Eligibility Questions
Q: What year of study should I be in to apply for vacation placements? Is the programme open to non-law students?
A: Students completing a summer 2012 vacation scheme should be on track to complete their academic and legal qualifications by the end of the 2013-2014 academic year in order to start full time with partner law firms in the summer of 2014 or spring 2015. This means:
- Law students can apply in either their penultimate or final year of undergraduate study (before going on to complete their LPC);
- Non law students should generally be in their final year of undergraduate study (before going on to complete their GDL and LPC); and
- Students currently at Law School should be on track to complete their LPC in the 2013-2014 academic year.
Please note we will also accept applications from penultimate year non law students and students completing their LPC before 2013-2014 but for such students we cannot guarantee placement at all partner firms and decisions will be made on a discretionary basis.
Q: Does SEO offer support with training contract applications as well?
A: Yes. We can also help with training contracts. You should submit an online application at your earliest convenience. There will be a section on the form where you can indicate your interest in training contracts (graduate roles).
Q: Does it matter that I have already done vacation schemes with other law firms?
A: No.
Q: What is SEO London’s grade requirement?
A: SEO's minimum grade requirement is equivalent to 'BBB' at A-level (300 UCAS points) and a second upper class (2.1) expected at university.
Q: I did not achieve BBB equivalent at A-level and/or am not on track for a 1st/2.1 at university. Can I still apply to SEO London?
A: Applicants who do not achieve a minimum of BBB at A-level or who are not on track for a 1st/2.1 at university will generally not be considered unless there are mitigating circumstances (e.g. medical issues, for which the applicant would have to provide official documentation).
Q: I am an international student who is not studying in the UK at present - can I apply?
A: To be eligible to apply you must have studied within the UK or EU for at least one year and must also be available in person for one of our London assessment centres (held in January and February). All international applicants should be intending to start their careers in London after graduation and remain for at least three years.
Q: I have made a past application to SEO in previous years. Can I still apply for this year’s class?
A: Yes, you are eligible to apply again but you must meet our eligibility criteria and complete a new application. You will need to create a NEW account using a different email address to the one that you used previously.
Q: I have made an application to SEO London; am I also eligible to apply to SEO USA?
A: Yes, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. Please see www.seo-usa.org.
Q: I have made an application to SEO USA, am I also eligible to apply to SEO London?
A: Yes, as long as you meet our eligibility criteria. You must have studied or be planning to study in the UK for at least one year and you must also be available in person for one of our London assessment centres (held in January and February). You should also be aware of the key dates and make sure these dates complement your own schedule if you will be studying outside the UK.
Application Questions
Q: Who are the sponsor law firms for this programme?
A: Ashurst - Berwin Leighton Paisner - Freshfields - Goldman Sachs Legal & Compliance - Herbert Smith - Jones Day - Latham & Watkins - Linklaters - Macfarlanes - Mayer Brown - Morgan Stanley Legal & Compliance - Norton Rose - Simmons & Simmons - Weil, Gotshal & Manges – Winston & Strawn LLP. The number of sponsor firms is growing and is likely to include several other Magic Circle firms in 2012.
Q: When is the deadline (for both the application and the letter of recommendation)?
A: The deadline for the application is 31 December 2011. For the letter of recommendation, the deadline is 31 December 2011. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible as places on the SEO programme are filled on a rolling basis. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your recommendation provider submits the recommendation letter before the deadline – applications will not be considered without a recommendation letter from a current academic tutor.
Q: Can SEO provide more than one vacation placement for those students interested in experiencing more than one partner firm during the summer?
A: Yes, students can complete multiple placements through the scheme.
Q. When will I hear back about the status of my online application?
A: You can expect to hear back within 4- 6 weeks.
Q: Does the application procedure for SEO law candidates include assessment centres/aptitude tests?
A: Candidates will be assessed by means of
- Verbal reasoning test;
- Competency based interview; and
- Case study analysis and presentation
Q: What happens if I am successful to the final stage (recommendation stage)?
