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

[AlexTor]

Has anyone heard back from Sidley or Cleary for direct TC?

 

[AlexTor]

I got an email from Freshfields to do to the WG test on Wednesday and one of my friends got a WG invite on Monday. I had until today to do the test

Awesome! Is this for the direct TC application to Freshfields?

 

[Naomi98]

Awesome! Is this for the direct TC application to Freshfields?

Yes, yesterday I also received an AC invite from Freshfields, I think for me there were 4 slot options and the last one was on the 8th of August.

 

[AlexTor]

Yes, yesterday I also received an AC invite from Freshfields, I think for me there were 4 slot options and the last one was on the 8th of August.

Good luck! and thank you for the info!

 

[Naomi98]

Good luck! and thank you for the info!

Thanks

 

[Alice G]

Thank you!



Oh wow, I am glad I picked the earliest date then.

Received AC for Hogan, does anyone who has attended one previously have any tips?

Hi! Well done on the AC! I had one with them back in Jan for a vac scheme, do you know if it’ll be the same format? For me it was a retake of the WG test, an SJT interview with someone from grad rec and then I had a partner interview. Does this sound similar to what they’ve said for you?

 

[HenryGirton]

Hi! Well done on the AC! I had one with them back in Jan for a vac scheme, do you know if it’ll be the same format? For me it was a retake of the WG test, an SJT interview with someone from grad rec and then I had a partner interview. Does this sound similar to what they’ve said for you?

Hiya, thank you! Yes similar format, the only difference is I do have a group assessment also. Do you have any advice following yours? I am nervous as it is fairly full-on

 

[NatAsh]

Hi everyone! I have been invited to an AC with Gide Loyrette Nouel and I was wondering if anyone had any tips or prep advice? I didn't send many applications this year and it's the first return I've had so far. I read on one of the forums here before that all it takes is one so I want to make sure I make this count. Any advice is welcome. Thank you

 

[m24]

WG invite from Freshfields

 

[Alice G]

Hiya, thank you! Yes similar format, the only difference is I do have a group assessment also. Do you have any advice following yours? I am nervous as it is fairly full-on

Excellent- I actually found the assessment centre the most relaxed of all I have done!!

The WG test is fine- just make sure the sheet you use to cross/circle your answers are corresponding to the questions correctly. Basically just make absolutely sure that you are marking the right section on the answer sheet because I think when I was there it went downwards rather than across and one candidate on my AC had gotten it all mixed up!!

With the SJT I actually enjoyed it so much. I’m so sorry I can’t recall exactly what I was asked but I remember one of them being about if your supervisor was away from the office and uncontactable then what would you do. Things like that. I think the advice I can give is to take your time to think, I paused for a good few seconds deciding what I wanted to say. It’s also vital you substantiate your reasonings as well because this is all about your mindset and how your mind operates!! I remember being really stumped on one and saying something along the lines that ‘I wouldn’t want to disappoint the client but I’m not sure where the remit for a trainee lies so I am struggling to answer this one as I don’t have a clear understanding of the trainee boundaries just now.’ Sorry I cant recall what that was in response to though!!

With the partner interview I messed up due to lack of commercial awareness and how law firms operate and how each practice area contributed to the firm’s work. If I did it now I would be ok I think. In the case study just think and go through each law firm practice area and apply what they might do in that given scenario (usually an M&A deal).

With the group, I can’t help specifically but there’s tons of advice on here generally about group tasks. Just type in the search bar and lots of useful posts should be available to you.

 

[AMLaw]

Hi all,

Has anybody heard from Harbottle & Lewis? Thanks.

 

[LawGal]

WG invite from Freshfields as well

 

[HenryGirton]

Excellent- I actually found the assessment centre the most relaxed of all I have done!!

The WG test is fine- just make sure the sheet you use to cross/circle your answers are corresponding to the questions correctly. Basically just make absolutely sure that you are marking the right section on the answer sheet because I think when I was there it went downwards rather than across and one candidate on my AC had gotten it all mixed up!!

