Reed Smith Vacation Scheme - January 2025
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application
2. Psychometric test and video interview: Reed Smith High Potential blended assessment including situational judgement, verbal reasoning and personality sections, and video interview section
3. Assessment centre
4. Vacation scheme
Which aspect does this report cover?
Vacation scheme assessment centre
Where did the assessment centre take place?
The firm's London office
What did the assessment centre involve?
1. Case study preparation (~30 minutes reading/preparation)
2. Case study and motivation interview: (~30-45 minutes, with a partner and a senior associate)
3. Proofreading exercise: 45 minutes to markup a document containing several errors.
Case study preparation
I received a bundle of documents relating to a mock client matter. My topic was apparently on the same subject given to some people last year or two years ago.
This case study centred on a complex aircraft transaction involving an airline's acquisition of a plane and subsequent lease arrangement. I was provided with a case study package that included a letter of intent (LOI) for the aircraft purchase between the airline (our client) and the seller. The case study also introduced a fictitious government press release announcing a potential ban on aircraft sales, along with related email correspondence.
The transaction itself was multi-layered. It involved the airline purchasing the aircraft with the intention of leasing it out. This added a layer of complexity, as the case also involved a three-way agreement concerning the aircraft lease. There was an original aircraft lessor, a new lessor (who I believe was related to the seller of the plane), and the airline (our client) who was the lessee. The key legal documents for this part of the transaction were the sale agreement between the lessors and a novation agreement transferring the lease to the new lessor. The LOI I reviewed, however, pertained to the airline's purchase of the aircraft.
I was given 30 minutes to review the LOI and associated documents, including an email outlining specific clauses that were problematic for my client.
Case study and motivation interview
Case study discussion
The case study aspect of the interview focused on:
The interview questions were very specific and seemed to require answers that aligned precisely with a pre-determined answer document. This rigid format, combined with some repetitive questioning, made the interview feel somewhat disjointed and challenging to navigate. It seemed the interviewers were reading from a script and evaluating responses based on a pre-prepared answer sheet. It was not conversational at all, and I heard from certain other participants that any move they made to strike up a conversation or give their opinions in their answers were shut down.
NOTE: Other candidates who interviewed the week before me received a different case study scenario. I am unsure why they had a different case study, as most people I know who interviewed this cycle received the letter of intent scenario.
A friend’s case study focused on a shipping company acquisition. She faced a mountain of documents, including emails, press releases, and contracts, which she had to review within an hour. Her interview involved a mix of quick factual questions and more in-depth ones. They asked about key parties, the deal's specifics, and numerous individuals involved. She noted the difficulty of keeping track of everyone and felt they were testing her attention to detail. The interviewers also inquired about due diligence, relevant departments, and the top three legal risks. She identified these as reputational damage, the loss of a key person, and a potential lawsuit from a disgruntled employee. She found the case study challenging and felt she did not answer everything correctly but was ultimately satisfied with her overall performance. She received a call from Graduate Recruitment saying she had been successful and secured a place on the scheme.
Motivation section of the interview
I was then asked questions such as:
Proofreading exercise
We had 45 minutes to mark up a version of the same letter of intent we got for the case study, which contained errors.
What was the outcome?
At the time of providing this insight, I have not yet been notified of a decision.
Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?
The case study is designed to assess your ability to analyse complex legal documents quickly, understand multi-party transactions, identify key clauses and their implications, and respond concisely under pressure. Therefore, my advice is threefold:
Finally, and most importantly, answer the questions directly and concisely. The interview format tends to be very focused, and extended discussions or personal opinions are generally not expected unless specifically requested. Also, don't be discouraged if the interviewers seem less conversational than you anticipated. My own experience was like this—they even started to leave before I had a chance to ask my questions. While this made me feel like they were disengaged, it could simply have been my perception. While understanding the interviewers' personalities might be helpful, it's best to go in expecting a very direct and to-the-point interview, with limited opportunity for casual conversation.
Reed Smith Vacation Scheme - February 2024
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application Reed Smith
2. Psychometric test: Blended assessment including situational judgement-style assessment and video interview
3. Pre-recorded video interview
4.. Assessment centre case study exercise, group exercise, mark up exercise, and motivational interview
5. Vacation scheme
Which aspect does this report cover?
Virtual interview and vacation scheme assessment centre
Pre-recorded video interview
Questions popped up on a screen. I had 30 seconds to prepare for each, and then 2 minutes to record my answer.
Where did the assessment centre take place?
Virtually, via MicrosoftTeams.
What did the assessment centre involve?
1. Case Study and motivation interview: given an hour to read over a group of documents pertaining to the case study and then had a 45 minute interview surrounding the case study followed by a 15 minute interview about my motivations for the firm and commercial law (1 partner and 1 member of graduate recruitment).
2. Mark up exercise: given a portion of the documents that formed part of the case study, and had to go through and correct mistakes (grammatical, punctuation and factual).
3. Group exercise: worked in groups of 5-7 to discuss a separate fictional case study about a fictional client, and we had to present our findings to the other group and also a member of graduate recruitment and a trainee.
Case study interview
We were all put in a room and given a bundle of documents consisting of around 10-15 pages. I had already done the case study the year prior and so was given an alternative case study. However, I was informed that they were still also using the case study I had faced the year before (so I have included details about both below)
2024 case study
The case study I was given on the day centred on a three-way transaction between a bank (our firm’s client), a project development company, and a contractor. The transaction was essentially between the project development company and the contractor (it was a contract for the construction of a housing development), but the bank was a relevant third party because it was loaning money to the developers to carry out the construction. The main case study documents were a facility agreement between the developer and contractor and a draft contract between the bank and the developer. The case study materials also included comments about terms that may be undesirable for the bank/developer, and a newspaper article on a recent case relating to the type of transaction.
