Application Process & Interviews at King & Wood Mallesons

The interviews were very relaxed - part of the reason why I chose KWM is that the people I met throughout the recruitment process were so lovely and welcoming.

Organised, relaxed, friendly.

Interview, aptitude and psychological profile tests, internship process.

Easy, relaxed, great if there were tricky questions it was conversational.

There was a test, followed by an interview with a partner and SA.

Online application, interview and clerkship/internship.

The HR team is excellent. The interview processes were incredibly efficient and well organised. In particular, the relaxed, casual approach adopted by my workplace had a large impact on my decision to choose to work here.

There was an informal interview and an aptitude test.

The interview process and assessments process was long. A written application, an online test and then interview were used for choosing clerks.

Rigorous but also really enjoyable. Two interviews, a personality/analytical test, cocktail evenings.

Two interviews and blind CV process.

There were two rounds of interviews for clerkships, which were fairly standard.

We had two interviews. Both were very casual.

Very casual and laidback - they wanted to gauge my personality.

The interview process was very fair, and more relaxed than some of my other interviews. At the time I applied, there were no assessments - just an application, a clerk networking event and then an interview. I understand that there are now other tests involved.

Usual clerkship recruitment process with only one interview and no additional assessment.

Application submission, written test, interview.

What you would expect, but more relaxed.

After submitting an application for the position of a seasonal clerk, I was invited to attend a cocktail evening to get to meet some employees at the firm. The interview process was quite simple, as we could book a time for our interview online. I was required to complete an abilities assessment prior to the interview, which was CV based. The interviewers were very friendly and conducted the interview in a way that made me feel at ease and genuinely wanted to get to know me. There was then a round of selection for seasonal clerks. After completing the clerkship, there was another round of selection for graduates.

Like most major law firms, KWM recruit through a formal clerkship process. This process pits law students from different unis against each other, which can be quite competitive and intimidating.

The KWM style of interview was very conversational rather than structured with questions. I was asked about my previous work experience and university internships that I had completed. I was also asked about my interest in commercial law and what I had/ hadn't enjoyed at university.

I was asked about some of my experiences from my cover letter, e.g. a university research trip I had taken. There were no behavioural questions or strange "what kind of fruit would you be?" questions - it was more of a conversation to see what kind of person I was and whether they would want to work with me.

A range of CV-based questions, followed by long opportunities to ask questions myself and steer the conversation.

Mostly about my experiences.

Basic personality questions and questions about my resume.

Resume based questions/general conversational questions about previous life experiences.

Why law, why this firm, about my background, which areas are you interested in.

Hard to remember - but it was very relaxed by comparison to other interviews, which was comforting.

Informal and conversational ones, no behavioural questions, and questions related to and bounced off my resume. There was also a large portion where I would ask questions about the firm.

Mostly focused on my resume. Very casual.

It was more of a discussion about my interests and activities - a conversation about me. No set questions.

A broad range of questions, covering everything from my university involvement, grades and then to sports and other interests. There were no 'curve balls'.

Standard interview questions, but it was also largely conversational. The focus was on getting to know each other.

I was asked about me and what I enjoy.

Questions about myself - not a formal interview structure.

I was largely asked questions about my CV and the information that I had included. In this way it felt quite relaxed and almost enjoyable (strangely enough). I don't recall being asked any overtly "behavioural" questions.

What I have done. I was asked to expand some of the experiences I put in my CV, some work related and some not.

Conversational, interest based ones, as far as I remember.

I was asked questions surrounding my experiences and what I learnt in previous internships. Due to my commerce background, I was asked why I have decided to pursue law as opposed to continuing with accounting/auditing. We also discussed hobbies during my interview.

I was asked to describe myself and my interests, why I am considering leaving my present position, what drew me to this role, what drew me to commercial law.

The best way to prepare is to be yourself. The recruitment team are great and generally don't ask you any random questions. You need to be prepared to talk about yourself, so definitely know your resume inside out. It is also important that you can articulate why you have a genuine interest in commercial law, as that is what KWM practices.

Be yourself, be relaxed, research the firm and prepare a couple of questions specific to the firm.

Think about how everything you have done prepares you for what you are about to do.

Be relaxed and engage with answering questions rather than giving stock answers. Don't over prepare, just know your own resume.

Know your CV back to front and be prepared to talk about why you want to work in this industry and what skills you have gained from your previous work experience.

Think about your experience, and what you take from each of your past positions and achievements. Be able to talk to that.

Relax in the interview. Know your resume well as you will be asked about what you've put on it. Have some commercial awareness (read AFR, etc.)

Know what's made news headlines meet some people in the firm before you apply. Be yourself.

Know your resume, and have interesting examples.

Get involved in a number of activities, be passionate about more than uni/work.

Submit a thoroughly proof-read CV and try to explain any interesting or innovative projects you have completed at university.

Spend a good amount of time preparing your application, and let them know about what you're like as a person. Personalise it for yourself but also tailor it to the firm.

Be yourself, let your personality shine through, know the firm, be articulate.

I would recommend that they know their CV back to front - anything that is on there, they should be prepared to speak to.

Be a genuine nice and friendly person, don't be cocky!

Have a few interesting bits about yourself up your sleeve ready to talk to - but don't sound rehearsed. Also, don't be afraid to think before you answer.

Research the firm beforehand and approach the process with an open mind. Be genuine when you meet the firm representatives and be yourself.

Read up on the type of work KWM does, as well as their pro bono and social initiatives. There's nothing that will ruin your chances more quickly than saying you're interested in an area of law that the firm doesn't practice.

Focus on what your assets are and what you can contribute to the firm. Emphasise these in your interview. Be prepared to talk about non-law things like your interests. Culture and fit is equally important in a large firm where team dynamics are essential.

Be yourself and show passion and eagerness to learn.