Hogan Lovells Winter Vacation Scheme - November 2024

What was the full recruitment process?         

1. Application

2. Psychometric test: Watson Glaser critical thinking

3. Assessment centre

Which aspect does this report cover?

Vacation scheme assessment centre

Where did the assessment centre take place?            

TopScore (online platform)

What did the assessment centre involve?      

1. Introduction: introduction to the day, plus an opportunity to ask questions (~15 minutes with a member of the graduate recruitment team).
2. Trainee Q&A: An unassessed trainee Q&A session, followed by a 15-minute break.
3. Case study preparation: read background materials and questions (~15 minutes).
4. Scenario-based interview: discussion centring on handling workplace-related scenarios (~40 minutes with a senior associate and a member of the graduate recruitment team).
5. General interview and case study discussion: motivation and competency interview plus case study discussion (~40 minutes with two partners).

Case study preparation

I was given 1.5 pages of background information and three questions to form the basis of the discussion. I had 15 minutes to read and consider the questions.

The exercise was based on a family-owned coffee business that was looking to expand. Their daughter had recently posted a viral TikTok which had led to a rapid expansion in their customer base. They operated one store in East London and were looking to expand to operate several stores across the city. 

Key discussion points:

• Summarise the scenario.
• What strategy should the owners employ to grow the size of the business?
• What funding options are available to finance the company’s growth?

Scenario-based interview

Structured CV-blind format. Presented with six different scenarios and asked how to handle each. Example scenarios:

1. Client meeting vs personal commitment

You’ve booked annual leave to spend with family and the rest of your team is aware. However, a partner unaware of this asks for assistance in preparing a client presentation for the same day. I said that due to the possibility of flexible working, I would be able to offer limited assistance, which I could fit in with family commitments. 

2. You find confidential information

You come into possession of confidential information affecting a deal your team is working on. The information could benefit the client. Response: report to supervisor, do not use confidential information.

3. Immediate client response

You are working on a complex matter with little experience, as you have just joined the team. The client has a complex urgent query. You are the only one in the office. Response: provide information to the best of your ability, do not over-state your knowledge or lie. Immediately update once proper information is known. 

4. Difficult team member

Joint task with another trainee who is unresponsive and delays deadlines. Taking on their workload results in them taking all the credit. Response: speak honestly and openly about how concerned you are about their working pattern. Focus on a team approach but escalate if necessary. 

General interview and case study discussion

My interviewers had many follow up questions to the answers I gave. Be prepared to give full answers under scrutiny. They were trying to ascertain my commitment to a career in law, given that I had a previous career working in politics and government. 

Competency and motivation questions

• Why law?
• Why have you decided to change career paths?
• Would you feel content working for companies that are only seeking profit?
• Why Hogan Lovells?
• Which other firms have you applied to and why?

Case study discussion questions

• Please summarise the scenario.
• Explain the strategies that you would seek to employ to help the business expand.
• What funding options are available?
• How would you protect the investment?
• Can you explain to me what a warranty, indemnity and security is?
• What services could the firm offer the company

What was the outcome?                                                  

The firm emailed me a month after the assessment to tell me I was unsuccessful. 

Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?

I was told that I had strong responses to the situational questions. My strategy was to think about the question for 30 seconds and write down all of the available options to me in the scenario. I then explained the strengths and weaknesses of the various strategies and why I decided to go with my decision. I was told in my feedback that I had sensible approaches to the scenarios and that I communicated very well.

My interviewers felt that further development is needed particularly when demonstrating my commercial awareness particularly in the case study. They encouraged me to read ‘All you need to know about Commercial Awareness’ by Chris Stoakes to develop my understanding of how businesses work. I would also highly recommend using Jake’s courses on running a business, private equity and M&A which will provide you with an understanding of the business concepts that the interviewers can reasonably ask you. 

Hogan Lovells Vacation Scheme - January 2023

What was the full recruitment process?         

1. Application

2. Watson Glaser test 

3. Assessment centre

4. Vacation scheme

Which aspect does this report cover?

Assessment Centre

Where did the assessment centre take place?            

TopScore (online platform)

What did the assessment centre involve?   

1. Introduction: an introduction to the day, plus an opportunity to ask questions about the day (~15 minutes with a member of the graduate recruitment team).

