Law Firm Milkrounds 20/21

Corplawtrainee

Diamond_Hands wrote: »

For those training with big firms: does anybody have any advice of how one should go about with picking rotations?

I’m personally looking at what areas are high in demand and would give me the most opportunities to move around internationally PQ, as well as the practices the firm is particularly strong in.

I’m currently thinking Corporate; Structured Finance/Debt Capital Markets; Insolvency & Restructuring; Asset Management & Investment Funds; Asset Finance

Not really considering more niche areas like employment; EU Competition; IP

Hoping to do insolvency as my contentious seat as I think it’s a bit more international and easier to go abroad with.

Diamond_Hands

Corplawtrainee wrote: »

I’m personally looking at what areas are high in demand and would give me the most opportunities to move around internationally PQ, as well as the practices the firm is particularly strong in.

I’m currently thinking Corporate; Structured Finance/Debt Capital Markets; Insolvency & Restructuring; Asset Management & Investment Funds; Asset Finance

Not really considering more niche areas like employment; EU Competition; IP

Hoping to do insolvency as my contentious seat as I think it’s a bit more international and easier to go abroad with.

I've heard Private Equity is booming at the moment. I'm particularly interested in Asset Management and Investment Funds but I'm told the hours are particularly grim. I might do a softer rotation like employment as its supposed to be really nice. But I agree about going into a niche area and ultimately getting shoehorned into it. I'll probably end up qualifying into corporate and finance as its such a broad area.

Jeremiah25

Hi all, just a quick question - would minimum wage be fairly standard for a 3 month legal intern role? TIA

FE1Hopefully1

Jeremiah25 wrote: »

Hi all, just a quick question - would minimum wage be fairly standard for a 3 month legal intern role? TIA

Yeah minimum wage would be fairly standard. My ones I was put in a Salary basis so technically earned less than the minimum wage if paid hourly

Corplawtrainee

Diamond_Hands wrote: »

I've heard Private Equity is booming at the moment. I'm particularly interested in Asset Management and Investment Funds but I'm told the hours are particularly grim. I might do a softer rotation like employment as its supposed to be really nice. But I agree about going into a niche area and ultimately getting shoehorned into it. I'll probably end up qualifying into corporate and finance as its such a broad area.

Yeah true, will be trying to get as much PE experience within corporate. I think the new Investment Limited Partner legislation is set to be a game changer for PE in Ireland, so will probably get to work on some pretty novel deals - pretty solid experience.

Always thought Investment funds might be a bit nicer since it’s a bit more advisory than transactional, will have to wait and see.

Yeah corporate or finance are good bets. Probably a nicer lifestyle in employment though. You’re probably as well to factor in work/life balance when looking at your seats, left that out. Advisory (Tax; Financial Reg; Competition to an extent) probably has the nicest hours; for litigation at least you’re working to a defined court timetable so your deadlines are set well in advance and you can make plans around them.

In corporate and finance you’re really at the whim of the clients/the market. If a deal comes in at 4 that day you’re probably not going home until v.late that night/morning. Also deadlines are very much market driven e.g. if you need to get a bid through for a company before anyone else can, so it’s definitely a lot more unpredictable. You’re usually going to be working for really intense stretches followed by a lull; rinse and repeat, rather than advisory who might consistently work until 6/7.

rightytighty

lawgrad49 wrote: »

Has anyone secured or at least know of someone who secured a TC with one of the Top 10/Top 15 firms without first being an intern?

Curious to know as I have 4/5 friends who are a bit older than me who are training/qualified into the Big 5 and all were either an intern or working as a legal exec/sec in the firm before they got their interview for the TC.

I got a top 3 contract without interning through the milkrounds. Had worked in 2 large firms though and 2 general practice.

