TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Lawyer20031]

A NRF PFO post VI and a Howden telephone Interview received within minutes of each other🫠

congrats, good luck for the telephone interview, how long after the VI did you receive the telephone interview

 

[TC129129]

Is it appropriate to message current trainees to ask for advice on the assessment centre?

Yes - as long as you ask in a kind manner absolutely. Everyone, including them, will have received some form of advice/tips

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is it appropriate to message current trainees to ask for advice on the assessment centre?

Lots of people do this so I don’t see it as an issue. If the trainees can’t or don’t want to give you advice then they will likely either not respond or just say that. But there is no harm in asking as long as you do so politely.

 

[VVV]

Do firms do reference checks before vacation scheme?

@Jessica Booker

 

[Jessica Booker]

Do firms do reference checks before vacation scheme?

@Jessica Booker

Yes, some will do reference checks ahead of a vacation scheme.

 

[VVV]

Yes, some will do reference checks ahead of a vacation scheme.

When contacting an academic referee what do they tend to ask beyond verifying grades? Thank you for your reply!

 

[CCLaw]

Gateley AC!! So excited if anyone has any advice please let me know

Congrats!!!! Did they email you today?

 

[Cl23x]

Has anyone heard back from HSF post-AC for summer?

 

[Kakaboo]

Congrats!!!! Did they email you today?

Yes at around 2

 

[gazdgazd11]

Yes at around 2

Hi congrats what office

 

[asdfghjk1997]

Has anyone heard from Ashurst?

 

[lawelmo]

I’ve just received a Gateley AC too!

 

[Kakaboo]

I’ve just received a Gateley AC too!

What office!

 

[lawelmo]

What office!

Manchester 😄 you?

 

[Chris Brown]

Has anyone heard from Ashurst?

From what I’ve seen on the forum, Ashurst have done all their AC’s. Some people have received VS offers and some are still waiting to hear back the outcome post AC. If you haven’t heard back from Ashurst post app, they will be sending their PFO’s out on the 28th (pushed back from the 14th). I’m not sure which stage applies to you though. I applied to Ashurst for their WVS this cycle and they told us we would hear back by the end of Nov and that was the day they sent out all the PFO’s. 🥲🥲​

 

[Kakaboo]

Manchester 😄 you?

Leeds!

 

[londonlawyer]

Has anyone heard from Ashurst?

One of my friends got a call on Monday confirming his VS offer

 

[Kakaboo]

Hi congrats what office

Leeds

 

[Legallylaw]

I normally integrate this to why this firm:

1. Business strategy - internationally and locally (focusing on practice areas is not the best since a lot of competitors are neck and neck).

What I mean is do they open their own office or do they collaborate with local firms? Why? How does that affect their presence in the region?

Where are they opening the offices? Why? What business opportunities are there in those locations? Does it show the firm as ‘forward thinking’ - link back to their values


2. Client retention- do they work with the same clients often (I.e. links is known for their biggest clients being repeat clients and they liked when I mentioned it in the AC)

3. Here talk about practice areas and the links to one another (but the niche ones): i.e. strong banking and finance department but also band 1 shariah = more Middle Eastern clients/ presence (working with the market trends/ opportunities).


For skills:

Honestly, here you can pick any skill but the key thing is to:

1. Identify the skill

2. Link it back to how and why a trainee/ solicitor might use it.

3. Then link it back to something you’ve done and how it showed you the importance of it in practice.

Thank you so much!!

 

[PFOenthusiast]

CMS Insight programme offer!