Slaughter and May Direct Training Contract – December 2024
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application
2. Assessment centre
3. Training contract
What aspect does this cover?
Assessment centre
Where did the assessment centre take place?
Online via Teams (I had the option for it to be in person, but overseas candidates could request an online assessment centre instead).
What did it involve?
1. Written exercise (75 minutes)
2. Article reading and preparation (30 minutes)
3. Partner interview: motivation/background questions, and article discussion (60 minutes with 2 partners)
4. Grad recruitment team interview (20 minutes with one graduate recruiter)
Written exercise
We were required to draft an advice note based on information provided. Information included the financial profile of some companies that the board was considering acquiring. The exercise centered on analysing background information to determine which potential entity our client should acquire in order to facilitate business expansion. The written task comprised of analysing the four different options and recommending one. It would also be prudent to mention the potential cons of all options including the one being recommended, and suggesting some measures to mitigate risks.
Time management was key, as it was challenging to first read the case study and then write the note. I recommend including an executive summary at the beginning and a conclusion at the end, plus avoiding grammatical mistakes.
Article reading and preparation
The article was different for everyone; mine was an opinion piece concerning the usage of AI in medicine. The article was straightforward, and analysis did not require any prior knowledge. During the preparation time, I recommend making notes on the article.
Partner interview
The first part of the interview focused on my background, including my schooling, law school grades, and favourite courses. As an international student, I was asked about the differences between private and public schools in my home country. Further questions pertained to my choice of university and my experiences so far. There was also a discussion about my previous internships, with a particular focus on one practice area. Additionally, I was asked about my exchange semester abroad and the challenges I faced there.
Since I am an international student, I was also questioned about my motivation to work in London and eventually settle there. I was also asked "Why commercial law?" and "Why this firm?".
It is important to prepare an explanation for your application strategy as well. Most of the interview was based on my application and cover letter (rather than my CV) to gain a better understanding of me.
Article discussion
The second half of the interview was an article discussion. I was asked to present a summary of the article and provide my reasons for supporting or dissenting from the article’s argument. My opinion was subsequently challenged, and the discussion revolved around the article’s content. I recommend approaching this as a discussion and showing that you can appreciate alternative perspectives. A key point is to acknowledge opposing views and, if necessary, refine your initial position accordingly.
Graduate Recruitment Team interview (25 minutes)
Questions related to my motivations and competencies, including some of the same questions that came up in my partner interview, for example why commercial law, why the firm, and why London. There were discussions regarding my experience of the assessment day and I was asked to reflect on that. Finally, I was asked questions on my application strategy. It is essential to remain consistent in your responses, as interviewers take notes.
What was the outcome?
Rejected after two weeks via email
Any specific advice?
Since the assessment centre is fluid, there are ample opportunities to rectify mistakes and provide additional information at later stages, such as during the Graduate Recruitment Team interview.
For the partner interview, it is crucial to focus on knowing your cover letter in advance, and having clear, well-reasoned explanations for any lower academic grades.
For the article discussion, reading articles for a week before the AC can help build familiarity with structuring arguments.
Confidence is key, as you will be challenged throughout the discussion. The interviews are highly conversational, so take advantage of this by asking personal questions at the end rather than generic ones. This can help build rapport and leave a strong final impression.
Slaughter and May Vacation Scheme – January 2024
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application: CV and cover letter
2. Interview
Which aspect does this report cover?
Summer vacation scheme interview
Where did the assessment centre take place?
Microsoft Teams
What did the assessment centre involve?
1. Article reading time: provided with a 2-page opinion piece (20 minutes reading time)
2. General interview: questions about my education, experiences and motivation, plus questions on the article (60 minutes with a partner and senior associate)
Interview
Education, experiences and motivation
In the first part of the interview, the partner asked me about things that I had mentioned in my cover letter - specific cases that I had mentioned which the firm had worked on and why they interested me (this was quite brief).
Most of the rest of the interview involved going over my CV. The interviewers started off by going through my grades and asked me why some grades were lower than others (to get a feel for how self-aware I was of my own strengths and weaknesses). I was then asked about my A-levels: what I found interesting about them and what I enjoyed/didn’t enjoy about them.
The competency and motivation questions weren’t always asked out-right; they almost ask them in a covert way. For example, when I said that I enjoyed studying law at A-level, they asked me ‘oh so is that why you went on to study law?’ as opposed to other vac scheme interviews where they just outright asked ‘why did you chose to study law?’. They asked me which modules I enjoyed at university and which modules I was strongest and weakest in. They really expect you to have reflected on this, so I would prepare good answers for questions like these.
Next, they asked about my legal experiences and what I found interesting about them. The most important question I was asked is: ‘have you applied to other vac schemes?’. They never asked me ‘why Slaughter and May’ so this was my chance to tell them why I wanted to join the firm by demonstrating that I have selectively applied to similar law firms. E.g. I also applied to Clifford Chance so I was able to say ‘I applied to the Clifford Chance vac scheme because like Slaughter and May, it works on XYZ, which is ultimately something that I want to do in my career’. They also asked about my childhood and my legal journey. It was very casual and relaxed and genuinely felt like a conversation - for this part of the interview I would just be yourself and give your genuine answers.
Article conversation
The article was a 2-page opinion piece on the renewable energy sector, published by The Financial Times 8 days before my interview (i.e. it was very recent). The article comes from a pool of different articles, so not everyone receives the same one. This part was led by the senior associate, and was clearly designed to assess my ability to develop logical and coherent arguments.
I was first asked to give a summary of the article; you’re allowed to prepare notes so you can just prep this and read it out. They then asked if the author had a specific viewpoint.
