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

[Lumree]

Could someone please tell me what they think are advantages of a firm growing through acquisition as opposed to merging is? A bit confused in my research and don’t want to say the wrong thing

If you’re comparing, it depends on the extent of the merger. Usually, some of the benefits of acquisition are:
•Retaining brand identity
•Quickly establishing a new presence in a new country/location
•Quick entry into new specialities (say if it acquires a niche IP firm)
•Reduce competition in the marketplace

Merging might be seen as riskier because:
•Possibility that firm’s cultures clash (though this can still happen with an acquisition)
•Disagreements on asset/profit pooling that make integration difficult
•Can be costlier

 

[James Kitching]

If you’re comparing, it depends on the extent of the merger. Usually, some of the benefits of acquisition are:
•Retaining brand identity
•Quickly establishing a new presence in a new country/location
•Quick entry into new specialities (say if it acquires a niche IP firm)
•Reduce competition in the marketplace

Merging might be seen as riskier because:
•Possibility that firm’s cultures clash (though this can still happen with an acquisition)
•Disagreements on asset/profit pooling that make integration difficult
•Can be costlier

saucy

 

[Holly]

Oh, I also got the NRF rejection but applied 1 month before the deadline which is a bit rubbish :/

Sorry to hear about the rejection. They are very competitive.

Sending an app 1 month before the deadline isn’t too bad considering over half of applicants (including me ) tend to apply to firms less than a week before the deadline You did good!

 

[Plum]

Vac scheme with Gowling!

 

[Alice G]

Vac scheme with Gowling!

Well done!! That’s incredible news!!

 

[CalibreX1]

Sorry about this, always sucks! I am waiting to hear post AC for summer - do you mind saying when your AC was?

13th January. Good luck!!

 

[Jaysen]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I've heard that a very common question at interviews is 'What is the business of a law firm?'. I was wondering if anyone had any effective answers they've used in their interviews.

Thanks!

A few ways you can answer this, but to put it simply, you might want to start by thinking about how law firms are just like any other business: seeking to make a profit. You might then talk about how law firms specifically make money (they're in the service business - they get paid to provide legal services to clients), how law firms are structured, and/or the kind of legal advice that is provided by commercial law firms (within the firms you're heading to, they're often advising clients on some of the most sophisticated, complex transactions in the market).

Depending on how much detail seems right, you might touch on how they try to gain an edge in the market/the different strategies they adopt to increase profit.

 

[Caitlin]

13th January. Good luck!!

Thankyou

 

[Legal_rawn]

For sidley’s application question: what qualities do you think would make a successful leather?
Should I answer with multiple qualities or focus on maybe 2 or 3? And then relate them to my own personal experiences or not as the question doesn’t ask if I exhibit these qualities

 

[Plum]

Well done!! That’s incredible news!!

Thanks Alice, and for all the work you do on the forum!

 

[Annalise2.0]

Been invited to Squire Patton Boggs AC!! I really thought I bombed the VI. If anyone has any insight/advice into the AC, I'll be super grateful

 

[M1999]

If you’re comparing, it depends on the extent of the merger. Usually, some of the benefits of acquisition are:
•Retaining brand identity
•Quickly establishing a new presence in a new country/location
•Quick entry into new specialities (say if it acquires a niche IP firm)
•Reduce competition in the marketplace

Merging might be seen as riskier because:
•Possibility that firm’s cultures clash (though this can still happen with an acquisition)
•Disagreements on asset/profit pooling that make integration difficult
•Can be costlier

Thank you so much! Really helpful

 

[M1999]

so I’m not 100% and haven’t researched this but I think it can depend on the sizes of the businesses involved. If two companies are a similar size they may prefer to merge whereas if a firm is looking to buy just a few offices in one or two jurisdictions and they’re huge and international then an acquisition would be appropriate. You could discuss culture in mergers in the sense that the two entities or more which are fusing are all joining one new whole as opposed to one business feeling like it has to assimilate into another one through an acquisition. Does that final point make sense? Sorry my brain is fried today!!

Thank you Alice!

 

[Anjeri]

For sidley’s application question: what qualities do you think would make a successful leather?
Should I answer with multiple qualities or focus on maybe 2 or 3? And then relate them to my own personal experiences or not as the question doesn’t ask if I exhibit these qualities

I stuck to 3 qualities then put a brief statement saying how I had displayed those qualities

 

[lexiak]

Is it normal for your interviewer to ask you questions like "why weren't you applying for training contracts in your second year when everyone would have been applying?" and also to say that "you are a little old as students usually apply to us in their second year of university"? I got a rejection after this interview and they've refused to provide feedback, but was wondering whether in hindsight those are normal interview questions :/ sat here wondering if I got rejected on my age... I am 25 :/

 

[James Kitching]

Is it normal for your interviewer to ask you questions like "why weren't you applying for training contracts in your second year when everyone would have been applying?" and also to say that "you are a little old as students usually apply to us in their second year of university"? I got a rejection after this interview and they've refused to provide feedback, but was wondering whether in hindsight those are normal interview questions :/ sat here wondering if I got rejected on my age... I am 25 :/

Did you have solid answers to the questions?

 

[lexiak]

Did you have solid answers to the questions?

Yes - that's what I think at least!

 

[DavidJC]

Just sent off four applications with a few more to go out tomorrow as I'm finalising them. I just wanted to wish everyone the best of luck in this final stretch and to remember to have a real nice weekend!

 

[w2719a]

Is it normal for your interviewer to ask you questions like "why weren't you applying for training contracts in your second year when everyone would have been applying?" and also to say that "you are a little old as students usually apply to us in their second year of university"? I got a rejection after this interview and they've refused to provide feedback, but was wondering whether in hindsight those are normal interview questions :/ sat here wondering if I got rejected on my age... I am 25 :/

That seems pretty unusual to me - can I ask what firm it was? I know plenty of people over the age of 25 who have been successful. If they are judging you based on your age then A) they are breaking the law B) I wouldn't want to work for them.

 

[MVE49]

Is it normal for your interviewer to ask you questions like "why weren't you applying for training contracts in your second year when everyone would have been applying?" and also to say that "you are a little old as students usually apply to us in their second year of university"? I got a rejection after this interview and they've refused to provide feedback, but was wondering whether in hindsight those are normal interview questions :/ sat here wondering if I got rejected on my age... I am 25 :/

Slaughter and May ask questions like this. They generally ask these types of questions to test how you answer uncomfortable questions under pressure. If age was an issue for the company then they wouldn’t have invited you to interview.