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

Congratulations Ruth!

Following on from @Alice G’s points above, I think it’s important to bear in mind who the reader is. For example, if you’re writing a letter to a client, they’ll want to see that you’re able to speak concisely and clearly without using complex legal terminology.

Also, if possible, give yourself time to plan out a clear structure. Maybe start by signposting what you’re going to be speaking about, depending on what the exercise is, and lay out your work in paragraphs so it’s easy for the assessors to understand. The easier you make it for them, the better

 

[Tcapplicant]

Thank you so much! I really really appreciate it!

 

[Amy1]

Hi, please does anyone have any experience with Baker McKenzie's training contract video interview? Any tips would be greatly appreciated

 

[Chester27]

Like Amy above, I too would appreciate any tips on the Baker McKenzie VI. Thank you!

 

[D.Cole]

Has anyone heard back from BCLP or Macfarlanes for a TC application? Applied all the way back in February and haven’t heard a peep - not sure if it’s a rejection or if they get their vacation schemes out of the way first

 

[Jaysen]

I've been offered a place on the vacation scheme for Milbank However, they only run one vacation scheme and so it clashes with another I've already accepted. Does anyone have any tips for how to try and reschedule the other scheme to the later one without it looking suspicious??

Perhaps give a specific reason as to why you need to move the scheme? E.g., exams?

 

[Jaysen]

Hi, please does anyone have any experience with Baker McKenzie's training contract video interview? Any tips would be greatly appreciated

Like Amy above, I too would appreciate any tips on the Baker McKenzie VI. Thank you!

@MBA may be able to help with this

 

[MA96]

@MBA may be able to help with this

Of course!

From what I remember you're given between 30s and 1min to prepare your answers, and 1min to answer. The questions are mainly strengths based rather than motivational, so expect to be asked questions that ask you to draw on key competencies such as 'tell us about a time when you brought your team to success" rather than "why law?" or why Baker McKenzie?", so take some time to research Bakers' competencies, i.e. collaboration, initiative etc. and use the STAR method to explain when you've demonstrated those competencies. even though I wasn't asked about my motivation for pursuing a career in law and for applying to Bakers, it's always a good idea to prep those sorts of answers because you never know! I was also asked to speak about an interesting news story, but not everyone got that.

there tends to be one question that's been put in to throw you off - they want to see if you're able to stay level-headed and give a sensible answer. mine was on the SQE.

also - try and smile at the end of each question! it will make you feel more relaxed and it makes it seem like you're enjoying the experience

Hope that helps @Amy1 and @Chester27! Let me know if you have any other questions

 

[ELA]

Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this (couldn't find the 'ask me anything' thread).

Which firms, apart from Weil and Kirkland, do a lot of private equity work?

Thank you

 

[Jaysen]

Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this (couldn't find the 'ask me anything' thread).

Which firms, apart from Weil and Kirkland, do a lot of private equity work?

Thank you

US firms: White & Case, Ropes & Gray, Simpson Thacher, Debevoise and Latham
UK firms: The magic circle (especially CC and Freshfields), Macfarlanes and Travers

(+ the likes of JD/DLA for more mid market PE)

 

[ELA]

US firms: White & Case, Ropes & Gray, Simpson Thacher, Debevoise and Latham
UK firms: The magic circle (especially CC and Freshfields), Macfarlanes and Travers

(+ the likes of JD/DLA for more mid market PE)

Thank you!

 

[Seal]

Hi guys, it's my first post in this forum

Received a TC AC invite from Bakers! is anyone able to help?

 

[Alice G]

Hi guys, it's my first post in this forum

Received a TC AC invite from Bakers! is anyone able to help?

Amazing news! Well done! I can’t help you specifically for Bakers but what does the day entail?

 

[Seal]

Amazing news! Well done! I can’t help you specifically for Bakers but what does the day entail?

There'll be a group exercise, document review exercise, a competency-based interview and a case-study interview!

 

[Alice G]

There'll be a group exercise, document review exercise, a competency-based interview and a case-study interview!

