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A question on a specific commercial story: At the time the Greek debt crisis was a hot topic so I was expected to understand the main issues and have an opinion on its bailout. I was asked whether Greece should leave the Eurozone, what solution I’d have to fixing the crisis, whether hedge funds would be interested in buying distressed debt from Greece and what kind of return they would expect (note my approach was much more important than my actual answer). This hot topic would be Brexit now. I’ve also had questions on the financial crisis and my thoughts on increasing regulation.
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A question about a news story you read recently: I had two stories which were my go-to for these questions, they were quite specific (one of them being the European Banking Union) so in interviews I could answer a range of follow-up questions.
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A case-study question: This was typically a question on a mock acquisition, I'd have to walk a partner through the due diligence or discuss the financing options. I didn’t end up going to my A&O interview (I had my offer by then) but I’ve mentored students who have: if it hasn’t changed, you’ll get 30 mins to read through a pack of documents and have to present/deal with client requirements/highlight problems. There’s a lot of information (including a balance sheet) and you’ve got to be strategic because there’s not enough time to cover all the questions.
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A specific commercial question: Questions I’ve been asked range from the advantages and disadvantages of interest rates going up. A student I've helped recently was asked how Brexit could lead to rising interest rates for PE firms.
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How a company is formed: structure and decision making
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Acquisitions: asset v sale purchase
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Raising capital: equity v debt finance
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Public companies: why list?
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Private equity: from forming the fund to IPO
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Security: types and priorities
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Inflation, interest rates and derivatives: a basic intro
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The impact of Brexit on law firms
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Trends: M&A to Energy
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Looking forward to 2018
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Looking back to the financial crisis
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Inside a law firm: from structure to profit
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Competition: what makes a law firm different?
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The difference between US and magic circle firms
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The future of law firms: technology and its consequences
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The biggest challenges facing law firms