TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Chris Brown]

Would it seem weird to schedule """coffee chats""" (as people call them) and then drink water/another non-coffee beverage?

I completely second @Jessica Booker on this although I wish I knew it back in the day - speaking from personal experience, you do not want to end up having drank your 5th coffee of the day at 4pm 🥲

This might sound like a very dumb question but is there any kind of template or ideal structure to use in an email when scheduling “coffee chats” with lawyers in a firm during a VS? Would it change depending on whether it’s a trainee, associate or partner (i.e., more formal if it’s a partner)? Is there an expectation for people on the VS to know this type of stuff already? I don’t know how this process works at all. 😅

Also, how would a vac schemer know whether it is appropriate to try schedule one in the first instance? What if a situation arises where a coffee chat was scheduled, but due to a sudden change, it had to be postponed or cancelled? How should someone go about explaining this to the associate or partner who was invited? I guess this is me overthinking all the small things lmao. Any advice would be appreciated! Please help. 🥲

@Andrei Radu, @Amma Usman, @Ram Sabaratnam, @Jessica Booker.​

 

[legallyblonde7542]

still nothing from OC?

Received OC PFO today

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

CRS Spring VS! Does anyone have tips or resources to prepare for a pre-VS written assessment?

Amazing job @loe!!! They're an excellent firm!

Assuming the written assessment is similar to the one I completed in 2023, it's a fairly standard commercial/business-style task designed to test both your commercial awareness and your communication skills. I think the key to the task is demonstrating your ability to understand and analyse business scenarios from a client's perspective and then clearly articulating your advice in a concise, client-friendly manner.

To prepare effectively, I'd strongly recommend familiarising yourself with the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis method. Practising SWOT analyses on various businesses or commercial scenarios can help sharpen your ability to quickly identify relevant factors influencing a business decision. This skill will be especially useful in assessing opportunities or risks in the assessment scenario CRS gives you. I'm not sure if the TCLA written exercises have exactly the same scenario, but you may want to look into any practice exercises that involve scenarios that require such analysis. In addition to strengthening your analytical skills, I'd also take a stab at practising drafting memos or emails in clear, straightforward language (imagine you're addressing a client who might not have legal expertise). Aim for a balance of detail and simplicity, ensuring your advice is both professional and easily understandable.

Good luck with the written exercise!

 

[l789]

For freshfields vac scheme and direct TC, is it just the 850 word statement or do we have to fill out work experience entries as well.

 

[loe]

Amazing job @loe!!! They're an excellent firm!

Assuming the written assessment is similar to the one I completed in 2023, it's a fairly standard commercial/business-style task designed to test both your commercial awareness and your communication skills. I think the key to the task is demonstrating your ability to understand and analyse business scenarios from a client's perspective and then clearly articulating your advice in a concise, client-friendly manner.

To prepare effectively, I'd strongly recommend familiarising yourself with the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis method. Practising SWOT analyses on various businesses or commercial scenarios can help sharpen your ability to quickly identify relevant factors influencing a business decision. This skill will be especially useful in assessing opportunities or risks in the assessment scenario CRS gives you. I'm not sure if the TCLA written exercises have exactly the same scenario, but you may want to look into any practice exercises that involve scenarios that require such analysis. In addition to strengthening your analytical skills, I'd also take a stab at practising drafting memos or emails in clear, straightforward language (imagine you're addressing a client who might not have legal expertise). Aim for a balance of detail and simplicity, ensuring your advice is both professional and easily understandable.

Good luck with the written exercise!

Thank you!!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

For freshfields vac scheme and direct TC, is it just the 850 word statement or do we have to fill out work experience entries as well.

Hiya @l789

From what I can tell, Freshfields now uses the Candid/Vantage application system. As a result, I'm almost certain that you can now include your work experience alongside the traditional 850-word personal statement. Unlike previous application cycles, where it was primarily just the personal statement, the new platform asks applicants to provide structured entries detailing their work experience. I’d still recommend double-checking this directly with Freshfields' graduate recruitment team, just to be absolutely certain. Good luck!

 

[l789]

Hiya @l789

From what I can tell, Freshfields now uses the Candid/Vantage application system. As a result, I'm almost certain that you can now include your work experience alongside the traditional 850-word personal statement. Unlike previous application cycles, where it was primarily just the personal statement, the new platform asks applicants to provide structured entries detailing their work experience. I’d still recommend double-checking this directly with Freshfields' graduate recruitment team, just to be absolutely certain. Good luck!

