DICTAcareers
A Visit
to a Law
Firm
Tamara Mackay
tells Dicta about
her assessment day at
a law firm.
W
alking into the law firm’s lobby I what you bring to a group: your insightam acutely aware of my own rac- ful ideas, your ability to keep your team
ing thoughts. Have I prepared adequate- on track and organised, your support and
ly? Am I dressed appropriately? What if I encouragement of your teammates and,
can’t remember the name of that partner of course, your commercial awareness.
I met at the Open Evening? What if I This last one is important regardless of
can’t remember every detail of every what sort of law you want to practice.
deal the Financial Times has ever written You should consider what your clients’
about? Okay. Relax; breathe. Remem- and firm’s current issues and future goals
ber, you wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t might be, and be able to contextualise
already made a good impression on the these in a broader economic and sofirm: you just need to continue demon- cio-political framework, focused around
strating why you are an amazing candi- what area(s) of law you’re interested in.
date. This is also an opportunity to get to Be careful and pay attention to specific
know the firm’s culture and decide if it details in any instructions you are given.
feels like a good fit.
So: you’ve made it through the day!
Depending on what stage you’re at, What happens next? After giving yourthis may sound familiar, or you may be self a well-deserved break, take the time
looking forward to an upcoming Open to reflect on how the day went and conor Assessment Day and are wondering sider what went well and what could have
what to expect. Based
gone better. Identify
on my own experienc- “You should consider specific ways to tackes, while it varies from
you would
what your clients’ le areas improve on.
firm to firm, there are
like to
and firm’s current If you are unsuccessseveral activities that
you can reasonably
ful at this stage, you
issues and future
expect. Presentations
will likely be able to
goals might be.”
about the firm, its
get feedback on your
history and goals, its
performance. Listen
clients and the work it engages in are carefully, ask about ways to improve,
common, and a great opportunity to ask and thank them for their time. Compare
questions and learn things about the firm this feedback to your own reflections
that you can’t find on its website. Grad- and plan for improvement. If you are
uate recruitment officers, partners, asso- successful, congratulations! If not, reciates or trainees may all give presenta- member that you’ve still had a valuable
tions: tailor your questions accordingly.
learning opportunity and next time you’ll
You’ll also encounter a wide range make it further.
of workshop activities, which may include negotiation exercises, making a Tamara is a first-year MA Law student who
mock client pitch, or working through is pursuing research at the Human Rights
the stages of a business deal. These can Implementation Centre.
be great opportunities to demonstrate
Additional Tips
For Applications to Law Firms
It is also entirely possible that you’ll encounter
psychometric tests, which generally you will be informed about it in advance. You may hear that you
can’t prepare for these tests, but there are two ways
in which you can. First, you can practise and improve
on skills that they test. Memorising and regurgitating
knowledge won’t help you here, but there is a wealth
of practice material that will help you improve your
reading comprehension, critical and logical analysis
and problem solving. Student career services offices
often have valuable resources, as does the internet.