TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[jacksollaf]

Isn’t the critical thinking test before the AC?, and when did you apply if you don’t mind me asking.

no no, their second stage is the AC, then there is another Partner Interview after the AC

 

[Law queries]

From what I have seen in this thread and previous ones is that NRF doesn't fully rely on the report when they are assessing candidates. I remember this was written somewhere that this report is what the grad rec team might use to guide which questions to ask candidates in the interview. hopefully this is true though.

oh okayy, understood. thank you for informing this!

 

[shays]

From what I have seen in this thread and previous ones is that NRF doesn't fully rely on the report when they are assessing candidates. I remember this was written somewhere that this report is what the grad rec team might use to guide which questions to ask candidates in the interview. hopefully this is true though.

ah hopefully this is true, I was hoping they would still look at the application and not just have a benchmark for a buzzfeed style test and base on that

 

[LimitedLiabilityLover]

How long after the DLA call with an offer did people get the email from early careers?

 

[Balaton123]

How long after the DLA call with an offer did people get the email from early careers?

Around 2-3 days if I remember correctly! Congrats btw!

 

[Apyw]

How long after the DLA call with an offer did people get the email from early careers?

How long did you wait before you got the call post AC?

 

[andrewk]

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu
Would it be a bad idea to mention a Kirkland open day in an application to Travers? IK Travers are strong in private equity, and what sparked my interest in PE was a debt finance workshop at the Kirkland open day. But I also go on to talk about how I like the Travers room-sharing system because of the high level of supervision + training (which Kirkland doesn't really have)

Ofc I could deflect this in an interview by saying I didn't like Kirkland's culture after attending the open day, but I'm wondering whether grad rec might discard it because I'm applying to wildly different firms and so won't be a good fit (which is partially true, it's one of my least favourites). Then again it would be difficult to substantiate my interest in PE work without mentioning the open day.

Would appreciate any advice to be honest

 

[rwm]

Hey if you don't mind sharing when did you send your application in?

Hey - No problem. I sent my application on 18/12 and completed the Watson Glaser on 07/01.

 

[jacksollaf]

APPLICATION UPDATE; I will be fixing this table in a couple of days, because it is so unorganised and anarchical

Applied​

Baker McKenzie (6th of October)

Allen & Shearman | ❌

Goodwin (6th of October)

Pinsent Masons |❌

Mayer Brown |❌

Skadden ❌

Morrison Foerster (7th of October)

Slaughter & May | ❌

Jones Day | ❌

Gibson Dunn (11th of October | First-year insight scheme attended)

Cooley (8th of October)

Linklaters

Willkie Farr & Gallagher | ❌

Latham & Watkins (online test, silent since sadly | 25th of October

Forsters LLP ❌

TLT

Dechert LLP

Orrick

HFW Assessment Center on the 28th of Jan

BCLP

Paynes Hicks Beach

Eversheds ❌ post VI

Clyde & Co

Addleshaw Goddard LLP

Kirkland

Covington LLP

White & Case

Macfarlanes

UN Legal Affairs Intern (New York HQ)

Clifford Chance Dubai | ❌

Weil | ❌

Katten

Charles Russel Speechlys

King & Spalding (TC)

Quinn Emmanuel (Paris) ❌ HSF SADDEST PFO SO FAR

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (placed on hold since early December, so awaiting outcome)

Perth Thingy… (I randomly applied to a company in Perth Scotland, since it was just CV based, and I have no idea what the name was and they ghosted me I think because I didn't get an email or anything 😂 😂 😂 )

Deloitte (completely ghosted, no confirmation email whatsoever so 100% PFO 😂😂)

Vison & Elkins

Morgan Lewis

Walker Morris

CMS

Hogan Lovells

Osborne Clarke

Davis Polk

RPC

Ropes & Gray

Paul Weiss

Squire Patton Boggs

Mills & Reeve

Simmons & Simmons (VI stage so far)

Norton Rose Fulbright

Withers (they asked for visa info, and I didn't realise it's outside my term time, so they suggested transferring my application to a TC so there's hope I think)

Joelson

Capsticks LLP | ❌

Gowling WLG ❌

Gide Loyrette Nouel London ❌

DAC Beachcroft (TC)

Howes Spercival

PwC |❌

Cleary Gottlieb | ❌

Reed Smith | ❌

Farrer & Co

Shoosmiths

Freshfields

Debevoise & Plimpton

Greenberg Traurig (TC)

Lockton ❌

Watson Farley & Williams (last second and they're rolling so highly unlikely)

 

[James Wakefield]

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu
Would it be a bad idea to mention a Kirkland open day in an application to Travers? IK Travers are strong in private equity, and what sparked my interest in PE was a debt finance workshop at the Kirkland open day. But I also go on to talk about how I like the Travers room-sharing system because of the high level of supervision + training (which Kirkland doesn't really have)

Ofc I could deflect this in an interview by saying I didn't like Kirkland's culture after attending the open day, but I'm wondering whether grad rec might discard it because I'm applying to wildly different firms and so won't be a good fit (which is partially true, it's one of my least favourites). Then again it would be difficult to substantiate my interest in PE work without mentioning the open day.

Would appreciate any advice to be honest

Obviously wait for official advice on here, but couldn’t you talk about the PE workshop, and not explicitly name the other firm? I don’t see why you’d need too.

