We Are Four Trainees at Shearman & Sterling LLP. Ask Us Anything!

[lucyfoulkes]

@lucyfoulkes @NatashaRarity@mattewadesina @Zara.Khanche

hi how do I best prepare for a case study test

Hi,

Strong commercial awareness should go a long way in helping you answer questions in the case study exercise and should also help in referencing real-world examples that relate to the facts of the case study. In terms of how I developed my commercial awareness, I read the Christopher Stoakes book, 'Commercial Awareness' and I subscribed to the Economist YouTube channel, which has useful videos discussing commercial trends.

When answering questions, try to look at the facts of the case study from more than one perspective, for example, consider whether a certain development would be advantageous from a political/economic/social perspective, and the impact that development might have on different industries. Doing so will also help provide structure to your answers.

Case studies are usually tailored to the work that the specific law firm does, so you may want to do some research on the firm you are interviewing with and what their specialist areas are.

Best of luck,
Lucy

 

[mts]

Hey!

Thank you so much for all your answers. They've been incredibly helpful!

My question for you is: what are your tips for answering commercial awareness questions such as "what is a current challenge for law firms and how can they tackle it?"

Best,

 

[Beni1995]

Hi @lucyfoulkes, @NatashaRarity, @matthewadesina and @Zara.Khanche

Thank you all for being willing to respond to our questions.

What advice would you have for somebody like myself who is struggling to get past the application stage in training contract applications. What was key for you to break past the initial first stage and get an interview?

Kind regards
Beni

 

[B A]

My first bit of advice would be to make sure you understand your genuine reasons for wanting to enter the world of commercial law. Too often, candidates reel off a scripted answer and say what they believe the interviewer wants to hear (not realising that the interviewer has probably heard/read that answer 100 times before).

To start I would take a pen and paper and write down 3-4 authentic reasons about what appeals to you about a commercial law career. You can ask yourself the following prompts to help you to think creatively:

• How did you first learn about a career in commercial law and what made you interested to learn more;
• What motivates you to become a commercial lawyer;
• How have you tried to gain more exposure to a career in commercial law;
• What skills have you developed that you believe would transfer well into commercial law; and importantly
• Why specifically commercial law rather than other areas of law.

Once you have jotted down your thoughts, you can start to build a story of what brought you to commercial law, how your skills align with the demands of the job and how you can contribute to the industry. By brainstorming first, it is much easier to personalise your path to law and your final answer will be much more believable to an interviewer.

For Applications, where the wordcount is tight it may be helpful to use the STAR technique to get started. What was the Situation that brought you to commercial law? Were you involved in any Task that developed your commercial/legal skillset? What Action did you take that consolidated your interest in commercial law? And what was the end Result or, on Reflection, what did you learn about commercial law that motivated you to choose it as a career? If you do use the STAR technique, make sure you read over your answer so that it flows well and isn't too formulaic.

For Interviews, try not to just read your application answer, as it's in written form, so it will sound different when spoken aloud. To show your passion for commercial law, try to build a story about your journey and don't be afraid to add in your personality/character too, because whilst the interviewer wants to see genuine reasons for joining the industry, they are also checking that you are someone they could share a room with. Also, preparation prevents poor performance, so practice in the mirror or to a friend/family member and ask them for their feedback.

Finally, stay on track. If you are being asked why commercial law, stick to the question asked. Try not to go on a tangent about what a commercial lawyer does or answer too generically about why law and not specifically commercial law. Stick to what your motivations are and remember the impact of selling your own story.

Ultimately, be true to yourself, sometimes your most honest experiences are the ones that graduate recruitment can connect with the most.

All the best,

Zara

Thank you Zara, this is really helpful!

 

[NatashaRarity]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input on here - it is super helpful.

I was wondering how you would differentiate the culture at Shearman from other US firms you looked at/applied to?

Many thanks,

S

Hi S,

This is a great question, and something that definitely pops up a lot. In my experience, it was tricky to get a sense of a firm's culture just by looking online and at their websites; there's so much information on there, and it undoubtedly has more of a professional tone, so after a while it became harder to distinguish between firms. I did find, though, that Shearman is more active on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, there's even an Instagram account!), which gave me the sense that Shearman was willing and able to extend its audience reach in really accessible ways. I also liked being able to watch informative videos by actual Shearman employees; as well as being useful, they show you a little snapshot of some of the people who actually work there rather than just reading words on a website.

