Law Firm Interview Experiences

[Nicole]

Hey guys, we've had a few requests about specific law firm interviews. Whilst we're still building the law firm insights page, please post your request here and we'll try to hunt someone down to help

 

[IRR98]

Hey, I got an interview with Weil coming up so would really appreciate any insight

 

[Jaysen]

Hey, I got an interview with Weil coming up so would really appreciate any insight

Hey - when is it? We have a few Weil trainees joining us in the next couple of days so I'll ask if they can share their thoughts (and I'll run through it too).

 

[IRR98]

Hey - when is it? We have a few Weil trainees joining us in the next couple of days so I'll ask if they can share their thoughts (and I'll run through it too).

I haven't firmed up the dates but should be within the next two weeks!

 

[Arun Pall]

Hi guys, also have a Weil interview - any advice would be super helpful! Cheers

 

[Jaysen]

I haven't firmed up the dates but should be within the next two weeks!

Hi guys, also have a Weil interview - any advice would be super helpful! Cheers

Hey guys,

I can share my thoughts on the vacation scheme interview; I can’t confirm how much cross-over there is with the first year scheme interview, but I imagine some of it does.

For the interview:

• You’ll need to demonstrate a basic understanding of private equity – I imagine you’ve seen the guide, but let me know if you have any questions after that. The common question is ‘what is private equity’ and sometimes you’ll have to run through a private equity-related case study (as below).
• For this reason, you may want to consider how PE feeds into your answer of ‘Why Weil’ (if it does).
• Be honest but play to your strengths. Prepare answers to typical competencies – when you’ve worked as a team/worked under pressure/your strengths and weaknesses and why Weil/why law – but see below.
• They want to get to know you, so it’s not particularly formulaic. Brush over your application form as they often use this as a starting point. It'll typically be a partner and associate interviewing.
• Have a clear structure to your answers but be careful of over-rehearsing, it might help to think of 2-3 reasons for the questions above.
• Follow 2-3 significant stories that could affect Weil or law firms and be prepared to discuss i.e. Brexit. Have an understanding of two different sides of the debate and form an opinion.
• It’s a very relaxed interview, so if it’s possible, try to enjoy it! Smile, maintain eye contact, envision it as a conversation rather than an interrogation and remember, it’s fine to say you don’t know if you don’t know.
• Be prepared to discuss a current commercial awareness issue or a case study i.e. the PE acquisition of a company. This’ll typically be at the end of an interview and will form the basis of a question, with a few follow-ups.

I’m not sure if you have a written exercise on the first year scheme, but in case you do -

• You'll have to read a couple of pages and write recommendations to a client/law firm based on the case study.
• The key is to think about structure, simplicity and relevance.
• Make sure you address the exercise to the right person and use the right salutation.

Best of luck! Let me know how it goes and we can chat through your scheme J.

 

[Jaysen]

Hi guys, also have a Weil interview - any advice would be super helpful! Cheers

Hey Arun, thanks for reminding me about the Weil guide - some of the info is covered above, but I'll attach it in case it helps. It's a little checklist I used to give out during my training sessions.

 

[IRR98]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate all your help

 

[R97]

Hi guys, also have a Weil interview - any advice would be super helpful! Cheers

How did it go?

 

[Deleted member 21]

Hey Arun, thanks for reminding me about the Weil guide - some of the info is covered above, but I'll attach it in case it helps. It's a little checklist I used to give out during my training sessions.

I got rejected for the Weil VS after my video interview - do you think I could get to the WG and VI stage if I reapply again for direct TCs or would I be rejected immediately - in the mean time I will also have added 2 vacation schemes to my CV so my application form would be even better...

thanks Jaysen

 

[Jaysen]

I got rejected for the Weil VS after my video interview - do you think I could get to the WG and VI stage if I reapply again for direct TCs or would I be rejected immediately - in the mean time I will also have added 2 vacation schemes to my CV so my application form would be even better...

thanks Jaysen

Hey Denisa - that's an interesting one. Two questions first: When are the vacation schemes? And do you have any idea why you were rejected? i.e. the WG/video performance/the app form.