 

[Lawyering13]

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu
Would it be a bad idea to mention a Kirkland open day in an application to Travers? IK Travers are strong in private equity, and what sparked my interest in PE was a debt finance workshop at the Kirkland open day. But I also go on to talk about how I like the Travers room-sharing system because of the high level of supervision + training (which Kirkland doesn't really have)

Ofc I could deflect this in an interview by saying I didn't like Kirkland's culture after attending the open day, but I'm wondering whether grad rec might discard it because I'm applying to wildly different firms and so won't be a good fit (which is partially true, it's one of my least favourites). Then again it would be difficult to substantiate my interest in PE work without mentioning the open day.

Would appreciate any advice to be honest

Not Jessica or Andrei, but I did the Travers VS last year and mentioned two MC firms I attended open days with in my application, so in general, I think name dropping other firms is ok for Travers.

If you're worried, you could say 'After attending a debt finance workshop, I found... interesting because...'), essentially omitting the firm's name but keeping the most important content in your answer.

 

[Jessica Booker]

When firms ask about a recent deal that interests you, what time frame does 'recent' refer to? Within the last 12 months or so?

Ideally 12 months - can sometimes push it to two years if there is something more unique about the matter that you are identifying that wouldn’t happen very frequently.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu
Would it be a bad idea to mention a Kirkland open day in an application to Travers? IK Travers are strong in private equity, and what sparked my interest in PE was a debt finance workshop at the Kirkland open day. But I also go on to talk about how I like the Travers room-sharing system because of the high level of supervision + training (which Kirkland doesn't really have)

Ofc I could deflect this in an interview by saying I didn't like Kirkland's culture after attending the open day, but I'm wondering whether grad rec might discard it because I'm applying to wildly different firms and so won't be a good fit (which is partially true, it's one of my least favourites). Then again it would be difficult to substantiate my interest in PE work without mentioning the open day.

Would appreciate any advice to be honest

We see lots of successful applications that leverage competitor firm’s open days and events in their motivational answers - so I really don’t see this being an issue if it then is balanced out with enough “why Kirkland” content

 

[g.cl.2020344]

any1 heard from Bates Wells post-app, they recruit on a rolling basis and I haven't heard anything since

 

[jta227]

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu
Would it be a bad idea to mention a Kirkland open day in an application to Travers? IK Travers are strong in private equity, and what sparked my interest in PE was a debt finance workshop at the Kirkland open day. But I also go on to talk about how I like the Travers room-sharing system because of the high level of supervision + training (which Kirkland doesn't really have)

Ofc I could deflect this in an interview by saying I didn't like Kirkland's culture after attending the open day, but I'm wondering whether grad rec might discard it because I'm applying to wildly different firms and so won't be a good fit (which is partially true, it's one of my least favourites). Then again it would be difficult to substantiate my interest in PE work without mentioning the open day.

Would appreciate any advice to be honest

Going to an open day doesn't mean you actually applied to the firm for a TC/VS. I'm guessing you did, but merely talking about an open day simply shows you were doing in-person research to find out/inform your preferences in a firm. I think it'll be fine - at Dechert's open day they said you could mention unrelated firms' open days and then say "I then realised that I didn't like X aspect of Y firms which Dechert actually offers, which is one of the reasons I am interested in Dechert"

 

[Lalis]

HFW AC summer vs!!!

congrats ! in your app form, did you choose summer specifically or just VS in general? (i cant see my preference in the app form so unsure if it is just me)

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Andrei Radu @Jessica Booker Hi

When mentioning vacation scheme/work experience at other firms in an application form, is it all right to name them? Because then I worry I will have to justify why not the other firm and why the firm I am applying to, whereas a brief 'vacation scheme at X firm helped me explore interest in...." seems like needs less of a justification.

These experiences should be in your work experience section anyway, and you typically include the employers name there anyway, so there is no issue with referencing other work experience/internships and being specific with the firm’s name. If anything being vague about it can cause more questions than not.

 

[ThelawgraduateX]

Hi @Jessica Booker I hope you are well - i was wondering if I could kindly ask for your advise on the following -

Regarding the cover letter for Travers smith, on the website it says that there is no word limit to it but “ideally not longer than one A4 page”. However, the application website states that the maximum word count is 1000 words (which is well over an A4 page) moreover, every Travers Smith application I have read in the premium database (that has been successful) has been well over one A4 page as well. I am just slightly concerned since my cover letter is almost 800 words and not sure if you would recommend shorten it down to fit an A4 page?

Sorry for the long question… thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker I hope you are well - i was wondering if I could kindly ask for your advise on the following -

Regarding the cover letter for Travers smith, on the website it says that there is no word limit to it but “ideally not longer than one A4 page”. However, the application website states that the maximum word count is 1000 words (which is well over an A4 page) moreover, every Travers Smith application I have read in the premium database (that has been successful) has been well over one A4 page as well. I am just slightly concerned since my cover letter is almost 800 words and not sure if you would recommend shorten it down to fit an A4 page?

Sorry for the long question… thank you!

This is fine - we typically see cover letters of around that length.

 

[AnAnonymousDuck]

@Jessica Booker

This might be a silly question, but do firms judge appearances during ACs, specifically piercings? I'm not covered or anything, but I have a decent amount on my ears, and have always covered them with my hair during online interviews. For an in-person AC, should I consider taking them out just to be safe?