I can't say much for the culture at other US firms, as I don't have as much knowledge about what it's like working there day-to-day, but I've found that the culture at Shearman is incredibly welcoming, warm and supportive. I think law firms are unfairly stereotyped for their culture, but working at Shearman has been delightful - everyone works hard when they need to, but there's never a sense that you're just a small cog in a big machine. The teams I've been in so far have been amazing, with various social events planned throughout the year so that we can get to know each other on a personal level as well as being colleagues. There are also plenty of firm-wide events, like the Christmas/summer parties, pro bono events like pizza afternoons, and socials led by the firm's D&I societies, which help you get to know people in other teams really well.

I was once told that a sign of a good culture is when you need to stay late to work and you're happy to spend extra time with your office roommate - I've definitely found that to be the case, which I think says a lot!

Best,
Tash

 

[sxw517]

Hi S,

This is a great question, and something that definitely pops up a lot. In my experience, it was tricky to get a sense of a firm's culture just by looking online and at their websites; there's so much information on there, and it undoubtedly has more of a professional tone, so after a while it became harder to distinguish between firms. I did find, though, that Shearman is more active on social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, there's even an Instagram account!), which gave me the sense that Shearman was willing and able to extend its audience reach in really accessible ways. I also liked being able to watch informative videos by actual Shearman employees; as well as being useful, they show you a little snapshot of some of the people who actually work there rather than just reading words on a website.

I can't say much for the culture at other US firms, as I don't have as much knowledge about what it's like working there day-to-day, but I've found that the culture at Shearman is incredibly welcoming, warm and supportive. I think law firms are unfairly stereotyped for their culture, but working at Shearman has been delightful - everyone works hard when they need to, but there's never a sense that you're just a small cog in a big machine. The teams I've been in so far have been amazing, with various social events planned throughout the year so that we can get to know each other on a personal level as well as being colleagues. There are also plenty of firm-wide events, like the Christmas/summer parties, pro bono events like pizza afternoons, and socials led by the firm's D&I societies, which help you get to know people in other teams really well.

I was once told that a sign of a good culture is when you need to stay late to work and you're happy to spend extra time with your office roommate - I've definitely found that to be the case, which I think says a lot!

Best,
Tash

Thanks Tash!

 

[Zara.Khanche]

Hi @lucyfoulkes, @NatashaRarity, @matthewadesina and @Zara.Khanche

Thank you all for being willing to respond to our questions.

What advice would you have for somebody like myself who is struggling to get past the application stage in training contract applications. What was key for you to break past the initial first stage and get an interview?

Kind regards
Beni

Hi Beni,

This is a fantastic question and very relatable for almost every candidate going through the application process right now. Well done for putting yourself out there and taking the time to draft and submit the applications – that, in itself is no small feat. I honestly believe getting a training contract is one of the most difficult processes in your law career, as it requires levelling up in all aspects of your life, from managing your time well, building your professional network, improving your writing skills and knowing how to sell yourself.

The actions I took to kick start this "levelling up" process (which takes time, so don't worry) includes:

1. Understanding that law firm applications are not always a "numbers game": My most successful applications came from finding the areas of law I was most interested in, and creating a list of 5-10 law firms that specialised in those areas. That way, I could research, apply for and attend open days or insight evenings at those select firms, and tailor my application and interests specifically, rather than writing something generic that could apply to every law firm.
2. Network, network, network: When you attend Open Days/Insight Evenings, follow up on Linked In with the trainees that you have met – most will be happy to share some insider knowledge with you about the firm. You can ask about specific deals or initiatives that are going on and having some insider knowledge will set your application apart from the competition, rather than regurgitating the firm's website (as tempting as it is!). It also helps to get your name out there early on, which will show that you have a genuine interest in the firm.
3. Improve your writing: It sounds obvious, but always check for spelling & grammar on a printed version of your application form. Use the 3-strike rule, as a grad recruitment reviewer would, and critically search for errors, long-winded sentences/paragraphs or instances where you have not actually answered the question asked of you. Writing succinctly takes practice and you may find using the STAR technique a useful starting point. In addition, to sell yourself in the application form, quantify your achievements with %'s or metrics to show exactly how you went about doing something and what the final outcome was.
4. Make effective use of resources: TCLA have an abundance of resources which include law firm data profiles, mentoring, application reviews, and educational resources on M&A and understanding the City.
5. Exercise Self-Compassion: Each time you get a rejection email, take a moment to recognise that you made the effort to research and draft an application, a stage which many have yet to get to. Every step is a learning process, and each rejection brings a chance for reflection and improvement. If the process towards getting a TC was easy, everyone would do it. It requires resilience and grit, so don't give up at the first hurdle as you'll be serving up your spot to someone else.

