Hearing Back from Law Firms, Assessment Centres & Interview Tips - 2019 - 2020

[Aurochschiette]

Just got invited for an AC with HSF, and it's my first ever assessment centre. I've been told its really tough, does anyone have any advice? Thank you in advance

Drop me a message with any questions and I will try to help as best I can.

Do not psych yourself out though! I did and it was self-limiting. It's great to go in prepared but be open to what you might see.

 

[003]

Just got invited for an AC with HSF, and it's my first ever assessment centre. I've been told its really tough, does anyone have any advice? Thank you in advance

Congratulations! All the stuff posted above is good. There is at least one other case study which is completely different, someone else wrote about it here: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....-vacation-scheme-assessment-centre-2020.2066/
I would make sure you allocate case study time to consider how you will present it. Anyone who needs a separate room, definitely take a watch, or even if you don't take one just incase.

Would recommend Jake Schogger commercial law handbook and Christopher Stoakes know the city books in general not just for HSF.

Have an opinion and say why but out loud consider both sides of the argument. Form your judgement and be alert for any hints they may give you and why they are asking you specific questions/to look at specific areas of the case study.

Try and really think about the structure of what you're going to say before you say it. I.e this is what I think, this is why I think it, this is why it's important for the client. Try and practice talking current news stories through with friends/family to think about how you would advise a client involved, how the business operates, and to help you think about the structure of your speech.

If you need time to think, say, and if they move on before you can answer tell them that you have a point you want to come back to.

It was my first AC too and I wish I had stayed calm and confident because I think it is as equally important as what you say.

Good luck!

 

[Holly]

Advice for Interview Outfits (Female)?
Does anyone have any tips on how to strike a balance between a professional attire and showing your personality?

For some interviews, I wore a black blazer, black skirt, and a greyish top. In others, I decided to wear a black blazer with a grey dress.

I understand this may be less important than my actual interview performance, but I do feel presentation is important particularly when seeking to make a great first impression. I worry if my outfits have been too formal and bland.

How has everyone else gone about striking this balance? Thank you!

Edit: Also is a blazer always necessary with a dress? I personally am quite uncomfortable in a blazer and it sometimes causes me to fidget (annoyingly ). But I feel this is better than showing my arms which may be deemed unprofessional.

 

[csyn]

No, it is for TC 2021 They had a window opened for this between October to December.

Also, they definitely do not recruit on a rolling basis but only once all applications are submitted. For reference, I applied on 27 December (so a few days before the deadline) and heard back yesterday with the AC invite.

Amazing! Congratulations and thanks for the insight! I nearly applied to the same intake as you but pulled out last minute owing to multiple other deadlines, so pushing for their current intake that opened 1 Feb.

May I ask whether you talked about their international arbitration practice on your app? And/or their other offices? E.g. their Paris office is quite prestigious.

 

[csyn]

Advice for Interview Outfits (Female)?
Does anyone have any tips on how to strike a balance between a professional attire and showing your personality?

For some interviews, I wore a black blazer, black skirt, and a greyish top. In others, I decided to wear a black blazer with a grey dress.

I understand this may be less important than my actual interview performance, but I do feel presentation is important particularly when seeking to make a great first impression. I worry if my outfits have been too formal and bland.

How has everyone else gone about striking this balance? Thank you!

Edit: Also is a blazer always necessary with a dress? I personally am quite uncomfortable in a blazer and it sometimes causes me to fidget (annoyingly ). But I feel this is better than showing my arms which may be deemed unprofessional.

Blazer is definitely necessary. At worst, look up a boucle type jacket that has less stiffer shoulders if thats your thing.

As for personality, try opting for more interesting earrings if you have pierced ears? Keep it simple to studs, at most small hoops (what I opt for), and definitely nothing extraordinarily dangling.

 

[Jen E C]

Advice for Interview Outfits (Female)?
Does anyone have any tips on how to strike a balance between a professional attire and showing your personality?

For some interviews, I wore a black blazer, black skirt, and a greyish top. In others, I decided to wear a black blazer with a grey dress.

I understand this may be less important than my actual interview performance, but I do feel presentation is important particularly when seeking to make a great first impression. I worry if my outfits have been too formal and bland.

How has everyone else gone about striking this balance? Thank you!

Edit: Also is a blazer always necessary with a dress? I personally am quite uncomfortable in a blazer and it sometimes causes me to fidget (annoyingly ). But I feel this is better than showing my arms which may be deemed unprofessional.