With the SJT I actually enjoyed it so much. I’m so sorry I can’t recall exactly what I was asked but I remember one of them being about if your supervisor was away from the office and uncontactable then what would you do. Things like that. I think the advice I can give is to take your time to think, I paused for a good few seconds deciding what I wanted to say. It’s also vital you substantiate your reasonings as well because this is all about your mindset and how your mind operates!! I remember being really stumped on one and saying something along the lines that ‘I wouldn’t want to disappoint the client but I’m not sure where the remit for a trainee lies so I am struggling to answer this one as I don’t have a clear understanding of the trainee boundaries just now.’ Sorry I cant recall what that was in response to though!!

With the partner interview I messed up due to lack of commercial awareness and how law firms operate and how each practice area contributed to the firm’s work. If I did it now I would be ok I think. In the case study just think and go through each law firm practice area and apply what they might do in that given scenario (usually an M&A deal)
With the group, I can’t help specifically but there’s tons of advice on here generally about group tasks. Just type in the search bar and lots of useful posts should be available to you.

This is very helpful! Thank you so so much

 

[ELA]

Hi everyone,

I am wondering if anyone has ever been offered a TC and not taken it, even though they didn't have another TC offer at the same time, nor a coming vacation scheme or anything else coming up yet.

I mean declined it purely because they felt there were firms that would be a better fit for them/their aspirations and they were willing to take the risk to decline one for the opportunity to keep applying to other firms.

I would really appreciate to hear any thoughts about this from anyone, but particularly people who have been in this position or know someone who has.

Thank you!

 

[Jaysen]

Hi everyone,

I am wondering if anyone has ever been offered a TC and not taken it, even though they didn't have another TC offer at the same time, nor a coming vacation scheme or anything else coming up yet.

I mean declined it purely because they felt there were firms that would be a better fit for them/their aspirations and they were willing to take the risk to decline one for the opportunity to keep applying to other firms.

I would really appreciate to hear any thoughts about this from anyone, but particularly people who have been in this position or know someone who has.

Thank you!

Yes, I did that for my first offer with a mid-sized law firm. It was post-vacation scheme and, at the time, I didn't have other interviews/schemes. My reasoning was that if I could get one scheme, I could probably get more, and I felt I'd be settling if I didn't at least try for other firms.

 

[ELA]

Yes, I did that for my first offer with a mid-sized law firm. It was post-vacation scheme and, at the time, I didn't have other interviews/schemes. My reasoning was that if I could get one scheme, I could probably get more, and I felt I'd be settling if I didn't at least try for other firms.

Thanks, Jaysen. Did you find it a difficult decision at the time or were you so confident in your reasoning that it was easy and didn't feel like a risk? And I assume you don't regret making that decision?

 

[Jaysen]

Thanks, Jaysen. Did you find it a difficult decision at the time or were you so confident in your reasoning that it was easy and didn't feel like a risk? And I assume you don't regret making that decision?

I wouldn't say it was easy. I knew it was a risk (and everyone else pointed out that risk) and it could have turned out badly. It helped that it was my first scheme and I was fairly new to the process, so I felt if I put more work in, I could go through the cycle again and secure other schemes. It did end up working out fine, so I don't regret the decision.

It's a really hard one and if you're in that position, it depends on how much you like that firm and what you're looking for in your training contract. It would also depend on how strong the rest of your application is and whether you're willing to go through the process again with the risk of not securing another TC.

 

[ELA]

I wouldn't say it was easy. I knew it was a risk (and everyone else pointed out that risk) and it could have turned out badly. It helped that it was my first scheme and I was fairly new to the process, so I felt if I put more work in, I could go through the cycle again and secure other schemes. It did end up working out fine, so I don't regret the decision.

It's a really hard one and if you're in that position, it depends on how much you like that firm and what you're looking for in your training contract. It would also depend on how strong the rest of your application is and whether you're willing to go through the process again with the risk of not securing another TC.

Thanks. I'm not currently in that position. I'm thinking about it hypothetically, as something that may happen, having completed my vacation scheme.

 

[Ourmon]

Yes, yesterday I also received an AC invite from Freshfields, I think for me there were 4 slot options and the last one was on the 8th of August.

Hey, what date is your interview?

 

[Sana]

Hey everyone! Has anyone heard anything from Reed Smith re Assessment Centre invites? Has anyone also heard from Pinsents and Travers Smith?