CMS Cameron McKenna Interview Questions

Following the initial application and online assessment, the interview process at CMS Cameron McKenna is as follows:

Assessment day (including group exercise, presentation and partner interviews)

The assessment day consists of:

Morning

• Presentation
• Interview with HR
• Analysis exercise

Successful candidates will be asked to stay after lunch and the second half of the assessment day. The afternoon portion of the assessment consists of:

Afternoon

• Group exercise
• Partner interview

Presentation

After a brief introduction, you will be asked to give a presentation to your assessors and other candidates. This requires you to talk about a subject coherently, with confidence and intelligence. You will then be asked a series of questions about your topic and talk. This will last for a maximum of 15 minutes.

Interview with HR

This interview will last 45 - 60 minutes and will be taken by a member of CMS Cameron McKenna's HR team. Prepare for competency-based questions and questions about your CV and application form.

At this stage, CMS Cameron McKenna really wants to find out about you.

Analysis Exercise

You will be given an analysis exercise which will be a mini case study style question, requiring you to assess some written information and then write a response based upon your reaction to this.

You will have an hour to work through the information given to you and write your response. You will be given the choice of writing by hand, or using a laptop.

Previous candidates have been given several responses to an invitation to tender for a Private/Public project. The candidate's job is to then decide which was best, by analysing each one and discussing their pro's and con's.

On other occasions, candidates have been given information about a potential takeover and asked to give advice on whether the takeover was a good idea.

Group Exercise

The group exercise at CMS Cameron McKenna involves organising a marketing event. Candidates will be split into small groups and given a large amount of information to digest in a relatively short amount of time. Each group must then decide on who to invite to the marketing event, the programme and other factors. You will be observed by your assessors throughout the exercise.

During the group exercise make sure that you are positive, enthusiastic and pro-active. Try to take charge by writing down other people's ideas, as well as your own. Keep track of time for the benefit of the group and recap on decisions and ideas when possible.

Partner Interview

It is highly likely that you will be asked some of the following questions during your partner interview:

• Why Cameron McKenna?
• Where else have you applied to?
• What do you think you can bring to Cameron McKenna?
• Why law?
• What makes you a good lawyer?
• Tell me about a recent commercial issue that you find interesting.
• What are the implications of this for lawyers?

If successful at this stage of the interview process, candidates will be invited in for lunch with partners and trainees.