Simmons and Simmons Assessments

Careers at Simmons and Simmons

Simmons & Simmons is a global law firm with over 2,500 employees across 23 offices worldwide. The company is headquartered in London, UK and has a rich history dating back to 1896. They provide a range of legal services to clients across a variety of industries including financial institutions, technology, and energy.

Simmons & Simmons offers a range of different job roles across their legal and support teams. They provide opportunities for lawyers at all levels, from trainee solicitors to experienced partners. They also offer a range of non-legal roles, including positions in marketing, HR, finance, and IT.

They are known for their expertise in a number of specialist areas, including financial regulation, intellectual property, technology, media and telecommunications.

Overall, working at Simmons & Simmons provides a challenging and rewarding career in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Simmons and Simmons Online Application

To begin with, you’ll need to complete an online application which requires you to fill out your work experience, and education and answer a few job-specific questions such as your key achievements.

Be sure that all parts of the form are completed, and make sure you check for spelling and grammar errors. It’s also important to highlight transferable skills from your previous work experience that demonstrate your suitability for the role.

You should consider that Simmons and Simmons are looking for you to demonstrate the following competencies during the assessment process:

• Analytical - you’ll need to be able to solve challenging legal problems when working at the law firm. You’ll be expected to have great attention to details and be able to use logical reasoning skills to solve them.
• Adaptive - strong communication is essential when developing relationships with colleagues and clients in the firm. Adaptability and interpersonal skills will therefore be assessed.
• Resilience – Project management is critical for Simmons’ lawyers. You’ll need to demonstrate that you can deliver and have the ability to overcome any challenges you face.
• Business acumen - Business acumen is important for many roles and you’ll need to demonstrate that you’re able to think independently and can come up with creative ideas and solutions.

Make sure these skills are reflected in your application too!

Simmons and Simmons Blended Assessment

The Simmons and Simmons Blended assessment consists of three parts:

• Situational judgment
• Applied intellect (verbal and logical reasoning)
• Video interview questions

The aim of the blended assessment is to see if your working style fits theirs.

You’ll be asked about your career motivations in law and your understanding of the role. You’ll also be assessed on your ability to draw logical conclusions from verbal and numerical challenges.

Simmons and Simmons Situational judgment test

A Situational Judgment Test (SJT) is used to assess candidates’ decision-making skills in work-related scenarios. SJTs present candidates with a hypothetical situation and ask them to choose the most appropriate course of action from a list of options. The scenarios are designed to simulate real-world situations that candidates are likely to encounter in their roles.

The format of SJTs can vary, but they typically involve multiple-choice questions that ask candidates to rate or rank various options based on their effectiveness or appropriateness. The questions may be timed, and candidates may be required to complete the test within a set time frame.

Example questions in an SJT for a law firm might include:

• You have just received a new case file from a colleague who has recently left the firm. The file is incomplete, and you are unsure what information is missing. What do you do?
• You are working on a complex legal matter with a tight deadline. Your supervisor asks you to take on an additional task that is not related to the matter you are working on. What do you do?
• You receive an email from a client asking for an update on their case. You are busy with other work and don’t have time to respond right away. What do you do?

To pass an SJT for a law firm like Simmons’, it is important to read the scenarios carefully and consider all of the options before making a decision. It can be helpful to think about the firm’s values and culture when answering the questions, as they are likely to be looking for candidates who demonstrate a commitment to these values.

Simmons and Simmons Applied Intellect Test

For the applied intellect section of the test, you will be provided with two types of questions provided by the test publisher Talent Q:

• Talent Q Verbal Reasoning Tests
• Talent Q Logical Reasoning Tests

Talent Q Verbal Reasoning Tests

The Talent Q Verbal Reasoning Test helps assess a candidate’s ability to understand and analyze written information. The test typically presents candidates with a passage of text and asks them to answer a series of questions based on the information presented.

Example questions in a Talent Q Verbal Reasoning Test for a law firm might include:

• Which of the following statements is supported by the information in the passage?
• What is the main argument presented in the passage?
• Which of the following would weaken the author’s argument?

To pass a Talent Q Verbal Reasoning Test, candidates should practice their reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. It can be helpful to read the passage carefully and take notes or highlight key points before answering the questions. Candidates should also pay close attention to the wording of the questions and ensure they are answering the question that is being asked.

Finally, it is important to manage your time effectively, as you may be required to answer a set number of questions within a specific time frame.

Talent Q Logical Reasoning Tests

The Talent Q Logical Reasoning Testis used to assess a candidate’s ability to analyze complex information, identify patterns, and draw logical conclusions.

The test typically presents candidates with a series of diagrams or patterns and asks them to identify the next pattern in the series or make a logical deduction based on the information presented.

Example questions in a Talent Q Logical Reasoning Test for a law firm might include:

• Which diagram completes the sequence: A, B, C, D, E, F, …?
• Which diagram is the odd one out?
• If all cats are animals and all animals have four legs, what can be deduced about cats?

To pass a Talent Q Logical Reasoning Test, it can be helpful to look for patterns and similarities between the diagrams presented and to work systematically through the questions, checking your answers as you go. Candidates should also try practising many test questions to improve their skills and become familiar with the format.

Simmons and Simmons Video interview

A video interview with Simmons and Simmons is typically conducted via a pre-recorded platform, where candidates are asked a set of questions and are required to provide recorded video responses.

Before the interview, you will need to ensure that your computer is set up with a webcam and microphone. The video interview will begin with an introduction from a member of the Simmons and Simmons recruitment team, explaining the format of the interview and any technical details you need to know.

You will then be presented with a series of pre-recorded questions, which may be a mix of behavioral, competency-based, and technical questions. You will have a set amount of time to record your response to each question (typically twenty minutes)

Examples of Simmons’ video interview questions might include:

• Why commercial law and why Simmons?
• Examples of where you have demonstrated Simmons competencies in the past
• What’s going on in the commercial world and how law firms are impacted? Be prepared to discuss why that interests you.

Be sure to practice a range of interview questions you may be asked and focus on providing clear and concise answers.