Okie dokie! So, for the group exercise here is something I wrote to another candidate a few weeks back and there are many more posts related to group tasks in this thread also. What I have done is just searched 'group task' or 'group exercise' in the search bar and it brings up all the related posts!
Here is my snippet:
'They are assessing how well you work with other people which means striking a good balance between contribution and listening. It’s best to show that you can contribute sound ideas and explain them well and palatably. It’s also good to show attention to others and maybe invite people to say what they think about what you’ve said and demonstrate you’ve listened to any pointers people make. Really just be yourself and don’t be afraid to be the time keeper because time management is key and it’s good for someone to remind the group that you might need to round up a point and move on! (it's really good to be the person who looks at your watch and notes down the start time of the task - a small gesture but very very effective!) Sorry this is quite basic but it’s my initials thoughts I’m sure somebody else can expand and give you some further advice (I’ve only done one group task so I’m not as experienced )'

As for doc review I have never done that I am afraid but be sure to read closely and maybe someone on here can offer more guidance with that

for the competency interview, practice answering the competency questions in this interview guide: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/175-training-contract-interview-questions/. Hopefully someone else might be able to share what competency questions they got from Bakers specifically.

And as for the case study interview, will it be M&A? If so, Jaysen has some incredible resources on here. It might be worth looking at our premium membership option as there are so many great resources available to those members, but if not, there is quite a lot of discussion on here. Maybe try searching M&A or if you have any specific questions at all then we will happily help and try to answer as best as we can.

Really hope this helps a little and feel free to post or message any time with any further questions. Well done again for getting to this stage and wishing you all the very best!

 

[Abstruser]

There'll be a group exercise, document review exercise, a competency-based interview and a case-study interview!

Completely agree with @Alice G re: the group exercise!

For the case study interview, I'll just quote a post that I wrote in another thread:

This sounds like a standard case study, with an interview afterwards! Some general advice I would offer:

• Set the scene. You'll want to create an introduction, so jot down the key features of the fictional scenario - whether it is an M&A scenario, a business expansion scenario, or whatever it is. Make sure you know who the client is, what their objectives are, and what the particular 'deal' is. That will help to structure your conversation with your assessor.
• Stick to the brief! This seems really obvious, but sometimes with so much information, the temptation is to regurgitate everything you've read without necessarily answering the questions you have been asked in your instructions. Make sure you address what has been asked of you - this will also help you to add structure to your conversation with your assessor.
• Make notes as you go through the material. Depending on how fast you write and how much time/material you are given, you might want to jot down key points of the materials that you read. Alternatively, if you're really time-pressured, you can make notes on the materials themselves, and note down page numbers on a separate piece of paper to save time. It depends on your personal preference!
• Identify issues, and give solutions. Spotting a problem is one thing, but as a lawyer you are expected to solve those problems too. Try to think of solutions for every issue you identify. As a really simple example - if the lease on an office's premises are going to expire, don't just say that, but also say that you will involve the real estate team to check whether you can extend the lease, or consider buying the freehold, and the pros and cons of those options too.
• Make note of both pros and cons. Just following on from the previous point, always try to present a balanced viewpoint. This will help you arrive at a well-reasoned conclusion at the end as well.
  
• Get familiar with contractual mechanisms, such as warranties, indemnities, and representations. You'll want to have a basic understanding of how these work and differ from each other, and they also tend to come in handy when you're coming up with solutions to the issues you identify.
• Finally, arrive at a solid conclusion. If you've been asked to identify the best of many different business strategies, pick one. If you've been asked to decide whether a particular deal is a good or bad one, pick one. Avoid the temptation to sit on the fence!

For competency questions, a few tips off the top of my head:

• Know what the firm is looking for. Find out what Baker's key competencies are and make sure you think of examples of a time that you have demonstrated that key competency! Other generic competencies that law firms look for are teamwork, ability to deal with failure, and resilience.
• Tell a good story! I think an often underestimated part of a competency interview is your ability to narrate a story well. With so many interviewees, its really important to try and stand out to your interviewer when you're telling them about a time you demonstrated X competency. Many people use STAR or CAR for this, but STRIVE has a really excellent article on the 'zero-to-hero' method of answering competency questions: https://www.striveconsultants.co.uk...tency-questions-that-tc-holders-wont-tell-you
• Be structured. Having a good story is one thing, but make sure you're concise and easy to follow when you're telling your story. Try not to use lengthy or flowery sentences. Make sure there is a clear beginning, middle and end to your answer (STAR or CAR can be helpful here too).
• Try to relax. If you're thrown a curveball question, you can absolutely take a few seconds to have a sip of water, calm down and think about what you're going to say. You've clearly already impressed the firm if you've gotten to AC, so all you have to do is just be calm and confident.