2023 case study
This case study was also a three-way transaction of sorts. The parties included an aircraft lessor who was selling their aircraft lease to a new lessor. The third party was an airline who was a lessee with the original aircraft lessor but is now entering an agreement to enter a lease with the new lessor. The main two legal documents were the sale agreement between the aircraft lessors, and a novation agreement which transfers the lease to the lessee.
I was given a letter of intent setting out clauses to govern the possible transactions. There is a lot to it, but it is so important to ensure you go through the letter of intent thoroughly, and prioritise it. I was also given an email listing out certain clauses that weren’t satisfactory for my fictional client, and clauses in respect of which the client wanted further clarification. Lastly, there wa an article at the end regarding the legal implications of a letter of intent.
Case study task
The task for both case studies is the same. I was asked a number of questions regarding the materials (there was no presentation element).
Because of this specific questioning, it is crucial to pay close attention to the contractual elements of the documents.
Motivation questions
After the case study discussion, I was then asked three motivation questions. The two I can remember are:
This was quite an informal chat about motivations, consisting of questions that are to be expected.
Group exercise
We were split into groups of 5/6 (assessors were in the room with us during the exercise, one sitting at each table) and given case studies about a fictional client (an amusement park business). We were each given booklets that included some information that we all had access to - covering things like the culture, history, previous year’s performance etc. – as well as unique information covering different proposals that could potentially increase the client’s revenue and customer satisfaction (e.g. seasonal themes, new rollercoaster etc.).
We were given 15 minutes to read individually and then 30 minutes to discuss the information as a group. During the group discussion, we had to pitch our specific proposals within our group and come together to decide which group member had the strongest proposal in light of specific performance metrics that we had been told to consider (customer satisfaction, revenue, tickets sold, and a number of other metrics).
We then, as a group, collectively presented our recommendation (within a strict 6 minute time limit), including why we went with that specific proposal. The presentation was to another group of candidates (they also presented to us), a member of graduate recruitment, and also a trainee.
This was quite a straightforward exercise; the key element being tested was how well we could work as a team.
Mark up exercise
After the group exercise, we were given a hard copy extract from the case study interview that we had previously completed. This was full of mistakes, and we were given 30 minutes to correct and mark up (on the hard copy) any mistakes that we spotted. This was again a straightforward exercise.
What was the outcome?
The firm called me two weeks later telling me I had been unsuccessful.
Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?
The case study interview is very unique. Candidates have no scope to lead the interview or present ideas. The questions asked are pre-meditated and you will not know what questions will be asked. I even spoke to one of my peers on the day who said she tried to present one of her findings, to which the partner interjected very quickly and reassumed control of the interview.
In terms of advice: try and get a general understanding of the case study very quickly. You can take notes, annotate and do whatever suits you best. Once you have read over the whole case study, make sure to go over whatever contractual clauses you are given in the case study. This is what the bulk of questioning surrounds, and so an insufficient understanding of the letter of intent/contract will render you hopeless in trying to answer their questions because they can be quite specific.
Don’t be afraid to flick through the case study during the interview; this is not looked down upon (in my feedback, me taking this approach was reflected on positively). Keep calm under all circumstances; remember, the interview is meant to be difficult, and everyone finds it difficult. You are not the only one so just remain calm, and don’t come across as flustered to the interviewers.
They are testing commercial awareness, attention to detail, analysis and how well you understand data. They also want to know if you’re the kind of person that they can put in front of a client. Also, getting familiar with bundles of commercial/legal documents can be really helpful, especially relating to Reed Smith’s sectors. If you can’t do this, try and read extensively about the firm’s key sectors, especially transportation.
Lastly, the mark up exercise and the interview were very easy. Just ensure to practice mark-up exercises and also to remember you reasons for why commercial law and why Reed Smith.
The group exercise was quite easy. Just ensure you find a balance in terms of contributing whilst not being overbearing. It is important to contribute something substantive and key to the discussion. Also, encourage your peers. If they express an idea, tell them it was a good idea. If they contribute a bad idea, react positively and perhaps suggest ways to improve upon it. An easy way to contribute is by making sure the discussion stays on track: asking how long is left, trying to pin down the group’s conclusion etc.
Reed Smith Vacation Scheme - March 2023
What was the full recruitment process?
1. Application
2. Pre-recorded video interview
3. Assessment centre
Which aspect does this report cover?
Pre-recorded video interview and assessment centre
Pre-recorded video interview
I was given 30 seconds to prepare an answer to each question, then 2 minutes to record my answer (with no option to re-record). I was asked questions including:
The firm emailed me a week and a half after the video interview to tell me I had progressed to the next round.
Where did the assessment centre take place?
Virtually
What did the assessment centre involve?
1. Case study interview: commercial discussion (30 minutes prep, then a 1-hour interview with a partner and a senior associate).
2. Written exercise: this was a 25-minute proof reading exercise.
Case study interview
I was provided with a letter of intent (“LOI”), which detailed a client’s intention to purchase a commercial aircraft. It outlined proposed terms of the deal, including key clauses covering confidentiality, governing law and purchase price.
I was given 30 minutes before the interview began to read through the LOI and take notes (I could take these notes into the interview).
In the interview, I was then asked questions such as:
Written exercise
I was provided with the same letter of intent from the case study scenario, and was asked to mark up any spelling or grammar mistakes (I had to make the changes in a Word document). I was given 25 minutes to do this.
What was the outcome?
The firm emailed me two weeks after the assessment centre to tell me I had been unsuccessful.
Do you have any specific advice on how to prepare?