Next, I was asked which parts of the article I agreed or disagreed with and why. If the article was based on a more contentious issue, I would assume there would be more of a debate on a specific ethical dilemma but because of the nature of the article it was more of a discussion on why I thought the renewable energy sector wasn’t thriving as well in Europe.
The interviewers pushed me to back up my opinions and defend them, so for example when I said renewable energy wasn’t thriving in Europe because of supply chain issues and investor reluctancy, they pushed me to expand on this point.
What was the outcome?
Unknown at the time of writing.
Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?
Thoroughly scrutinise your CV, and ensure that you have answers for why you did better on certain subjects vs others in your GCSE’s, A-levels and uni modules. Make sure you reflect on your strengths and weaknesses in these subjects as they will really hone in on this.
Make sure you know precisely what you did during your legal work experiences. Perhaps, in advance, try to jot down everything you can remember about what you did, what you learnt and why it relates to why you want to work in commercial law.
Be honest about which firms you’ve applied to as this is your chance to show off your knowledge about Slaughter and May and that you’ve applied to firms selectively!
When you are given the chance to ask the partner and the associate questions at the end make sure to ask them both a question; don’t direct the question at just one of them.
For the article interview: read The FT opinion pieces for about 2-3 weeks before your interview, as it is likely you’ll get a piece you’ve already read. You don’t have to have extensive commercial awareness or business acumen, but I would be familiar with the major legal and political developments at the time; this way you can draw upon the relevancy of the opinion piece in light of the bigger picture.
Slaughter and May Vacation Scheme - January 2023
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application
2. Interview
3. Vacation scheme
4. End of vacation scheme interview
Which aspect does this report cover?
Summer vacation scheme interview
Where did the assessment centre take place?
Microsoft Teams
What did the assessment centre involve?
1. Article reading time: provided with a 2-page opinion piece (20 minutes reading time)
2. General interview: questions about my experiences, motivation questions and questions on the article(60 – 70 minutes with a partner and senior associate)
Interview
Experiences and motivation
was asked various questions about my motivations during the first part of the interview, including:
Article conversation
The article was 2 pages long. The article comes from a pool of different articles, so not everyone receives the same one. It is an opinion piece and they are assessing your ability to develop logical and coherent arguments.
My article was an opinion piece based on the overarching idea if private school bursaries should be cut down to instead fund public schools.
I was first asked to give a summary of the article. We then discussed my views on the author’s opinion, the contents of the article. For example, I was asked “do you agree with the solutions proposed by the author?” and “do you think it is possible and practical for these solutions to be implemented?”. The interviewers were also interested in learning about my moral and ethical views on the topic. I didn’t feel as if I needed any prior knowledge on the subject; the article sufficiently covered the topic.
Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?
The interview was straightforward and easy to prepare for. The questions are straightforward – why law, how is university, what are your favourite modules, and about other work experiences.
The article discussion can be tricky. The interviewers will pose several questions and arguments so its important to know when to stick to your ground and when to showcase flexibility in your thought. You can practice for this by finding articles online and asking your friends or family to engage in a conversation with you about the contents of the article.
What was the outcome?
The firm emailed me more than 5 weeks after the assessment centre to tell me I had been unsuccessful. I later had a feedback call with the graduate recruitment team.
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application
2. Interview
3. Vacation scheme
4. End of vacation scheme interview
Which aspect does this report cover?
Summer vacation scheme interview
Where did the assessment centre take place?
Microsoft Teams
What did the assessment centre involve?
1. Article reading time: provided with a 2-page opinion piece (20 minutes reading time)
2. General interview: questions about my experiences, motivation questions and questions on the article (60 – 70 minutes with a partner and senior associate)
Interview
Experiences and motivation
The interviewers introduced themselves at the start, and were friendly and conversational throughout (the interview wasn’t intimidating or particularly formal). I was asked various questions about my experiences and motivations during the first part of the interview, including:
Article conversation
20 minutes reading time was very manageable given that the article was only two pages long. The article was an opinion piece from a member of the Green Party regarding COP26 and proposed funding for climate-related solutions.
I was first asked to give a summary of the article. We then discussed my views on the author’s opinion, the contents of the article and climate funding. For example, I was asked “do you agree with the solutions proposed by the author?” and “do you think it is possible and practical for these solutions to be implemented?”. I didn’t feel as if I needed any prior knowledge on the subject; the article sufficiently covered the topic.
Conversational Q&A
The interviewers were happy to continue past the scheduled interview deadline, as I had a few questions I wanted to ask. They were the nicest people.
What was the outcome?
The firm emailed me more than 5 weeks after the assessment centre to tell me I had been successful, although they sent an update a couple of weeks after the assessment centre to inform me I wouldn’t hear back in the short term (which was reassuring). Apparently rejections were sent out one week, then offers the week after.
Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?
Overall, this assessment centre was one of the most straight forward and personal that I have attended. There was ample time for meaningful discussion, with a focus on the most important things that the firm should know about you (as opposed to testing rigid commercial knowledge). It just felt like a friendly conversation to help the interviewers get to know you, and for you to get to know them.
There wasn’t too much to prepare, given that it seemed as if the interviewers had freedom to ask whatever questions they want to, and that there seems to be a broad pool of articles that the firm uses (meaning you can’t really guess and prepare the topic in advance).
However, you could perhaps test yourself with articles you find online, sticking to the 20-minute format and anticipating the types of questions that might come up (e.g. summarising the contents, and considering whether you agree with the author’s viewpoint, whether you think particular objectives are achievable, whether alternative options/opinions exist, and so on).