TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[DieHard]

what do people generally include in their VI answers for why they want to work at a particular firm? should it be completely different to what has been said on the application form? i feel like im missing something because I never seem to get past the VI stage

Take your points from application and use as opportunity to expand on them

 

[trainee2025]

What is NRF's testing stage?

It’s an Arctic Shores assessment. Series of ‘tasks’ that were presented as being linked to the firm but were just patterns/mental maths type things. I found it pretty difficult/unclear.

 

[r5533]

It’s an amberjack assessment. I found it pretty difficult/unclear.

was it a SJT/WGT/Arctic shores?

 

[trainee2025]

was it a SJT/WGT/Arctic shores?

It’s arctic shores, I’ll make my original post clearer

 

[r5533]

It’s arctic shores, I’ll make my original post clearer

no worries, thank you

 

[user184794]

Did the Reed smith ac and they literally starved us the whole day. Never been to an ac where they could be this stingy…

 

[Broadwater]

Did the Reed smith ac and they literally starved us the whole day. Never been to an ac where they could be this stingy…

Tell me about a time you showed resilience...

 

[Standardlawapplicant]

On that note, has anyone heard from RS post AC?

 

[DieHard]

that’s kinda what I find hard to do, i find it harder to expand on points in VIs compared to application forms because of the time limit - i know there’s no formula for this, but how many points should I generally be addressing?

3

 

[Farhan65756]

Did the Reed smith ac and they literally starved us the whole day. Never been to an ac where they could be this stingy…

They didn’t provide lunch?

 

[Amehta1]

Not wanting to start another debate but I was wondering how much age matters in applying for US law firms with a small intake. Talking to trainees at these firms, the vast majority of them were in their early-mid twenties and graduates. I was wondering what chances I had as a much younger candidate going into third year of uni next year in succeeding at small intake US firms and if I should even focus my applications on these firms next cycle or stick to firms with a much higher intake.

 

[user184794]

Tell me about a time you showed resilience...

Lol for real

 

[lonelycruise]

Did the Reed smith ac and they literally starved us the whole day. Never been to an ac where they could be this stingy…

Things like this really upset me tbh! So telling of their regard for candidates/general ethos. I need to take my twice daily medication with food but at a day-long AC we weren't provided anything, nor were we allowed to leave. I was literally so close to leaving midway

 

[trainee2025]

Not wanting to start another debate but I was wondering how much age matters in applying for US law firms with a small intake. Talking to trainees at these firms, the vast majority of them were in their early-mid twenties and graduates. I was wondering what chances I had as a person going into third year of uni next year in succeeding at small intake US firms and if I should even focus my applications on these firms next cycle or stick to firms with a much higher intake.

I haven’t personally noticed this phenomenon. There are plenty of career changers and ‘older’ trainees at US firms. US firms also hire huge numbers of non-law students who are inherently older by the time they start their TC. Getting a TC at US firms with a small intake is obviously super challenging but I wouldn’t worry about age/stage of studies necessarily being an issue myself

 

[Amehta1]

I haven’t personally noticed this phenomenon. There are plenty of career changers and ‘older’ trainees at US firms. US firms also hire huge numbers of non-law students who are inherently older by the time they start their TC. Getting a TC at US firms with a small intake is obviously super challenging but I wouldn’t worry about age/stage of studies necessarily being an issue myself

Yeah completely see your point but I was wondering if being a younger candidate affects your chances, rather than being an older candidate which naturally brings more experience.

 

[Zi48]

Yeah completely see your point but I was wondering if being a younger candidate affects your chances, rather than being an older candidate which naturally brings more experience.

I think this post has some relevance, not sure which US firms you were referring to, but if they recently started recruitment this might be part of why you’ve seen that trend?

https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....lkie-farr-gallagher-anything.4439/post-152818

 

[Amehta1]

I think this post has some relevance, not sure which US firms you were referring to, but if they recently started recruitment this might be part of why you’ve seen that trend?

https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....lkie-farr-gallagher-anything.4439/post-152818

That post was definitely insightful. I was talking with trainees at Gibson Dunn,Skadden and Cleary and the general message I got conveyed was that US firms tend to prefer older candidates because they are naturally more experienced and are generally able to handle complex tasks better than younger candidates with less experience. The general consensus also was that even if there is not a preference for older candidates, the makeup of trainees at small intake US firms just happened to be graduates or older students because their skill sets and experiences better aligned with the firm’s demands than perhaps a candidate who is still in university.

 

[rosec]

Not wanting to start another debate but I was wondering how much age matters in applying for US law firms with a small intake. Talking to trainees at these firms, the vast majority of them were in their early-mid twenties and graduates. I was wondering what chances I had as a much younger candidate going into third year of uni next year in succeeding at small intake US firms and if I should even focus my applications on these firms next cycle or stick to firms with a much higher intake.

I don't think this should put you off from applying. I know quite a few people still in uni that have completed vac schemes at firms like these and successfully converted them. I can't speak for all firms, but from my experience as well (at a US firm with an intake of about 4-6), a lot of us were still uni students and successful in converting. In my opinion, if you are interested in these firms you shouldn't let a concern like this be the reason you don't apply.

 

[user184794]

Things like this really upset me tbh! So telling of their regard for candidates/general ethos. I need to take my twice daily medication with food but at a day-long AC we weren't provided anything, nor were we allowed to leave. I was literally so close to leaving midway

Right! You can’t just serve 4 croissants and call it lunch and breakfast, especially if you need to take medicine. Bear in mind we were there from 9am -4pm, without both lunch or breakfast provided, or being told to bring lunch/ allowed to go to Tesco.

 

[Makkajana]

Does anyone else have DWF’s AC coming up?

Yeah - did you get that email about your account being set up? Its really confused me do we have an asssessment to do online before the AC?