Application Process & Interviews at Ashurst

The interview process to get a clerkship offer changes every year, but involves a written application, psychometric test and interview. then you complete a 3 week clerkship, and have to do a couple of assessments during the clerkship including a written assessment and a group presentation (not assessed).

Interview process is 2 stage being 1st round covering the cv and behavioral, 2nd being more who are you and what do you want to know.

Simple cover letter + cv + transcript + 2 interviews.

There were two interviews and a great deal of events to assist with getting to know the firm

Standard clerkship assessment - one application, psychometric test, cocktail night and an interview.

I found the interview process very enjoyable - all those who interviewed me were friendly, reassuring and engaging. it was cool to be interviewed by a partner and an sa in two separate teams for my final interview. i found that pretty unique to the ashurst hiring process.

Excellent human resources department and hiring process for graduates.

Clerkship process which involves and application with written questions and psychometric testing. then an interview and drinks evening at the firm's offices. once selected for a clerkship, i undertook 4 weeks of work and was then offered a job. the whole process was over 1 year long.

I felt comfortable from my first encounter with the firm. i had one meeting with hr and the staff partner, followed by an interview with two partners.

Basic clerkship standard interview and questions, inductive and emotional reasoning tests, and a clerkship.

Two rounds of interviews, no online assessments. attended a introductory evening/panel event and a cocktail evening. was assigned a buddy during the process.

Two stage interview process with various partners of the firm and/or hr

I joined as a summer clerk. this required 2 face to face interviews and 2 social cocktail evenings.

Clerkship process - application, two interviews, networking function, coffee with buddies graduate - application, one interview and tests

Joanne dean (our hr) is really helpful in the interview process and would let me know clearly what are the timelines for the next stages - really relive my stress in the application process

The clerkship process involves a formal application (cover letter, resume, application questions), two interviews, and two cocktail/information evenings.

We interviewed for a vacation clerkship, the company generally only hires from it's clerk pool. it was a standard legal clerkship and graduate application process - online application, interview and drinks night.

The interview process was straightforward. the interview itself was relaxed and involved a hr representative and a senior lawyer who each asked a few questions. the interview itself was more of a conversation than an interrogation. we spoke about life and things outside of the law -- we even spoke about star wars for a while.

No assessment when i applied. relaxed interview with partner and hr. written application.

Standard, 2 stage interviews

Standard behavioural questions, which require examples.

Tell us about yourself, why ashurst, why commercial law

Personality questions about myself.

Why do you want to work at ashurst? why commercial law? what are your interests / hobbies outside of work? describe a time where you were challenged when working in a team?

Why ashurst versus other firms? what can i bring to ashurst? what area(s) of law am i most interested in? what are my strengths / weaknesses? what do i do outside of work / study?

I can't remember.

I do not recall.

Basic interview questions around myself and what i though of the company, but we ended up talking about footy for an hour.

Mix of behavioural questions and cv/application questions

Tell me about yourself, what areas of law are you interested in, what are your interests outside of work, what do you think biglaw can learn from newlaw, why do you want a career in commercial law

I was asked why i wanted to work at ashurst, what was challenging about my work as an associate, what i do for fun, what i do when faced with a challenge, questions about my experience.

Personal questions like my background, what i did at universities and outside of universities, and why law specifically.

First interview - focus on behavioural questions, and "why ashurst" second interview - more a relaxed conversation about my application, the firm and any questions i had

Abut my work and volunteer experience, what i do in my free time, some behavioural questions, questions about why the firm.

I honestly can't remember the specific questions

Do not remember.

General information about myself, personal life, university studies, work history and overall motivation to join the legal industry

Questions specific to my cv and experience

(i'm afraid i cannot remember).

Why do you want to work for ashurst? why do you want to work in commercial law? what practice areas interest you? how did you come to law? why did you leave banking? (previous career)

Have a look at ashurst's goals and focus areas as a firm and see how it aligns with your personal goals. it's always easier to apply for places that you really want to work for and align with who you want to be.

In-depth research into ashurst and engaging with recent media releases and publications. show that you care and are interested in what the firm does, beyond surface-level statistics and statements. narrow in on an industry or area you are interested in and show in the interview you have read up on ashurst's work in that space.

Ashurst hires not just hd students. as someone who moved from qld to sydney for this job, i was able to tell my story and show the firm that there is more behind someone than just university grades.

Know an area you are interested in and research your interviewers to ask them about their background and own experiences.

Answer interview questions genuinely, come prepared with thoughtful questions to ask your interviewers

Be prepared for a long process and be ready to share things that you've done throughout uni or work that can make you stand out.

It is not only important to have the technical qualification for the job, but also to be able to work well in a team environment and someone that others enjoy working with.

Read all the material you can get your hands on, but be humble and realistic with your level of expertise. don't discount practice areas or clients either. you never know.

Prepare answers to behavioural questions. know why you want to work at ashurst specifically - what has drawn you to the firm

Familiarise yourself with the firm's work and practice areas but don't rehearse your answers to the point where they are no longer authentic. the firm encourages people to be their authentic selves at work, so don't hide that.

If i was to give two tips i would say that candidates should ensure that they do a lot of research into the type of work that ashurst does and its brand. i would also suggest attending networking functions and learning about the firm.

Specific tips would be do you research about the company, and know yourself as well.

Do your research as to how ashurst differentiates itself from other law firms. research recent deals the firm has worked on, clients it has, awards it has won and other programs/perks it offers. make sure you have researched behavioural questions and answers for your first interviews, with real life examples/experiences to back these up.

Be yourself in interviews - don't try to be something you're not - you will be caught out. do some research on the firm and some current issues affecting the firm - enough to speak on, but keep it natural. write down some examples from your life and experience for standard behaviour questions - 'name a time when you...'. that way you won't be on the spot when asked.

Be yourself. but be the best version of yourself. it is evident when someone is trying to be someone they are not. remember that it is perfectly okay to say that you don't know something if you follow up with either an independent thought or a pragmatic idea that may work. ensure you are honest with yourself and use the interview as an opportunity to see whether you like the person you are speaking with and whether that is likely to translate into enjoying a place in which you work.

Know about the firm and why you want to work there.

Prepare examples of things you are passionate about in all areas of your life. don't feel the need to sensor out anything that doesn't feel relevant to work or university. at the end of the day, the interviewers are trying to get a sense of who you are as a person and if they would want you sat in their team.

No

For the interview, prepare by knowing your cv (and yourself) well. for the clerkship, simply be enthusiastic about the great opportunity you have to learn and grow.

Research the company properly before your interview! know what differentiates ashurst to other firms in the market. look at recent news articles about ashurst.