Has anyone secured TC in a top 10 firm with 2:1 grades? I have legal experience and 6 FE1s so am thinking that’s where I must be failing.. haven’t even got to interview stage! I would be happy outside top 10 of course they’re just the most accessible application wise. Have sent off some CVs to firms outside of Dublin but no luck there either

FE1Hopefully1

Deleted User wrote: »

Has anyone secured TC in a top 10 firm with 2:1 grades? I have legal experience and 6 FE1s so am thinking that’s where I must be failing.. haven’t even got to interview stage! I would be happy outside top 10 of course they’re just the most accessible application wise. Have sent off some CVs to firms outside of Dublin but no luck there either

Most of the people I know in those firms have a 2:1 tbh but most of them did intern during the summer with the
Firm they have the TC with.

I also know a girl that had a 1:1 and very high grades and yet struggled to get any internships with the big firms at all

starfishxxo

lawgrad49 wrote: »

Has anyone secured or at least know of someone who secured a TC with one of the Top 10/Top 15 firms without first being an intern?

Curious to know as I have 4/5 friends who are a bit older than me who are training/qualified into the Big 5 and all were either an intern or working as a legal exec/sec in the firm before they got their interview for the TC.

Yes, tc in one of the big 5 never having previously worked/interned in a top 10.

Would be very interesting to know what percentage generally come from summer intern programmes ...

FE1Hopefully1

FE1Hopefully1 wrote: »

Most of the people I know in those firms have a 2:1 tbh but most of them did intern during the summer with the
Firm they have the TC with.

I also know a girl that had a 1:1 and very high grades and yet struggled to get any internships with the big firms at all

Oh gosh don’t know what magic ingredient I’m missing so

Diamond_Hands

starfishxxo wrote: »

Yes, tc in one of the big 5 never having previously worked/interned in a top 10.

Would be very interesting to know what percentage generally come from summer intern programmes ...

Cox and MHC give nearly 100% of their summer interns a TC offer.

Diamond_Hands

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh gosh don’t know what magic ingredient I’m missing so

I've been successful with Big firm applications and there's no special ingredient to it. It's all about making the right application and getting on well with the partners at the interview.

Diamond_Hands

Diamond_Hands wrote: »

I've been successful with Big firm applications and there's no special ingredient to it. It's all about making the right application and getting on well with the partners at the interview.

Haven’t had any luck with getting interviews unfortunately - very tough out there!

FE1Hopefully1

Deleted User wrote: »

Haven’t had any luck with getting interviews unfortunately - very tough out there!

Out of curiosity have you applied to Philip lee ??

My advice would be to keep an eye out on the legal vacancy website now after the March exams and during the summer as I found that a lot of smaller firms will advertise intern opportunities there and they are a great way to get experience !

NewFe1

Deleted User wrote: »

Has anyone secured TC in a top 10 firm with 2:1 grades? I have legal experience and 6 FE1s so am thinking that’s where I must be failing.. haven’t even got to interview stage! I would be happy outside top 10 of course they’re just the most accessible application wise. Have sent off some CVs to firms outside of Dublin but no luck there either

I got a 2.1 and didn't do any internships and got interviews with 3 top 10 firms. I spent a really long time on my applications to make sure each firm knew exactly why I wanted to work for them and what I could bring to them.

T.Chunter164

I applied for the Matheson internship programme and submitted the application a few hours ago - no sign of the Watson Glaser Test being emailed to me yet, any ideas how long it took between application submission and the test email? If it will not arrive by midnight tonight, is my application regarded as incomplete?

Anyone have past experience with this?

Corplawtrainee

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Haven’t had any luck with getting interviews unfortunately - very tough out there!

Tbf it is very competitive.

For the application stage you really have to find a way to differentiate yourself from the masses. There are way too many law grads with a 2:1 and who were members of some uni society, to get through on that alone.

So whether it’s through impressive grades, international experience, Interesting (Or competitive) work experiences, extracurricular achievement, leadership positions or all the above you need to find some way to make yourself standout.

The reality is that out of the different internships I did which recruited heavily for their TC, nearly every one in that intake was very impressive and had something quite interesting about them, as well as strong academics.

