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  1. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @AS24 just to jump in before @Ram Sabaratnam and @Amma Usman come back to you, I think since the question does not ask for it explicitly, you do not need to mention how HL could help them. However, if you can, I think it is desirable to do so. Firstly, the context in which commercial...
  2. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @KBanana those are definitely some interesting questions, here's my thoughts on them: 1. To come up with a good answer to this question, I think you need to identify both (a) a challenge that is actually be relevant, in that it would both have a significant impact on your performance if you...
  3. Andrei Radu

    A complete guide for competency interview preparation

    This is a guide for the purposes of preparing for competency interviews, be they in a VI, another intermediary step or an AC/final stage interview. The advice here is based on my personal approach, as I received VS offers from top US/MC firms 4/4 times I implemented it. This will include: A...
  4. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I have no experience applying for Sullivan & Cromwell, but on a quick read of a few US and UK-based legal press sources, it seems to me that the 'generalist approach' concept is very close to Slaughter and May's 'multispecialist approach'. Essentially, at Sullivan & Cromwell lawyers will be...
  5. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Last year Latham may have had a different application review policy for open day attendees and normal applicants, in that the former received a response much sooner than the latter. Anecdotally, it also seems like the open day attendees group was overrepresented (even when accounting for the...
  6. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Last year I passed the application stage with Willkie. I think what made my application progress was that I made sure to include all the elements of a good written answer. In particular, for the 'why the firm' question, I focused on: Identifying the firm's unique selling points (USPs)...
  7. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think this basically asks you to answer the usual 'Why you?' 'Why commercial law?' 'Why the firm?' questions. However, given the short word count limit and the framing of the question in terms of explaining "who you are", I agree with @Tintin06 that you should try to showcase a narrative...
  8. Andrei Radu

    Vac scheme or Direct TC?

    My advice is to focus the majority of your time and efforts on vacation schemes. The majority of firms either exclusively recruits from the VS route or have a strong preference for that recruitment line and only consider direct TCs applications for leftover places - and this trend of increasing...
  9. Andrei Radu

    Visa sponsorship

    If your questions is as to what firms offer visa sponsorship, I think the vast majority of large firms in the City will (so the Magic Circle, Silver Circle, large US, large international etc). Besides those, many of the smaller US firms will also sponsor your visa. Finally, many of the smaller...
  10. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    @Jessica Booker will be able to tell you more but from what I know it is common for firms to take 1-2 weeks to get back to you post-AC. For one of the firms I was interviewing with it took around a month and I actually ended up getting an offer (although I had been notified before by the...
  11. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I do not see any reason why they could not, and I very much suspect that sometimes they do. Even if not intentionally, lawyers at all levels at MC firms leave every year. When top partners are poached, it is not uncommon for them to bring over to the new firm entire teams of associates in their...
  12. Andrei Radu

    Ask 4 future trainees ANYTHING! *New TCLA Team Members*

    Hi @allwillbewell! I think what the law firm means by it depends on the context, but I think it is likely it refers to one of the two related concepts: Multidisciplinary approach to client service: Essentially, the idea here is that clients (and especially clients in the financial sector) are...
  13. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I completely agree with @IneedaTCASAP's great response. Having gotten TC offers from a number of firms with low VS conversation rates, I observed that most of the very visible people, who would always make it a point to be seen and to try to impress those around them, tended not to get offers...
  14. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think there is a limit as to how much you can prepare for the WG - both because of the structure of the test itself and because of the limited availability of resources. There is also definitely a point of diminishing returns, as the time you invest in WG preparation can also be used for...
  15. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Just to add to @Jessica Booker's response, I think mentioning Chambers/Legal 500 rankings can be very useful for your reasoning around the firm's unique selling points in terms of practice areas strength and sector expertise. It is a way of evidencing your claims and placing the firm in the...
  16. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I would definitely advise you to let the firm know that you will unfortunately not be able to attend the open day. However, I would not make it a point to mention that the reason is a conflict with an event at another firm. I also cannot see any potential harm in asking if there is any...
  17. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    If you want to be able to reference the answers given to you in a subsequent VS application, I would advise you to ask for more insight about or just general questions around the firm's unique selling points that you think you could connect with your own interests, motivations and experiences...
  18. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I will also add to @Jessica Booker's comment that different firms have different policies for considering people who reapply after being rejected at different stages. Some will outright not consider people who were rejected in a vacation scheme or AC and some will consider it but advise you to...
  19. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi, I would say it is fine to repeat information from your CL in a video interview. The main purpose of video interviews is to assess how well you respond verbally to questions or prompts in a high pressure environment. Therefore, while bonus points may be awarded for particularly novel or...
  20. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I would not treat it completely like your standard 'Please tell us about your extracurriculars' section, but my answer would not be very far from that. I think just generally with application form answers the rule is you want depth over breath, so while I would try to choose the experiences...

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