A: If you are told by SEO that you have made it to the final recommendation stage of the SEO assessment process, this means that your CV, cover letter and reference letter will be sent to our partner firms for review. Partner firms will then decide who they would like to call through to interview. We will be indicating to the partner firms that they can either reach out to you directly or they can contact SEO and we will get in touch with you regarding next steps. If you are contacted directly, you should let SEO know as SEO will provide you with materials and coaching for your interviews.
Q: If I am recommended will I have to go through the entire firm direct process?
A: Those that are called through to interview will be (in some cases) fast tracked to final round assessment stages. However, each firm will have their individual processes, but SEO will provide plenty of support and guidance with these interview stages.
Q: To whom should I address my cover letter?
A: You should address your covering letter to Hason Sandhu (Managing Director).
Q: Should I mention all three divisions to which I'm applying in my cover letter?
A: Your cover letter should describe your interest in your first choice division only. If you are later assessed for your second or third choice, we will contact you for an updated cover letter. You can specify up to three divisions of interest in your online application but you will primarily be assessed for your first choice division.
Q: A significant portion of my education has taken place outside of the UK. How do you advise that I fill out the education portion of the application?
A: You should fill out the application as best you can with the international equivalent for each academic qualification. If you are unable to do this please mention so and detail the information on your CV so that we know to refer to that.
Q: I have only applied to a few corporate law firms directly at this point, but I plan to apply to more in the next few weeks. Should I include the firms to which I plan to apply on the SEO application?
A: Yes.
Q: When I apply to SEO London, is my application sent to the sponsor firms?
A: No. When you apply to SEO London, your SEO application is only for our office and we do not pass this through to our sponsor firms. If you wish to make applications to our sponsor firms then you must do so directly. However, if you are successful in the SEO process, the final stage will involve sending your CV to our partner firms.
Q: My CV is longer than one page for XXX reason, what should I do?
A: You are welcome to submit two page CVs for corporate law. If for XXX reason you need to submit a longer than two page CV, please be aware that if you are successful in being offered a place on the SEO programme, you would then need to update your CV to be no longer than two pages. You should try and cut your CV down appropriately, please use the sample CVs as a guide to the type of layout and things you should be including (found in the application packet you will receive when you open an SEO application).
Q: Can the SEO programme be used for help and support with the training contract application process if I become a successful SEO candidate?
A: SEO will support students before, during and after their summer vacation schemes to maximise their chances of securing a training contract with a partner firm. More than 80% of SEO alumni have secured full-time positions with partner firms following their summer experience. SEO provides ongoing support to alumni in the industry throughout their careers.
Reference Questions
Q: Who should provide my letter of recommendation?
A: Recommendations must be provided by a current academic lecturer or tutor (i.e. not a sixth form teacher or former / current employer) who can comment on your academic record.
Q: Can my recommendation provider submit my recommendations via e-mail?
A: The recommendation cannot be submitted to SEO via email as it would not be official but they can use the online system to submit references in soft copy. If your provider is unable to complete the letter online via the application system he/she should alternatively post it to us directly and on official university letterhead.
Q: I would like to add an additional letter of reference or change my referee, but I have already submitted my application. What do I do?
A: In this case, please ask your referee to send a hardcopy (in university headed paper) by post. Please address it to SEO London, 52 - 54 High Holborn, London WC1V 6RL. This will be updated on the system within 1-2 weeks upon receipt.
Q: How will I know if SEO London has received my letter of reference?
A: You will be able to go back into your application and check that the letter has been submitted by using your PIN. You are also able to send a reminder to the provider through your application if you think too much time has passed and you want to ensure that it is sent. **Once your application says the reference has been submitted, please take this as confirmation that we have it stored in our system.** SEO London views the same screen that you view, so it does not help you to call us to confirm whether your reference has been received.
Technical Problems/Questions
Q: I lost my PIN. Can you look it up for me?
A: No. You should go onto the application website and request that your PIN be sent to you (press the search button). If this fails you need to contact technical support via the website. SEO outsources the application technology, so we do not retain this type of information at the SEO office