2. Trainee Q&A: an unassessed trainee Q&A session, followed by a 15 minute break.

3. Case study preparation: read through background materials and questions (~15 minutes).

4. General interview and case study discussion: motivation and competency interview plus case study discussion (~40 minutes with two partners).

5. Scenario-based interview: discussion centring on how I would handle six workplace-related scenarios (~40 minutes with a senior associate and a member of the graduate recruitment team).

Case study preparation

I was given 1.5 pages of background information, including three questions on which a subsequent discussion would be based. I had 15 minutes to read through the information and think about the three questions. 

The case study centred on a listed UK department store chain, which had been in business for over 200 years and had operations in over 150 locations in the UK. It had brick and mortar stores which sold premium own brand products, as well as products from other luxury brands. The company had previously been sold to a Canadian PE firm.

Before the acquisition by the Canadian PE firm, the company owned all its stores, but was running into cash flow difficulties. Following the acquisition, the stores were sold, with the company then leasing them back. This helped with short-term cash-flow issues, but then the pandemic hit and rent became more expensive. The company was now struggling to meet its rental payment obligations.

The company had also planned to expand online and had hired a team of engineers and invested in IT systems. It had also renovated some of its stores. These factors led to further increased costs, which – coupled with a declining customer base – meant the company’s profits were in decline. 

I was instructed to advise the company on the actions it could take to try to stay afload, and to explain how Hogan Lovells could assist. In particular, I was asked the following:

• Summarise the scenario.
• What can the company do about the rent situation and how can the firm assist?
• Which other solutions could the company implement to improve its cash-flow issues?

General interview and case study discussion 

The interview started off with introductions, then asked me the following questions:

• Why law?
• Why Hogan Lovells?
• Which other firms have you applied to and why?
• Tell us about a Hogan Lovells deal that you have been following.

I was then asked questions about my experiences, including:

• Tell me about your volunteering experience at a legal advice clinic.
• Why do you want to do commercial law if you are interested in pro-bono work?
• Tell us about your commercial negotiation experience (one of the competitions that I won was sponsored by the firm, so I was asked in detail about what that entailed).

We then moved on to the case-study discussion, which included questions such as:

• Please summarise the scenario.
• Does the scenario mirror a real-world transaction?
• Discuss the general trend of online shopping vs high-street shops (I was heavily challenged on my views, with the partners pushing me towards the opposite direction of what I was saying).
• What could be done about the rent situation and which departments of the firm would assist with this? (I was also asked whether the antitrust team would be involved)
• What other strategies could the company employ to improve its situation?

At the end, I had the opportunity to ask a few questions. I asked the partners about their journey into the firm.

Scenario-based interview

This interview was rigidly structured and felt quite formal. It is CV blind interview, and the interviewers want to keep it that way. 

I was presented with six different scenarios, and asked how I would handle each if I was a trainee solicitor at the firm. To give some examples: 

• You have to go to your sister’s wedding tomorrow and everyone in your team is aware. However, a partner unaware of your situation asks you to prepare a client presentation and come with him to the client meeting, which is tomorrow. What would you do? 

I said that I would tell the partner that I really appreciated the opportunity and would love to assist with making the presentation. However, I would not be able to join the client meeting tomorrow, as it's my sister's wedding.

• You are out for drinks with your colleagues, and you overhear some lawyers from another law firm, talking about a deal that you are working on. You realise that the information is confidential but could be used in favour of your client. What would you do?

I said I would definitely not use the information. I mentioned that I would let my supervisor know and let them decide if we should notify the client about the situation.

• You are working on an important deal with another trainee. You have tight deadlines, but the other trainee has been unresponsive for a few days. They have been showing up late and have been missing internal deadlines. You want to be a good team player and finish the work on time, so you take on some of their workload to help ensure the work is finished on time. However, the trainee then takes all the credit for your work in front of your supervisor. What would you do?

I said I would not react in front of my supervisor, but would confront my colleague in a private setting, in a professional manner. I then said that if they had a justifiable explanation I would let it be, but if not, I would report it to my supervisor so that the culture of the firm would not be affected.

What was the outcome?                                                  

I received a call from one of my interviewers two hours after my assessment centre to offer me a place on the vacation scheme.

Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?

For the case study, prepare answers to all the questions contained within your brief. However, you must think beyond these questions too, as you will inevitably face additional questions during the case study discussion. Also, if possible, try to think of a real-world company that is facing the same issue, in case you are asked about this. In addition, demonstrating commercial awareness and revealing your thought process throughout is important (arguably more important than getting the right answer).

For the motivational interview, know your written application well. A lot of questions will be just contextualising your application. For the scenario-based interview, perhaps suggest various options for handling each scenario. Doing so can show adaptability and initiative.

Hogan Lovells Vacation Scheme - January 2022

What was the full recruitment process?         

1. Application

2. Psychometric test: critical thinking

3. Assessment centre

Which aspect does this report cover?

Vacation scheme assessment centre. 

Where did the assessment centre take place?            

Online platform called TopScore.

What did the assessment centre involve?      

Case study

I was given 15 minutes to read through the case study (this was only a 1 page document) and consider the content. I then went straight into an interview (covered below), where I was asked questions on the case study. There was no written or presentation element.

The case study centred on a chain of department stores that had been open for 240 years, had 166 locations across the UK, was listed on the London Stock Exchange, and had 25,000 employees. The stores sell their own branded products and other high street brands.

We were told that the company that owned the stores had used debt to open new stores and were now considering selling some of the stores and leasing them back. We were also told about declining profits/increasing costs, bad investments in the business (e.g. expensive store redesigns had flopped), outdated IT systems, declining customer goodwill and so on.

The case study brief explained that I would need to consider the key issues presented, and how these would impact the various stakeholders of the business.

Note that the case study is apparently group-based for direct training contract interviews.

Motivation and case study interview                 

Competency, motivation and current affairs questions 

This interview involved a range of motivation and competency questions, including: 

• Tell me about yourself. 
• Why law?
• Why Hogan Lovells?
• Did you consider studying another subject at university?
• Where else have you applied?
• Why should we offer you a vac scheme if you have applied for a direct TC at another firm?
• Would you take the TC offer at that other firm over our vac scheme offer if you received it?
• Talk about a news story that has caught your interest, and explain how this could impact clients and the firm.

Note that I didn’t receive any questions on my extra-curriculars, skills or other elements covered on my application form.

Case study questions

I was also asked a number of questions relating to the case study, including:

• What were the key issues presented in the case study?
• What impact might these issues have on the various stakeholders of the business?
• What solutions would you propose?

In terms of structure, I started with a short clear summary of the case, then focused on the stakeholders and why each would be affected by certain issues. I then presented potential solutions and discussed which of the firm’s practice areas would likely be involved in addressing these issues. To give an example, one of the issues was the significant cost of rent, so I proposed focusing more on online sales.

Scenario-based interview

During this interview, I was presented with six scenarios and asked how I would react to each set of circumstances. Examples include:

• You’re at a closing dinner and you hear two associates discussing confidential information in front of the client. They don’t notice that the client is there, what do you do?
• Someone on your team seems to have been struggling for a while. When you asked him if anything was wrong, he just said that everything was fine. What would you do?
• You have lots of work on and a partner asks you to take on more, but you’re unsure if you will be able to complete it. What do you do?

At times, I was pushed on my answers. For example, I was asked to provide more detail about precisely how I would go about taking certain action, or why taking such action would be important (including acknowledging what might happen if I failed to act). I then had time to ask questions at the end of the interview. 

What was the outcome?                                                  

I received a vacation scheme offer by phone the day after the assessment centre.

Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?

Explain your thought processes (out loud) as you go along, and be prepared to answer follow up questions throughout. I don’t think my answers were perfect, or that I got everything correct, but I got the impression the firm cared more about how you think and react when under pressure, and how you go about reaching logical answers to questions where you didn’t necessarily know the actual answers immediately.

I recommend that you prepare a discussion around a news story that covers the facts, any related issues, the potential impact on clients, and how the firm could add value or capitalise on opportunities in connection with the story (if applicable). Also make sure you have some awareness of key prevalent current affairs, which at the time of my interview included COVID, tech and ESG. Attending webinars delivered by firms helped in this respect, as firms sometimes explained precisely how some of these trends affected them and their clients. I didn’t feel like I needed much technical business knowledge however.