 

[Jaysen]

One now in March, the other July - Yes I do - my VI launchpadrecruits app clashed in the middle of two of my answers (otherwise I am fairly confident I would have gotten to interview stage because the questions were pretty basic and I had prepared for them quite well - called a few times and e-mailed them as well to tellthem about the glitch but no answer just a rejection after a few weeks

It's worth checking whether there are any bars to reapplication in the same cycle, but if not, I'd say it's worth reapplying.

 

[Jaysen]

Congrats to those of you who secured the scheme (I won't name names in case you want it to be anonymous but thanks for letting me know!). If you want to chat through the scheme closer to the time drop me a PM and we can set up a private forum.

 

[Salma]

Hi guys, also have a Weil interview - any advice would be super helpful! Cheers

Hey, I got an interview with Weil coming up so would really appreciate any insight

Hi Guys, I am hoping to apply to Weil for their TC and I am having problems with answering the last two questions (please see below) and still questioning whether I should answer it? If I decide not to answer it.. will my application being reviewed negatively?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated on how you approached the below questions

1. Please mention anything further which you think is relevant to your application. 300 words

2. Please note any specific questions you would like answered at interview. 300 words

Thanks!

 

[Arun Pall]

Hi Guys, I am hoping to apply to Weil for their TC and I am having problems with answering the last two questions (please see below) and still questioning whether I should answer it? If I decide not to answer it.. will my application being reviewed negatively?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated on how you approached the below questions

1. Please mention anything further which you think is relevant to your application. 300 words

2. Please note any specific questions you would like answered at interview. 300 words

Thanks!

Hi,

I applied for the First Year Fast Track Scheme and only had the first question and not the second, so unsure whether the second needs to be answered.

For the first question, I pretty much used it as an extension of my extra-curricular answer. Throw in any achievements/activities that haven't already been mentioned. If you are struggling to fill up the 300 words with only further activities (as I did), then expand on an activity mentioned in the ECA paragraph. It's a strange question and I was in the exact same position when I first saw it!

Best,

Arun

 

[IRR98]

Hi Guys, I am hoping to apply to Weil for their TC and I am having problems with answering the last two questions (please see below) and still questioning whether I should answer it? If I decide not to answer it.. will my application being reviewed negatively?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated on how you approached the below questions

1. Please mention anything further which you think is relevant to your application. 300 words

2. Please note any specific questions you would like answered at interview. 300 words

Thanks!

Hi,

I applied to the Fast Track Scheme like Arun and was only asked the 1st question. I think it depends on what other questions are asked. Having been asked about my extra-curriculars at universities and motivations, I focused my answer on things I did before university and managed to throw in bits of commercial news that interested me.

Like Arun mentioned, I think its a great idea to use that space to expand on your extra-curriculars. (since 300 words is not a lot)

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Bing

 

[Salma]

Hi,

I applied to the Fast Track Scheme like Arun and was only asked the 1st question. I think it depends on what other questions are asked. Having been asked about my extra-curriculars at universities and motivations, I focused my answer on things I did before university and managed to throw in bits of commercial news that interested me.

Like Arun mentioned, I think its a great idea to use that space to expand on your extra-curriculars. (since 300 words is not a lot)

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Bing

Hi,

I applied for the First Year Fast Track Scheme and only had the first question and not the second, so unsure whether the second needs to be answered.

For the first question, I pretty much used it as an extension of my extra-curricular answer. Throw in any achievements/activities that haven't already been mentioned. If you are struggling to fill up the 300 words with only further activities (as I did), then expand on an activity mentioned in the ECA paragraph. It's a strange question and I was in the exact same position when I first saw it!

Best,

Arun

Hi both, thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

 

[Deleted member 21]

Hi both, thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

I got through to video int without mentioning anything on the first question - it is optional

 

[Salma]

I got through to video int without mentioning anything on the first question - it is optional

Thanks! What about the second question?

 

[Deleted member 21]

Thanks! What about the second question?

I put down the questions I had prepared to ask at the end of an interview - 3-4