Hi Ram,

Thank you so much for this!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

This might sound like a very dumb question but is there any kind of template or ideal structure to use in an email when scheduling “coffee chats” with lawyers in a firm during a VS? Would it change depending on whether it’s a trainee, associate or partner (i.e., more formal if it’s a partner)? Is there an expectation for people on the VS to know this type of stuff already? I don’t know how this process works at all. 😅

Also, how would a vac schemer know whether it is appropriate to try schedule one in the first instance? What if a situation arises where a coffee chat was scheduled, but due to a sudden change, it had to be postponed or cancelled? How should someone go about explaining this to the associate or partner who was invited? I guess this is me overthinking all the small things lmao. Any advice would be appreciated! Please help. 🥲

@Andrei Radu, @Amma Usman, @Ram Sabaratnam, @Jessica Booker.​

I'd be curious to know what @Jessica Booker might say here, but I don't think this is a dumb question at all (and stop calling your questions dumb @Chris Brown - they're very good!!!!).

I've generally avoided adopting a rigid structure for emails inviting people to coffee chats. I think a clear and polite message should do the trick. You could say something like:

• "Hi [Name],
  
  I hope you are well.
  
  My name is [Name] and I'm currently on the [spring/summer] vacation scheme with the firm. I'm keen to learn more about your experiences in [practice area/team]. I'd be grateful if you had some time this week or next for a brief meeting or coffee? If there is a specific day and time that is convenient for you, I'd be happy to send across a diary or calendar invitation. Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
  
  Best regards,
  [Your Name]".

If you're reaching out to a partner, you might prefer to adopt a slightly more formal tone, but I've generally found that partners are also approachable (so minor variations won't cause any issues). The main thing is to be polite, clear, and concise. If you're unsure whether scheduling coffee chats with a particular partner/associate might be difficult, I'd always recommend checking in with your trainee buddy or someone from graduate recruitment to get a sense of the person’s availability.

As for cancelling or rescheduling a coffee chat because something urgent or unexpected comes up, I'd simply be honest and prompt in letting the person know. A brief apology and request to reschedule is absolutely fine. Try not to overthink or worry too much if you have to do this.

Hope that's helpful and good luck with the upcoming schemes!

 

[👩🎓]

Hi all! Does anyone have any advice when it comes to applying for paralegal roles (i.e., which firms to approach/how to stand out).

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[KBanana]

Hiya @KBanana


Not a silly question at all. In my experience, the structure of your bio will usually depend on how formal the firm expects it to be and whether they've provided specific instructions. For example, during my vacation schemes, some firms included clear prompts in their emails, asking us to mention specific details such as university attended, interesting facts about ourselves, or even our favourite movie or hobby. If the tone is intended to be more casual or friendly, you might want to introduce yourself in the first person, saying something along the lines of: "Hi! I'm Ram, a recent LLB graduate from UCL. I was born and raised in Canada, and in my spare time, I really enjoy pro bono volunteer work at my university's legal clinic, travelling, and visiting museums and galleries."

If the bio is expected to be more formal or professional, I find that writing it in the third person usually is helpful. In that case, I'd say something like: "Ram Sabaratnam is a recent LLB graduate from University College London. In his spare time, he enjoys writing for the Justice Gap and volunteering at his university’s refugee law clinic." It may be worth clarifying with graduate recruitment team directly, just to make sure you write the bio in a way that matches the firm's expectations. You can just confirm with them how formal the tone should be and if there is any particular word count they have in mind.

Hope that helps!

Has the firm given you an example or any guidance on how to write it? A lot of firms do so that your writing is going to be fairly consistent with other vacation scheme students. If they have given this to you, then always follow their structure and guidance first.

If they haven't provided anything to you, then something like the following length would be appropriate:

Jess studied Economics and Social Studies at the University of Manchester, graduating with a first-class honours in 2004. Since then, she has worked in the Early Careers sector for a range of companies across the legal, professional services, investment and FMCG sectors. Before her career, Jess was a Chef, working in various pubs and also as a Chalet host in the French Alps. She continues to love both cooking and skiing, as well as trying to keep up with her hyperactive dog, Dennis. Jess looks forward to understanding more about the firm's clients during the vacation scheme, as well as learning more about the firm's diversity initiatives.

It might be that they want you to write in the first person though - I have just written in the third person due to habit!

