Podcast Interview: The Freshfields Interview Process

[Charon QC]

I write a blawg "Charon QC"

On Friday I did a 25 minute podcast interview with Mark Rawlinson, the new graduate recruitment and training partner at Freshfields

If you are looking for an insight into the process for interview / applications at Freshfields - then you will, I hope, find this interview helpful. Mark Rawlinson gave a very thorough overview and was encouraging.

His remarks have general application (I would have thought) to most large firms

You will find the interview on my blog

http://charonqc.wordpress.com/2008/03/0 ... -deringer/

I have done about 50 podcasts over the last year with heads of College of Law / BPP, Law Firms/ barristers, sole practitioners, Chairman of The Bar, President of The Law Societyetc etc.... trying to build up a picture of the diversity in the law and legal practice - which you may find useful.

The blog itself has mixed content from nonsense to surreal and some sense

regards

Charon

[sumoking]

Curse you charon you steel my thunder.

I posted a link to that yesterday.

I also say no.

[Charon QC]

Sumoking.... my apologies.

Mark Rawlinson gave a very interesting insight and I thought potential solicitors / applicants to freshfields might enjoy it.


Thank you also for picking up on this !

I have just seen your post!

[sumoking]

it's a very good blawg

i didn't get a chance to listen to all the podcast on friday but what i did hear seemed unusally helpful for these sorts of things.

I saw a marketing guy from Sheds do an abismally poor one once.

I'm looking forward to seeing if you can pin down BPP. If you i would be interested to find if the 'city firms' that they specifically provide to get a discount on the fees when they pay them for their new trainee intake. I would be a bit worried that an individual student may be struggling while slaughters gets a discount.

[Charon QC]

Ironically, I founded BPP Law School with BPP Holdings plc back in the early 1990s - it was then the least expensive provider.

My interview on the fees issue with Nigel Savage threw up some interesting points.

I intend to ask Peter Crisp if they do offer discounts to firms - he was not able to do an interview on Friday because he was on holiday. he is usally prepared to do interviews when I knock on the door

It would be rather difficult for BPP in PR terms , I suspect, if they do offer discounts to the firms - as Nigel Savage stated "Reverse Robin Hood - robbing from the poor to give to the rich"

We shall see what Peter Crisp has to say about the fees hike.

Thank you for your comment about the blawg - there are some fascinating blogs out there and, of course, we are not constrained by corporate / proprietor interests as some journalists are !

The blog also keeps me vaguely sane....

[Charon QC]

To balance the podcast with Nigel Savage on the fees issue - I invited Peter Crisp to do a podcast yesterday. On this occasion he declined the invitation.

[Lonewolf]

Brilliant podcast much appreciated Charon

[Charon QC]

Thank you for saying so. I had the easy bit, of course - but I do think that Mark Rawlinson gave a very clear insight into the process and provided some useful advice.

Hopefully the podcast will be useful to prospective applicants...

[fakhree]

WAT A LOAD OF CRAP!


I have a high 2:1, One first , meaning two degrees, LOADS of relevant and commercial experience, a distinction on my LPC and to be honest with you I know for a FACT that a lot of times this DIVERSITY issue is to fulfll statistics...if GOD FORBID you need a work permit which will cost an employer like Freshfields £195 to be precise, you get chucked in the BIN.

Although I have been lucky enough to get 'some' offers other international students I know are definately at a disadvantage. Some of the trainees that get their foot in the door are not even worth a second look in comparison. Furthermore the amount of money made by LPC providers is stagerring.

For once why cant these ppl just be damn honest??

[sumoking]

bump