I have to disagree that a blazer is completely necessary, but perhaps @Jessica Booker might be able to provide more concrete insight. I personally don't feel massively comfortable in a blazer either and being too hot in an interview would only throw me off. The sleeves on my dress cover my shoulders and I've worn it to interview before, I'm pretty sure, and it hasn't been an issue.

I also think that as long as your hair isn't a birds nest and your clothes aren't full of creases, you'll present yourself just fine. Your personality will come through in your interactions with everyone and if you are able to make small talk or have a conversation with GR/the rest of the candidates/your interviewer. I personally prefer to wear small heels and a small amount of makeup, just to show I've made some effort. It also makes me feel more confident.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Advice for Interview Outfits (Female)?
Does anyone have any tips on how to strike a balance between a professional attire and showing your personality?

For some interviews, I wore a black blazer, black skirt, and a greyish top. In others, I decided to wear a black blazer with a grey dress.

I understand this may be less important than my actual interview performance, but I do feel presentation is important particularly when seeking to make a great first impression. I worry if my outfits have been too formal and bland.

How has everyone else gone about striking this balance? Thank you!

Edit: Also is a blazer always necessary with a dress? I personally am quite uncomfortable in a blazer and it sometimes causes me to fidget (annoyingly ). But I feel this is better than showing my arms which may be deemed unprofessional.

What you described isn’t too formal.

wouldn’t worry about it being too bland. There’s ways in which you can show personality beyond colour - accessories have always been my thing whilst pretty much being in head to toe black.

My rules for blazers with dresses:

- You can dress up a dress with a blazer, so if you think the dress is fairly informal, think about adding one

- if the dress sleeve length is not mid way down your bicep (or longer) wear a blazer

blazers don’t have to be super fitted/formal though. I’ve got a couple that I wear all the time that are really cheap/loose jackets (https://m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/productpage.0728156006.html) that work and still dress up a dress or top/skirt combo

 

[M1999]

to chime in on the dress code - would a smart dress that is slightly above the knee (the hem ends at the top of the knee) be okay? I am going to wear tights and I am quite tall so it doesn’t seem to rise up. I just think the dress looks neater than a shirt and skirt so I’m kind of stuck what to wear!
Thanks

 

[Holly]

Blazer is definitely necessary. At worst, look up a boucle type jacket that has less stiffer shoulders if thats your thing.

As for personality, try opting for more interesting earrings if you have pierced ears? Keep it simple to studs, at most small hoops (what I opt for), and definitely nothing extraordinarily dangling.

I have to disagree that a blazer is completely necessary, but perhaps @Jessica Booker might be able to provide more concrete insight. I personally don't feel massively comfortable in a blazer either and being too hot in an interview would only throw me off. The sleeves on my dress cover my shoulders and I've worn it to interview before, I'm pretty sure, and it hasn't been an issue.

I also think that as long as your hair isn't a birds nest and your clothes aren't full of creases, you'll present yourself just fine. Your personality will come through in your interactions with everyone and if you are able to make small talk or have a conversation with GR/the rest of the candidates/your interviewer. I personally prefer to wear small heels and a small amount of makeup, just to show I've made some effort. It also makes me feel more confident.

What you described isn’t too formal.

wouldn’t worry about it being too bland. There’s ways in which you can show personality beyond colour - accessories have always been my thing whilst pretty much being in head to toe black.

My rules for blazers with dresses:

- You can dress up a dress with a blazer, so if you think the dress is fairly informal, think about adding one

- if the dress sleeve length is not mid way down your bicep (or longer) wear a blazer

blazers don’t have to be super fitted/formal though. I’ve got a couple that I wear all the time that are really cheap/loose jackets (https://m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/productpage.0728156006.html) that work and still dress up a dress or top/skirt combo

Thank you everyone for your advice! It's very helpful

 

[biosparasemos]

Does anyone know how competitive Slaughter and May vac schemes are to get on?

What is the rate of conversion from vacation scheme to training contract? Like statically speaking, is there say an average of '50%' who get the VS go on to get a TC offer?

When I had my interview, I was told that even if I didn't get offered the VS I should certainly apply for TC, as to get a VS is more competitive than TC!
I was also asked if I was in the position to want to apply directly for TC at the moment?