Ultimately try to include:

- Key and relevant facts about your background
- 1 or 2 key achievements (I included my degree classification)
- Something about your interests - what you do outside of work/study
- Something interesting about you - maybe something more unique (why I always throw in the fact I was a chef)
- If you feel comfortable doing so, something slightly light-hearted or that could be a conversation starter (why I reference my dog. Dennis!).
- Adding some kind of reference as to what you hope to gain by attending the scheme

I do not have much to add to what @Jessica Booker said here, just thought to give you an example of a bio I wrote which the firm said was good:

Andrei is a second-year law student at University College London. He has developed an interest in commercial law through his studies, having been awarded the Simon Wallace Memorial Prize for the highest Year 1 grade in Contract Law. He went on to complete a one-month legal internship at DLA Piper, an experience which confirmed his desire to become a solicitor.

Besides law, Andrei has a passion for philosophy. In 2022, he represented Romania in the International Philosophy Olympiad was awarded an honorary mention. In his free time, he also enjoys watching football – his favourite team is FC Barcelona.

Thank you all! @Ram Sabaratnam @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu

The only instructions I was given were that the bio "should be approx. 250 words and should be a general introduction" about myself. I assume its safer then to stick to a more formal approach?

 

[Willgetthere]

I really just wanted to know how to go about asking for work in a department you’d like work from. How do you go about this, who is appropriate to contact? Perhaps it makes sense to wait for some sort of networking experience to come up before asking? ( during a vac scheme)

If you are less busy in your vac scheme and would like to increase your responsibility, how do you go about asking for more work without just coming across as way too eager, and a bit annoying to an extent.

Finally, how would you recommend you introduce yourself to your department during the start of your vac scheme in a email template- what do you include.

Sorry if it’s so many questions but some insight would be greatly appreciated @Ram Sabaratnam @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

I really just wanted to know how to go about asking for work in a department you’d like work from. How do you go about this, who is appropriate to contact? Perhaps it makes sense to wait for some sort of networking experience to come up before asking? ( during a vac scheme)

If you are less busy in your vac scheme and would like to increase your responsibility, how do you go about asking for more work without just coming across as way too eager, and a bit annoying to an extent.

Finally, how would you recommend you introduce yourself to your department during the start of your vac scheme in a email template- what do you sort of include.

Sorry if it’s so many questions but some insight would be greatly appreciated @Ram Sabaratnam @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu

Hiya @Willgetthere

I'd be curious to know what @Jessica Booker, @Amma Usman and @Andrei Radu have to say here, but in my experience I've sometimes found this can depend on the firm’s culture and expectations. For instance, when completing vacation schemes at firms with non-rotational programmes (e.g. Jones Day and Vinson & Elkins), me and my fellow vac schemers were strongly encouraged to be proactive, knocking on partners/associates doors to introduce ourselves and see what work we could get involved with. I found this approach worked well for me and I generally enjoyed approaching people politely and sourcing work from them.

At other firms, particularly those where you're placed in a specific department, it sometimes felt more appropriate to build rapport first. In these cases, I tried to connect informally through coffee chats or the firm's social events, gradually building relationships. After establishing this rapport, I normally felt comfortable to ask trainees, associates, or partners if there was anything in their department I could assist with. Doing it this way felt natural, respectful, and genuinely collaborative.

If you find yourself less busy and want to increase your work load, I think it's completely alright to politely reach out via email to someone on the team you're interested in and see if there's anything you can get involved in. You could say something like, "I have a bit of extra time today; if there's anything I could help with, I’d be happy to assist." If you are emailing them, it might be worth mentioning your interest in the department and the work it does. If you have any doubts, I'd recommend speaking with your trainee buddy or anyone who is allocated to you as a supervisor.

Hope this gives you a few options!

 

[johnnysins]

Has anybody heard back from King & Spalding post TC App?

 

[Amma Usman]

This might sound like a very dumb question but is there any kind of template or ideal structure to use in an email when scheduling “coffee chats” with lawyers in a firm during a VS? Would it change depending on whether it’s a trainee, associate or partner (i.e., more formal if it’s a partner)? Is there an expectation for people on the VS to know this type of stuff already? I don’t know how this process works at all. 😅

Also, how would a vac schemer know whether it is appropriate to try schedule one in the first instance? What if a situation arises where a coffee chat was scheduled, but due to a sudden change, it had to be postponed or cancelled? How should someone go about explaining this to the associate or partner who was invited? I guess this is me overthinking all the small things lmao. Any advice would be appreciated! Please help. 🥲

@Andrei Radu, @Amma Usman, @Ram Sabaratnam, @Jessica Booker.​

I completely understand the nerves but I don’t think you need to worry about this specific aspect too much. In a professional environment, I think starting off formal is always best. You never know who your recipient is, i.e how formal or not they like people to be. Some are quite formal, others not really.

