Law Firm Milkrounds 20/21

Deloitte PFO out this evening - 2 PFO's today as McCann FitzGerald's arrived today also Oh well here's to the next set of milk rounds...

FE1new wrote: »

This is my first time doing any kind of milkrounds and the FE1s in general. Any advice on how many you should have under your belt? I got one PFO and have heard nothing from anyone else but as interviews are being conducted I'm going to take it they are PFOs as well. Any advice would be welcome.

I don't think they look too closely at FE1s, they give training contracts to people as young as second year undergrads, so your college results and even leaving cert is important, aside from that just any kind of experience, legal or otherwise is good, everything you've done is worth mentioning and gives you stuff to talk about at interview.

I'm the same as you, just out of college and first time applying for milkrounds. I've gotten a few interviews compared to for summer internships the same firms rejected me but my final year grade is a lot better than my other college results and I did two internships over the summer so I'm guessing those factors have helped me this time

law987 wrote: »

Yes, I suppose it shows you're dedicated, it can only be a good thing but not a deciding factor

Thanks tbh looking at my applications I think they are crap and I should have taken more time. I'll know for next time round!

FE1new wrote: »

This is my first time doing any kind of milkrounds and the FE1s in general. Any advice on how many you should have under your belt? I got one PFO and have heard nothing from anyone else but as interviews are being conducted I'm going to take it they are PFOs as well. Any advice would be welcome.

FE1s are infinitely less important than experience. I wrote a long post about my experience with the process in last year’s thread that I’ll try to dig up. Will edit this post with its addition.

*edit*

It seems to really be your preference whether you do a masters or not. I haven’t heard of any firms preferring you to have one.

I actually finally secured a contract this time around after four years of applying and so will share my thoughts on the process in case it is of use to anyone. I had interviews with 6 firms (including 3 big 5) which was up from 2 interviews in general last year and never being called beforehand.

I think most important is to respect how competitive the process is. Firms will give training contracts to people after summer internships following two years of their degree programme so it is in my opinion it is just about the overall strength of your application.

There are loads of initial criteria by which everyone is assessed ie leaving cert, college grades, and personal hobbies/achievements. If you are lacking in some or all of these areas it is best to build yourself up in others. I think what swung it for me was my work experience.

I had just under 500 LC points, a 2.1 from TCD, and some good work experience pre-graduation but my first and second year grades weren’t great. Anyone with a top end leaving and consistent college grades would have beaten me until I strengthened elsewhere.

I held two full time roles after graduating which gave me plenty to talk about on applications. It allowed me to identify practice areas which interested me and to learn about different firms’ activities in those areas. This is an easy way to show you have researched the firm and to explain why you’re a good fit for them.

If I had any advice it would be not to take any rejection personally and to try and use your self-belief to motivate yourself to persist. If you keep gaining experience and plug away with the FE1s eventually your applications will show dedication and resilience and the interviews will come.

I don’t know if this is even helpful but I remember feeling terribly disheartened and wanting to throw the towel in when I had no success last year. I didn’t even want to apply this year. You owe it to yourself and all you’ve done to date to keep at it so don’t give up!!

rightytighty wrote: »

FE1s are infinitely less important than experience. I wrote a long post about my experience with the process in last year’s thread that I’ll try to dig up. Will edit this post with its addition.

*edit*

It seems to really be your preference whether you do a masters or not. I haven’t heard of any firms preferring you to have one.

I actually finally secured a contract this time around after four years of applying and so will share my thoughts on the process in case it is of use to anyone. I had interviews with 6 firms (including 3 big 5) which was up from 2 interviews in general last year and never being called beforehand.

I think most important is to respect how competitive the process is. Firms will give training contracts to people after summer internships following two years of their degree programme so it is in my opinion it is just about the overall strength of your application.

There are loads of initial criteria by which everyone is assessed ie leaving cert, college grades, and personal hobbies/achievements. If you are lacking in some or all of these areas it is best to build yourself up in others. I think what swung it for me was my work experience.

I had just under 500 LC points, a 2.1 from TCD, and some good work experience pre-graduation but my first and second year grades weren’t great. Anyone with a top end leaving and consistent college grades would have beaten me until I strengthened elsewhere.

I held two full time roles after graduating which gave me plenty to talk about on applications. It allowed me to identify practice areas which interested me and to learn about different firms’ activities in those areas. This is an easy way to show you have researched the firm and to explain why you’re a good fit for them.

If I had any advice it would be not to take any rejection personally and to try and use your self-belief to motivate yourself to persist. If you keep gaining experience and plug away with the FE1s eventually your applications will show dedication and resilience and the interviews will come.

I don’t know if this is even helpful but I remember feeling terribly disheartened and wanting to throw the towel in when I had no success last year. I didn’t even want to apply this year. You owe it to yourself and all you’ve done to date to keep at it so don’t give up!!

Thank you so much. Yes it is really disheartening. I have experience working in a firm as a legal secretary and have good grades and 2.1 in college but not so great LC results (low 400s). I think my issue is the applications. Based on the advice I think I need to go and do a lot of work on that as looking at them now they don't sell that experience.

Thank you @rightytighty, @law987, @lgoPAP. I really appreciate all the advice. I was so lost.

Have Arthur Cox PFOs been sent out yet??

The absolute dread and anxiety waiting to hear back from a firm you thought you interviewed well with

FE1new wrote: »

Thank you so much. Yes it is really disheartening. I have experience working in a firm as a legal secretary and have good grades and 2.1 in college but not so great LC results (low 400s). I think my issue is the applications. Based on the advice I think I need to go and do a lot of work on that as looking at them now they don't sell that experience.

Thank you @rightytighty, @law987, @lgoPAP. I really appreciate all the advice. I was so lost.

I feel disheartened too. I had a good enough leaving cert at just 500 but literally got just under a 2.1 in my degree in the end which really did not reflect my capabilities at all. I've got a good bit of experience but the applications still make me feel ill.

We'll get there!

Has anyone who interviewed with DE heard back yet?

the baby bull elephant wrote: »

Has anyone who interviewed with DE heard back yet?

I have 2nd round tomorrow, have you done 2nd round already?

Has anyone any idea what the Arthur cox group interviews are like? Abs what the discussion topic is like?

law987 wrote: »

I have 2nd round tomorrow, have you done 2nd round already?

Oh no I am now assuming I didn't get second one! When did you do your first one?

Fe1forthefun wrote: »

Anybody hear from Fieldfisher, Dechert or Hayes?

Didn’t apply to Dechert, but haven’t heard from Hayes or field fisher!

caius97 wrote: »

Actually just looked at my confirmation email from Hayes and it says “we will contact you after the 25 October 2019 deadline” did others get the same with the wrong year?

Yes, same for me. I think they just haven’t updated the automatic reply!