My offer email also said that if I wanted to be interviewed earlier for a TC, to ring them up to discuss my options. I assume they've said this to everyone, right?

 

[acceleratedlaw]

hey did anyone apply for clyde and co mena vacation scheme?

 

[Jessica Booker]

to chime in on the dress code - would a smart dress that is slightly above the knee (the hem ends at the top of the knee) be okay? I am going to wear tights and I am quite tall so it doesn’t seem to rise up. I just think the dress looks neater than a shirt and skirt so I’m kind of stuck what to wear!
Thanks

That is fine.

My advice is to always wear tights, no matter what the weather, even if they are just skin coloured and a thin denier

 

[csyn]

Does anyone have any experience of the first round interview for Stephenson Harwood please?!

not helpful terribly sorry, and i'm definitely tagging so I can get notifications, but when did you apply to stephenson harwood?

 

[Dheepa]

Does anyone know how competitive Slaughter and May vac schemes are to get on?

What is the rate of conversion from vacation scheme to training contract? Like statically speaking, is there say an average of '50%' who get the VS go on to get a TC offer?

When I had my interview, I was told that even if I didn't get offered the VS I should certainly apply for TC, as to get a VS is more competitive than TC!
I was also asked if I was in the position to want to apply directly for TC at the moment?

My offer email also said that if I wanted to be interviewed earlier for a TC, to ring them up to discuss my options. I assume they've said this to everyone, right?

I did a VS at Slaughters last year and I'd say that their conversion rate is pretty high. Only 4 people out of the entire 20+ on my VS didn't get the TC. One thing I will say is the TC interview at the end of the vac is the exact same as the normal TC interview direct applicants do.

Although you're guaranteed the TC interview, you are expected to re-submit an updated CV and a CL through their application portal. (you don't have to change anything if you don't want to but I guess there is an expectation that you will since you now know more about the firm after the VS). And you do the one hour case study just like direct TC applicants do.

Because the scheme is unassessed (i.e. you don't submit work throughout the VS that gets marked by anyone) most of the decision on whether or not you get a TC is based on the case study and final interview. So as long as you perform during those and don't have glaring attitude problems or anything during the scheme, I'd say your chances of conversion are p good.

 

[Iman]

Well BCLP rejection post AC. Not really surprised. I got asked mostly strength based questions when I was told it was a competency based interview. Anyway I've asked for feedback so I can improve. At least it's a good experience

Talking about strength based does anyone know how to structure an answer for them?

Sorry to hear that!! Would you mind sharing some tips for the AC?

 

[Iman]

Does anyone have any tips for BCLP's AC?

 

[Danube]

I did a post on the HSF AC on this thread a week or so ago, i'll copy it again here.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copy of previous post:

I’ve read so many posts about HSF AC help, so I’ll do this and hopefully others who still need help will see it.

I am a science student, and got quite buggered by HSF at the start of Jan, felt really let down as I was very passionate yet got rejected because of my lack of knowledge on financial deals/business structure.

3 stages, as we all know: competency, case study, scenario, we need not discuss competency as that’s straight forward, right?

Case Study:
Read some documents, deduce potential economical/legal pitfalls within the documentation (terms, exclusivity contract etc) discuss them with the partner, you are advising him as if he is your client.
Recommendation is to structure your answer clearly, baring in mind short/medium/long term consequences and as always, try and build rapport.

Scenario:
Changes for everyone, but you are told that the client is in position X (they are in a bad situation) and need our advice, what must we consider, who is going to be affected, what is our goal (basically focus on preserving stock value, that is what the client and shareholders really care about) - I recommend researching how a business is structured, in terms of executive/non-executive directors, share-holders etc.

I hope this is clear, it may not be, but I tried.

If you are non-law, you are NOT meant to know any legal implications in any great detail, however, you are not safe from the economics/business, that was my downfall - and I think that’s unfair to be honest, but whatever, best of luck!

Awesome, thank you James

 

[Megannn]

not helpful terribly sorry, and i'm definitely tagging so I can get notifications, but when did you apply to stephenson harwood?

4th Dec for Direct TC

 

[Holly]

Does anyone have any tips for BCLP's AC?

Hi when's the interview? I have a couple AC's coming up this week but can provide more detailed tips from Thursday evening. If your interview is earlier, I will send over some general tips!

 

[Barami]

Does anyone have any tips for BCLP's AC?

Is this for their VS or TC?? x