I've not done a document review before, but with some of my previous case studies, I was given a lot of documents to peruse under extreme time-pressure, so based off of that I would suggest:

• Annotate your materials as you go, or make notes on a separate piece of paper if that's what you prefer. Don't spend too long on a single document - try to get through everything first, and then come back to any documents that particularly caught your eye.
• Don't be afraid to discard materials, if you think they aren't important. Sometimes, candidates are given lots of tangential information that tests their ability to stick to a brief and answer the exact questions given.

This turned out to be lengthier than I expected. All the best for your interview and feel free to PM me if you have any further questions.

 

[RSP]

Has anyone heard anything from Blake Morgan regarding their summer vacation scheme? Their deadline was 31/03, but I haven't heard anything, and people posting in TSR seem to be in the same boat.

 

[Seal]

...

...

Thank you both for your helpful insights! They're really insightful and I'll definitely start looking into them.

(The case study is for an M&A, most likely an acquisition I believe.)

I'll definitely start reading up about the firm- news, deals, policy changes, culture, etc. I'll definitely do my best to be competent but will try and be a nice person to work with to during the group exercises.

I'll defo message you both if you would be happy to help answer a couple more of my questions

Also, I'm not too sure, but do firms tend to expect a little more from candidates in TC ACs? As from my perspective they would have to in order to hire someone of a 1-day assessment centre rather observe them over 2 weeks. Not letting this get to my head, but just curious.

 

[Alice G]

Thank you both for your helpful insights! They're really insightful and I'll definitely start looking into them.

(The case study is for an M&A, most likely an acquisition I believe.)

I'll definitely start reading up about the firm- news, deals, policy changes, culture, etc. I'll definitely do my best to be competent but will try and be a nice person to work with to during the group exercises.

I'll defo message you both if you would be happy to help answer a couple more of my questions

Also, I'm not too sure, but do firms tend to expect a little more from candidates in TC ACs? As from my perspective they would have to in order to hire someone of a 1-day assessment centre rather observe them over 2 weeks. Not letting this get to my head, but just curious.

No problem! PM us whenever you like

I don’t think so in all honesty but perhaps that’s just my view? I think at ACs and Vac schemes they are looking for potential and they know you only have a limited time period to do that with an AC. I think it’s an interesting one as on AC assessments you have shorter time to shine but also less chance to mess up. On vac schemes you are very much assessed virtually all the time which can be exhausting and leaves you open to error but also allows you more time to shine too. I think realistically there are pros and cons with both but I strongly feel that they understand and appreciate the difficulty of both experiences. Just do your absolute best and show that potential which you definitely have (just seeking advice and guidance shows your commitment and willingness to learn). But I truly don’t think it makes a difference. Also, on my vac scheme the assessments were held on one day and felt very much like an AC so with that particular firm it didn’t seem to make too much difference!! I hope this eases your mind a little

 

[Jaysen]

Thank you both for your helpful insights! They're really insightful and I'll definitely start looking into them.

(The case study is for an M&A, most likely an acquisition I believe.)

I'll definitely start reading up about the firm- news, deals, policy changes, culture, etc. I'll definitely do my best to be competent but will try and be a nice person to work with to during the group exercises.

I'll defo message you both if you would be happy to help answer a couple more of my questions

Also, I'm not too sure, but do firms tend to expect a little more from candidates in TC ACs? As from my perspective they would have to in order to hire someone of a 1-day assessment centre rather observe them over 2 weeks. Not letting this get to my head, but just curious.

I'd expect TC interviews/ACs to be tougher than vac scheme interviews. As you said, they only have a day to see if you're right for them, so they'll often challenge/interrogate you in a way they wouldn't if it was a TC interview post-vacation scheme. With a vac scheme interview, they're more likely to accept borderline candidates because they have further opportunities to assess you. Plus, if you're weaker in an interview, but have a strong CV, they might be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. In a direct TC interview, they can't make too many of those bets; you need to be ready then and there.