Slaughter and May Assessment Centre Guide 2027
Half-day or full-day assessment at Slaughter and May's offices, including group exercise, written exercise, and partner interview. 3 stages. Everything you need to know to prepare.
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Format
What the Slaughter and May assessment centre looks like
Arrival & Briefing
15-20 minutesGraduate recruitment team
Arrival at Slaughter and May's offices. Briefing on the day's structure, followed by networking with current trainees.
Group Exercise
30-45 minutes2-3 assessors observing
Analyse a business or legal scenario as a group and present recommendations. Assessors watch for collaboration, clear communication, and commercial awareness.
Written Exercise
45-60 minutesAssessed after completion
Summarise complex information and provide advice. Tests attention to detail, legal reasoning, and ability to communicate complex ideas clearly.
Partner Interview
30-45 minutes1-2 partners
In-depth discussion of your CV, motivation for law, and commercial awareness. Partners test for genuine interest, intellectual curiosity, and cultural fit.
Debrief
10-15 minutesGraduate recruitment
Opportunity to ask final questions. Decision typically communicated within 1-2 weeks.
Prep plan
48-hour preparation plan
148 hours before
Research Slaughter and May's recent deals and matters — check their press releases, Chambers rankings, and Legal 500 entries.
Read the Financial Times legal section for current issues affecting commercial law firms.
Prepare 5 STAR-format examples covering teamwork, attention to detail, problem-solving, leadership, and commercial initiative.
Prepare your "Why Slaughter and May?" answer with specific references to practice areas, deals, or people you've met.
Practise summarising complex information under time pressure — this is essential for the written exercise.
224 hours before
Check the Financial Times for any breaking legal news.
Prepare 3-4 questions for the partner interview — about their career, practice area trends, or recent work.
Review your anchor stories one final time — time yourself to ensure 2-3 minute answers.
Plan your outfit, route, and arrival time. Business formal expected.
Get 8 hours of sleep. Assessment centres are mentally demanding — fatigue shows.
3Morning of
Scan morning headlines for relevant business or legal news.
Arrive 15 minutes early. Use waiting time to observe the office, not to cram.
Be personable with everyone you meet — from reception to current trainees.
In the group exercise, focus on collaboration and building on others' points. Don't try to dominate.
Questions
Slaughter and May assessment centre questions by round
Different interviewers ask different types of questions. Know what to expect at each level.
- 1Analyse a commercial scenario as a group and present recommendations.
- 2Summarise a complex document and provide advice.
- 3Prioritise competing stakeholder interests under time pressure.
- 4Build on others' ideas and demonstrate collaborative thinking.
Technicals
Slaughter and May technical questions
- 1Why Slaughter and May?
- 2What do you know about the "best friends" network?
- 3Tell me about a commercial issue in the news.
- 4Why corporate law?
- 5Tell me about a recent Slaughter and May deal or matter that interests you.
- 6What do you know about Slaughter and May's corporate M&A practice?
- 7How would you explain a warranty in a share purchase agreement to a non-lawyer client?
- 8What regulatory developments are currently affecting Slaughter and May's clients?
- 9Why Slaughter and May over Clifford Chance?
- 10What is the biggest challenge facing commercial law firms in the next five years?
Evaluation
What Slaughter and May interviewers evaluate
Independent thinking
S&M does things differently. They want people who think for themselves, not followers of convention.
Commercial awareness
Arguably tested more rigorously at S&M than any other firm. Have deep, informed views on business issues.
Intellectual ability
S&M has the highest academic standards of any MC firm. Genuine intellectual curiosity is essential.
Understanding of the model
Know why S&M doesn't have international offices and uses the "best friends" network instead.
Communication
Interviews are conversational. They want engaging people who can discuss ideas, not recite answers.
Genuine interest in law
S&M is for people who want to be excellent lawyers, not people who want a brand name.
Avoid
Common mistakes at Slaughter and May assessment centres
Dominating the group exercise. Assessors explicitly test for collaboration. Building on others' ideas scores higher than being the loudest voice.
Not knowing Slaughter and May's recent deals or matters. You must be able to discuss at least 1-2 recent transactions or cases.
Weak written exercise. Many candidates underestimate this — clear, structured writing under time pressure is a core legal skill.
Asking generic questions in the partner interview. "What's the culture like?" is too vague. Ask about specific practice areas or deals.
Being unable to articulate why commercial law over other legal careers. Have a clear, personal answer.
Dropping energy throughout the day. Treat every stage as equally important — assessors compare notes.
Practise Slaughter and May assessment centre questions
Intervyo's assessment centre practice simulates real Slaughter and May interviews. Record your answers on camera and get AI-scored feedback across behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness questions — the same types you'll face on the day.
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FAQ
Slaughter and May assessment centre FAQs
Be ready for every round
AI-scored practice with Slaughter and May questions. Behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness — all scored with detailed feedback. Free for 3 days.
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