A number of our trainees have also put together this video which includes helpful pointers to assist with training contract applications: Trainee Training Contract Application Tips - Shearman & Sterling

Do keep going – it may not seem like it now, but the hard work will be worth it in the end!

All the best,

Zara

 

[lucyfoulkes]

Hey!

Thank you so much for all your answers. They've been incredibly helpful!

My question for you is: what are your tips for answering commercial awareness questions such as "what is a current challenge for law firms and how can they tackle it?"

Best,

Hi,

In terms of the current challenges faced by law firms, these could be identified by developing your commercial awareness on topics such as the energy crisis, rising costs of living, technological changes in the legal space, the long-term effects of Covid-19 and Brexit, to name a few. When conducting commercial research, you may wish to keep in mind the clients of a particular law firm and ask yourself how their businesses will be affected as this will indirectly affect the type of work that the law firm can then be involved with. It is particularly worth considering the effect on a law firm's different departments as some departments are more cyclical in nature compared to others. Whilst building your commercial awareness, for each news story you read, you may wish to use the PESTLE technique to help better understand whether the subject of that story is a challenge to a law firm, the different stakeholders and industries that may be affected and how a law firm might come in to assist with any issues.

Best of luck,
Lucy

 

[Divyani Jethwa]

Hi! Thank you so much for your time - it’s been incredible useful.
I’ll be applying for Shearman & Sterling for their Vacation Scheme and was wondering how you found the interview and what tips you have to succeed in that stage of the process?

 

[Zara.Khanche]

Hi! Thank you so much for your time - it’s been incredible useful.
I’ll be applying for Shearman & Sterling for their Vacation Scheme and was wondering how you found the interview and what tips you have to succeed in that stage of the process?

Hi Divyani,

Thanks for your question. My interview experience was very conversational with light humour and my interviewer was interested in both my legal and non-legal interests.

Over on Shearman & Sterling's Graduate Information Hub is a complete list of 99 training contract interview tips. We've tried to think about all the elements of the interview process including, research, preparation, the interview itself and post-interview. Take a look here: 99 Training Contract Interview Tips - Shearman & Sterling

Some additional tips include:

Try to remove any 'minor stressors' ahead of your interview, for example by preparing your bag, outfit, and transport route etc. the day before your interview, so you needn't worry about these on the day.

Know your application inside out and think about the questions you may be asked from your application form, such as modules undertaken at university, extra-curricular activities and work experience.

Take a look at the law firm's website and glean what competencies the firm is looking for from candidates, and jot down an example of where you have evidenced each competency. TCLA has also compiled a set of 260+ difficult interview questions and if you can answer these, you will be well prepared for your interview. Remember that you cannot prepare for absolutely everything, you may be faced with a curveball question and it's ok if you do not immediately know the answer. Try not to rush into an answer, and instead, take a deep breath and some time to consider your response.

Whilst interviews should be professional, don't be afraid to express your personality and allow the interview to progress in a conversation-like manner. Ultimately, the interviewer wants to ensure you are passionate about a career in law, hardworking and easy to get on with – someone they could share a room with and train for 2 years.

Practice your answers to questions on competency skills; commercial awareness; firm knowledge; departmental knowledge (i.e. M&A or Finance) etc. in front of a mirror, out loud or to a friend. That way you can see if you are coming across as knowledgeable and personable or a little too scripted. You want to avoid the latter!

Finally, prepare interesting questions that you can ask at the end of your interview and that are not readily available on the firm's website.

All the best,

Zara

 

[ab1234]

@lucyfoulkes , @NatashaRarity , @matthewadesina and @Zara.Khanche
Private vs public M&A seat- question!

Hi guys- thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!

I will be starting a Training Contract in the new year and had a question about seat choices. In particular,

1. What are the practical differences (in terms of trainee tasks) between doing a seat in private and public M&A?
2. What is the difference (if any) between the work-life balance (i.e. hours) between private and public M&A (does one have a better work-life balance than the other?)

Thank you!!!