Application Process & Interviews at King & Wood Mallesons

Main interview process was for clerkships. There is a round of psychometric testing before interview rounds begin. The interview is with a partner and senior associate, followed by a casual coffee with a current graduate. The interview is very casual, and the interviewers are more interested in getting to know about you as a person rather than throwing legal questions at you. It's a very conversational process, as the recruitment team looks for people who will fit in well at the firm. The application process for graduates is re-submitting your CV to demonstrate your interest in being considered. KWM does not go to market.

The recruitment process was very comprehensive and competitive. To get a grad role at a large law firm, you typically need to successfully apply for a summer clerkship first. The summer clerkship recruitment process at KWM involved answering several questions in an online platform, a first round interview with a Partner and Senior Associate, a second round "interview" which involved a lunch with several other candidates, Partners and Senior Associates, a coffee with a Partner and an office tour. You are also assigned a buddy throughout the process to provide guidance and there is a pre-offer event as well.

The clerkship interview process was well organised, and the interview process felt very human. It allowed candidates to genuinely ask questions, and engage in meaningful conversation. The firm also offered feedback after interviews which was invaluable to our learning.

Very open and nothing to be scared of.

Our recruitment processes are fairly informal - ie. there’s no psychometric testing or prickly questions about the law. The hiring committee here wants to get to know you and see if you fit in with the ethos of the firm, and can provide a unique perspective on top of that.

When I applied to clerk at KWM, I found KWM to have the most welcoming, informal and relaxed recruitment process, particularly in terms of its networking function and interviews. It was clear my interviewers had spent time looking at my application and resume, and I had the opportunity to get coffee with a junior afterwards. The whole process made me feel very comfortable.

Very relaxed and welcoming. the firm wanted to get to know me.

My application process was via the seasonal clerkship. There are some question/answers to be submitted and I also completed a small work task as part of the application. There were two interview rounds, both were casual and fairly brief. Interviewees are invited to a cocktail evening prior to the first interview. You also get coffee with a graduate, from memory after the second round interview.

For Clerkships, the process is an online application with essay questions and questions about general experience, a cocktail night and 2 rounds of interviews. The graduate hiring process does not require clerks to do any further application.

It was a clerkship process, so several interviews, a three week clerkship, paralegal opportunities etc. Stressful but well done, and very conversational interviews.

The first step was an application, which included an email assessment task. there was no psychometric testing. The first round interview was with a partner and another employee, and the second round interview was with a partner and included a conversation with graduates where you could ask any questions.

Written application, assessment component was task based. One formal interview.

Online application with resume, transcript and short answer questions. No cover letter was necessary. Followed by an in person interview.

Better than the other big 6, but still rough. It was nice that we had to do a real legal task (drafting a letter to a client and partner) instead playing 'games' that are incredibly stressful and nothing like day-to-day.

As with every top tier law firm, I had to complete online assessments. KWM also has two rounds of interviews. I enjoyed the interviews as it gave me an opportunity to meet people I now work with.

I went through the firm's clerkship process. This involved, in the first instance, completing an online practical work task and answering five interview-style questions as part of my application. I was then invited to the first round of interviews before being invited back for a second interview. I then completed my one-month clerkship and was offered a graduate role in accordance with QLS timeframes.

Did not interview

What is an area of law that interests you? What do you do outside of work? What is something that you're passionate about? How do you deal with stress? A few behavioural questions e.g. about demonstrating teamwork / leadership or how you cope with setbacks. Questions are focussed around your CV and cover letter. You can tell that the interviewers have read and thought about what you have written.

They asked questions based on my resume. They picked out things I mentioned in my resume that interested them and asked me about them.

I was asked about my hobbies, about university experience and about my interests.

The interviews are very conversational and based on your resume and individual experiences. Don't expect any standard interview questions and be prepared to talk through your experiences.

At KWM, they primarily step through your CV and look at past experiences to understand who you are. So there are not standard questions that everyone gets asked.

My interviews were fairly relaxed and informal in nature. It made me feel like the firm wanted to get to know me as a person, rather than ask structured and rigid interview questions. The interviewers asked me lots of questions about myself, my work and other experiences (for example extra-curriculars and exchange). I was also asked about my areas of interest.

Questions about me and my passions away from the law.

General questions about experience and life. No standard interview questions. Very conversational.

I can't remember it was a few years ago.

Generally talk about my previous work experiences, describe what it was like to work there, explain why I was interested in a particular area.

Standard interview questions, completed as part of clerkship recruitment

Be organised! Prepare for the time summer clerkship applications is likely to take. Research the firm to determine why you want to work at KWM (as opposed to another big firm) and mention this in your application. Have questions prepared to ask your interviewers - use these as an opportunity to impress them.

My advice would be to understand your own interests, and not be afraid to show intellectual curiosity.

Know what you've done, how it relates to the type of work the firm does, and what you want to do here.

Show your full self on your CV and in your interviews, don’t be thrown off if it just feels like a casual chat. If it does, that’s a good thing!

Candidates should try and be relaxed in being themselves, and should know that the firm wants to get to know them. They should be prepared for a comfortable and casual conversation, rather than any kind of 'test' interview.

Be yourself.

Know your CV but be prepared to talk about your interests outside of work and your life experience. I recall that the questions/answers I submitted as part of the interview were talking points.

It's very conversational so don't pre-prepare answers. They want to know about your resume, past experience, and why you want to work here.

Think about how previous work and non-work experiences highlight their skills, how they might bring a diverse background or perspective to a team, and show genuine passion and interest

Yes - be yourself and be honest.

Be yourself! If you have an interview, they already know on paper that you have the skills to do the job. Rather, they're interested in getting to know you, so be honest and passionate about your interests & be engaged with what they're doing as well.

Practice!

Be yourself. When preparing for your interview think about what differentiates you from your peers and why that is beneficial to the firm.

Reflect on past life experiences which have been challenging and how you overcame them. Think about your strengths and be honest about your weaknesses. Most importantly, be yourself. Also, come prepared with questions for your interviewers.