With regards scheduling, you should first send an email saying something in the lines of… you saw their profile, they work in X area, you found this interesting for X Y Z reasons, and would really appreciate if they have some time for a coffee chat, if they’re available. People are usually happy to give up their time. You will then liaise with them directly, or their secretary, for a suitable time. In the case of a time being suggested which clashes with your own schedule, it’s totally normal to bring this up and say it’s because of a social, VS session, etc. Rescheduling is something which happens quite often in the corporate world and life in general, and so far as you’re polite and respectful of their own time with how you come across, I do not presume there’ll be an issue.

 

[mulan0]

Oh wow coffee chats, knocking on doors to ask for work, without this forum I would have no idea these were normal things during a vac scheme! Are there any other things/tips to be aware of having never done a VS before😅 (even if they are obvious). Any info would be greatlyyy appreciated!

 

[Jessica Booker]

I'd be curious to know what @Jessica Booker might say here, but I don't think this is a dumb question at all (and stop calling your questions dumb @Chris Brown - they're very good!!!!).

I've generally avoided adopting a rigid structure for emails inviting people to coffee chats. I think a clear and polite message should do the trick. You could say something like:

• "Hi [Name],
  
  I hope you are well.
  
  My name is [Name] and I'm currently on the [spring/summer] vacation scheme with the firm. I'm keen to learn more about your experiences in [practice area/team]. I'd be grateful if you had some time this week or next for a brief meeting or coffee? If there is a specific day and time that is convenient for you, I'd be happy to send across a diary or calendar invitation. Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
  
  Best regards,
  [Your Name]".

If you're reaching out to a partner, you might prefer to adopt a slightly more formal tone, but I've generally found that partners are also approachable (so minor variations won't cause any issues). The main thing is to be polite, clear, and concise. If you're unsure whether scheduling coffee chats with a particular partner/associate might be difficult, I'd always recommend checking in with your trainee buddy or someone from graduate recruitment.

As for cancelling or rescheduling a coffee chat because something urgent or unexpected comes up, I'd simply be honest and prompt in letting the person know. A brief apology and request to reschedule is absolutely fine. Try not to overthink or worry too much if you have to do this.

Hope that's helpful and good luck with the upcoming schemes!

Agree with @Ram Sabaratnam here and his template is great - it is short and to the point - I think this is also formal enough to work with partners too.

If you know there are specific days you can meet, adding this type of detail might be helpful too. E.g.

I'd be grateful if you had some time on either Thursday, Friday or next Monday for a brief meeting or coffee?

The other thing to mention, is you might be able to see colleagues calendars - at least when they are busy. So you can also check if you can, and then you can say something like.

I can see from your calendar that you may be available on Thursday afternoon. If so, I'd be grateful if you had some time for a brief meeting or coffee?

I'd also stress sometimes just asking these questions to people in person if you are working around them or get to meet them through meetings/talks is also better than sending an email. Make the request in person first and then follow up with email about your availability/to find an appropriate time if they say yes.

 

[paralegaltotrainee]

Since we're on the topic of coffee chats and reaching out, would it be advisable to connect with incoming or current trainees at a firm on LinkedIn before a vacation scheme? If so, is there a recommended approach or template for doing so? Apologies if this is a basic question – just want to make sure I’m going about it the right way! 😊

@Jessica Booker @Ram Sabaratnam

 

[Jessica Booker]

Since we're on the topic of coffee chats and reaching out, would it be advisable to connect with incoming or current trainees at a firm on LinkedIn before a vacation scheme? If so, is there a recommended approach or template for doing so? Apologies if this is a basic question – just want to make sure I’m going about it the right way! 😊

@Jessica Booker @Ram Sabaratnam

I wouldn't really see the need to do this before the scheme unless you have a purpose for connecting with them as individual people rather than just their job title.

 

[Applebanana425]

OC offer at half 6 this morning!

 

[elsx]

OC offer this morning! I can't believe it ! TCLA was very helpful so thank you all for your advice !