You can definitely build up to that, but you have to be quite focused building up your different skills and experiences.

Your writing style and the quality of answers could also be a factor at the application stage. Maybe check how well you did tailoring your answers to the specific firm and how you expressed them.

FE1new

T.Chunter164 wrote: »

I applied for the Matheson internship programme and submitted the application a few hours ago - no sign of the Watson Glaser Test being emailed to me yet, any ideas how long it took between application submission and the test email? If it will not arrive by midnight tonight, is my application regarded as incomplete?

Anyone have past experience with this?

Don't worry I spoke to one of the recruitment team in Matheson and the test isn't being sent out until tomorrow. Once you submit the application it's in. The test will go out tomorrow to all who have submitted and we have a deadline to complete it by. Once you get the email confirming submission you are okay.

FE1Hopefully1

FE1Hopefully1 wrote: »

Out of curiosity have you applied to Philip lee ??

My advice would be to keep an eye out on the legal vacancy website now after the March exams and during the summer as I found that a lot of smaller firms will advertise intern opportunities there and they are a great way to get experience !

I haven’t applied for Philip Lee, I’ve been totally put off by the requirement to submit a recent piece of writing

FE1Hopefully1

Deleted User wrote: »

I haven’t applied for Philip Lee, I’ve been totally put off by the requirement to submit a recent piece of writing

I’ve heard that people just submit a college essay !! Pick one that you did really well in !!

Of applying for the summer internship you don’t have to submit the piece of writing just your cv and cover letter !

T.Chunter164

FE1new wrote: »

Don't worry I spoke to one of the recruitment team in Matheson and the test isn't being sent out until tomorrow. Once you submit the application it's in. The test will go out tomorrow to all who have submitted and we have a deadline to complete it by. Once you get the email confirming submission you are okay.

Oh my god you are a genuine life saver, was sitting here completely stressing out refreshing the email. Thank you so much.

FE1Hopefully1

FE1Hopefully1 wrote: »

I’ve heard that people just submit a college essay !! Pick one that you did really well in !!

Of applying for the summer internship you don’t have to submit the piece of writing just your cv and cover letter !

Thanks for that - everything’s worth a try I guess!

Fe1forthefun

rightytighty wrote: »

I got a top 3 contract without interning through the milkrounds. Had worked in 2 large firms though and 2 general practice.

Did you get it the first time you applied or have you done a few milkrounds? I am not sure how law firms view repeat applications.

Jeremiah25

Would anyone be able to tell me if there is any difference in the length of time it takes to complete Blackhall with the Hybrid course compared to the traditional one?

rightytighty

Fe1forthefun wrote: »

Did you get it the first time you applied or have you done a few milkrounds? I am not sure how law firms view repeat applications.

I did! It was my fourth go at the milkrounds, don’t give up!

rightytighty

rightytighty wrote: »

I did! It was my fourth go at the milkrounds, don’t give up!

Can I ask if there was much you changed during those 4 years that you think made you a more attractive candidate?

SKLaw

Does anyone know how long it takes to hear back after doing a video interview?

SalteeBiscuits

Don't know if its been said here, but FYI Matheson are pushing back their April 2021 starters to April 2022 starting in office (starting PPC I in September 2021). Not sure how this will affect this years applicants, but worth keeping in mind when applying

NewFe1

SalteeBiscuits wrote: »

Don't know if its been said here, but FYI Matheson are pushing back their April 2021 starters to April 2022 starting in office (starting PPC I in September 2021). Not sure how this will affect this years applicants, but worth keeping in mind when applying

Do people think a lot of firms will do this? I'm due to start May 4th but I'm thinking firms won't want to have to train their intake online if possible.

FE1Hopefully1

SalteeBiscuits wrote: »

Don't know if its been said here, but FYI Matheson are pushing back their April 2021 starters to April 2022 starting in office (starting PPC I in September 2021). Not sure how this will affect this years applicants, but worth keeping in mind when applying

Oh so no pre seat that’s quite annoying