TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[BBsharkk]

If it helps I have really naff grades and did my degree from home, scraping a 2:1, have BCC at A Level and awful GCSEs. Degree was through the uni of London international but still, not oxbridge. I also went to insight evening last year and was rejected but managed to progress this cycle.
I totally get the hurt as I’ve been there myself but don’t underestimate how competitive it is. Some of this is a numbers game and comes down to luck. Keep going, you’re doing brilliantly 🌟

Thank you for your encouraging words, it's really something I need in this brutal cycle. May I also ask how did you change your answers the second time you applied to the same firm? Did you have to significantly amend your original answers?

 

[Hamaaida Khan]

i have Willkie and Weil Vi!!!

any tips? Much appreciated

Congratulations! I received an invitation to the Weil VI today. Any tips if you have already done that? Thanks

 

[Willgetthere]

I had a feedback call from an AC today and some firms are so stingy with sharing accurate feedback and actually saying what went wrong plainly and simple. It’s so annoying because the feedback is absolutely so vague and not reflective of the interview at all. starting to make me thing that most firms have a very simple tick checkbox for partners when interviewing candidates. I asked asked how I was scored and they could not disclose that. And my feedback was very unrelated to how the interview actually went.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is it a bad idea for a 'why this firm question?' to talk about a sector that isn't their largest/most profitable? It's still one of their core six. I was also thinking about breaking the question down into practice area, legal tech, and how my degree relates to the outlook of the firm. Is there anything else I could add to improve my answer? Many thanks, @Jessica Booker

No - there is no need to align everything to the largest or most profitable area. As long as the area you are focusing on regularly takes trainees, then it is not an issue for you to focus on it. It would only be very niche areas that you may not even sit in as a trainee that are areas to avoid.

 

[Farhan65756]

I’ve heard that Eversheds have been sending out VI invites. I applied to London and still haven’t heard back. Whose heard back and which offices did you apply to?

 

[User5678]

I had a feedback call from an AC today and some firms are so stingy with sharing accurate feedback and actually saying what went wrong plainly and simple. It’s so annoying because the feedback is absolutely so vague and not reflective of the interview at all. starting to make me thing that most firms have a very simple tick checkbox for partners when interviewing candidates. I asked asked how I was scored and they could not disclose that. And my feedback was very unrelated to how the interview actually went.

I completely understand how frustrating this is, spent one year working in a firm and they still didn’t give me honest feedback after the ac!

They were trying to be “kind” and “general” but that was only “unhelpful”.

But we move on and reflect on the experience and hope to get a tc elsewhere

 

[TC Chaser]

Yes - we do have written exercises they can be found here:

Written Exercise Archives | The Corporate Law Academy

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

If you don’t know which exercise would be best, then you can make us aware of which firm you would like it most aligned to and we can tell you which exercise would be the best to go for.

Hi Jessica, what about the one for Skadden?

 

[andreilover01]

Hi Jessica, what about the one for Skadden?

had the same question! the premium database seems to suggest its some form of a email drafting task but not quite sure.

 

[a1024]

Is the Dentons Video Interview untimed?

 

[erderlylars]

Yes - we do have written exercises they can be found here:

Written Exercise Archives | The Corporate Law Academy

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

If you don’t know which exercise would be best, then you can make us aware of which firm you would like it most aligned to and we can tell you which exercise would be the best to go for.

@Jessica Booker

Yes - we do have written exercises they can be found here:

Written Exercise Archives | The Corporate Law Academy

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

If you don’t know which exercise would be best, then you can make us aware of which firm you would like it most aligned to and we can tell you which exercise would be the best to go for.

@Jessica Booker I was just wondering which one of the exercises would be most suitable for bird & bird? Thank you!

 

[g.cl.2020344]

lol MDR just emailed me but its backdated from Friday saying all video invites will be out before Wednesday 18th

 

[WillkieGemma]

is there a point applying to Wilkie or too late?

Hi @Tclarocks123 - no. As I've said many times before in the forum, and on our website, I review apps and video interviews on a rolling basis. The final two stages of the application process (written exercise and partner interview) take place after the application deadline so we cannot make any vs offers until those two stages are complete. It would make a mockery of the whole application process if I didn't consider each and every application that is submitted within the relevant timeline.

Hi @gazdgazd11 please see my post above

 

[Jessica Booker]

The M&A written exercise will be the most suitable exercise for Skadden.

Written Exercise (M&A) | The Corporate Law Academy

Simply order below. 1. Select your preferred time slot the next working day in your order notes. 2. You will be sent the written exercise, together with the instructions, at the beginning of the time slot. 3. You will email your response in a Word document. 4. We will provide you with...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Please be aware we would recommend booking this ASAP as the team are not working after the 20th December through to 2 January., so no written exercise feedback will be provided during those dates.

 

[PoliLegal]

Does anyone know whether Davis Polk only accepts applications from law students/graduates for their vs scheme? Or do they also accept applications from non-law?

it's only law students, unfortunately

 

[AS24]

Could anyone share if Reed Smith VI includes motivational, competency or commercial awareness questions? I would be immensely grateful!

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker

@Jessica Booker I was just wondering which one of the exercises would be most suitable for bird & bird? Thank you!

We would recommend the technical exercise:

Written Exercise (Technical) | The Corporate Law Academy

Simply order below. 1. Select your preferred time slot the next working day in your order notes. 2. You will be sent the written exercise, together with the instructions, at the beginning of the time slot. 3. You will email your response in a Word document. 4. We will provide you with...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Please be aware we would recommend booking this ASAP as the team are not working after the 20th December through to 2 January., so no written exercise feedback will be provided during those dates.

 

[Kakaboo]

Fieldfisher AC 🥹!!

Congrats! Was this for the training contract or the diversity scheme?

 

[AlegalA]

Mishcon PFO

 

[Kakaboo]

Fieldfisher phone interview invite - any advice and tips will be highly appreciated! Thank you

What did you have to do on the online assessment?

 

[Shandy101]

Thank you for your encouraging words, it's really something I need in this brutal cycle. May I also ask how did you change your answers the second time you applied to the same firm? Did you have to significantly amend your original answers?

No worries. Sometimes, we need brutal honesty, and sometimes, we need that support.

I used verbatim, 2 answers (which I thought was great) and amended 2 others because this year, they changed things up with Skadden for instance. Significantly, under the section: 'Did you apply before?', I said yes but noted the progress I had made since my last application based on the feedback I had received, which included, inter alia, taking part in the commercial awareness competition, becoming certified as a civil and commercial mediator, etc. I think they key thing was that I had made progress since the last app maybe? I also did a vacation scheme at another firm.