2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[LegalNim]

I have such a range of grades (49% to 84%) and have had ACs with MC and US firms whilst also having a VS last year! So it really depends more on the individual firm rather than the group!

I agree with this. My grades range from 42% to 95% - there were some where I got the lowest mark in my cohort and some where I got the highest (including my dissertation). I have more 2:2s than 2:1s, but more 1st than either 2:2s or 2:1s. I've progressed beyond the application stage with MC and US firms.

 

[Daniel Boden]

Thanks for this!

I don't know if it is me or my friendship with imposter syndrome. I'm listening to FT podcast and reading more closely about my interests - hopefully this is enough and I will be reading more specific once the AC invite hopefully comes thro.

Edit: Forgot to add - the part in commercial awareness about impact on firms/clients, am I am able to go somewhere to find this out/check my analysis? I mostly read FT and it doesn't have this.

Only thing I'd add to @Jacob Miller's great post is if you've got interviews with PE-focussed firms then definitely have a look at how there's been a huge surge in PE transactional work and restructuring as a result of COVID especially if the firm has PE clients. For instance, Kirkland is tipped to have had its biggest ever year in terms of revenue due to this massive increase in PE/restructuring work and has supposedly crossed the $5 billion mark which is mad really

Re your edit question, check out Watson's Daily / Watson's Daily podcast as the discussions he has with various guests are excellent as to how to interpret a story and it's potential impact

 

[Andrew M]

Anyone else got a Mills & Reeve AC next week?

Yeah, I'm booked on for Wednesday morning. Quite nervous for that one!

 

[Daniel Boden]

Thanks!

You guys are referring to the newsletter which anyone can sign up to for free?

Would also recommend signing up to the FT's Due Diligence newsletter if you're able to access it! It's brilliant for transactional/M&A news and stories

 

[Daniel Boden]

Thank you! I was just worried because even though I have consistently scored 2:1 (albeit on the lower end), I barely have any firsts in my module! Just thought that will be a concern. But thank you so much for the clarification, definitely eases my worries.

Yeah for some firms it's more of a box-tick exercise but for others it's a key differentiator but having consistent 2.1s won't be an issue for the majority of firms I imagine

 

[Daniel Boden]

Got the vac scheme offer a week after my AC!

Congrats!

 

[Daniel Boden]

Is it free??

Yep it's free to sign up to the newsletter

 

[JoNo]

Grades are definitely looked at closely.

A overall 2.2 in your second or third year will not be ideal. Occasional module is fine, but a 2.2 average in a year will be a concern for many firms, even if you did average a 2.1 by the end of your degree.

From your own experience, what firms prefer high 2:1 and firsts? Is Freshfields one of them?

 

[Soriginal234]

Grades are definitely looked at closely.

A overall 2.2 in your second or third year will not be ideal. Occasional module is fine, but a 2.2 average in a year will be a concern for many firms, even if you did average a 2.1 by the end of your degree.

I assume this is the case particularly when you do not have serious mitigating circumstances that contributed to your lower grades?
I am in a similar situation, however there have been circumstances beyond my control that have contributed.

 

[Samantha]

Has ANYONE else still not heard back from Cleary?

 

[NSinger]

Random one but does anyone know how many places there are on CMS academy? trying to work out TC conversion rate so I can add to my stress

I think roughly 100

 

[BiancaR]

PFO from Withers today!
I think my applications were immensely better this year, but just not quite to the standard they needed to be at. Just out of curiosity, for those people who have gone from no AC invites in one cycle to multiple AC invites in the next, how did you manage to improve your applications without direct feedback from the firms? And is it worth applying for a firm's TC if I've been rejected for a vac scheme?

 

[E.A]

Know I wasn’t tagged but would really reiterate some of the sources Jacob said - immensely recommend Finimize, the daily FT podcast is great whilst having a coffee in the morning, also I went through Investopedia’s dictionary terms to make sure I understood any business terms that could have came up, and listened to podcasts like Americast and Reasons to be Cheerful. They were all I used to participate in the AS commercial awareness competition and for TC apps and ACs.

definitely agree about picking out a few commercial areas for a bit of a deep dive - the ones I did were AI in law and tech risk, and climate change, and tried to look at how these things could affect individual clients (and tried to find clients the firm worked with to specifically mention), and cause new trends in business, also looking at what law firms could pre-emptively advise on to help clients stay ahead.

hope this even vaguely helps!! 😘 good luck I’m sure you’ll do grand!

Daily FT podcast and Watson's daily is incredible! FT articles too but I find Watson's reeaally easy to digest. + the weekly TCLA letter. That's it for me as otherwise I get info fatigue 😵

 

[Jessica Booker]

I assume this is the case particularly when you do not have serious mitigating circumstances that contributed to your lower grades?
I am in a similar situation, however there have been circumstances beyond my control that have contributed.

It’s a completely different situation if there is extenuating circumstances.

 

[Jessica Booker]

From your own experience, what firms prefer high 2:1 and firsts? Is Freshfields one of them?

None of the firms I worked for required a high 2.1 or first

 

[SF1234]

How long do Freshfields take to get back to you post AC?

 

[PositiveVibesOnly]

Daily FT podcast and Watson's daily is incredible! FT articles too but I find Watson's reeaally easy to digest. + the weekly TCLA letter. That's it for me as otherwise I get info fatigue 😵

That’s entirely fair! Think the Commercial Awareness Competition made me go a little overboard - also just love podcast when on a walk so that helps!

 

[Haz]

PFO from Withers today!
I think my applications were immensely better this year, but just not quite to the standard they needed to be at. Just out of curiosity, for those people who have gone from no AC invites in one cycle to multiple AC invites in the next, how did you manage to improve your applications without direct feedback from the firms? And is it worth applying for a firm's TC if I've been rejected for a vac scheme?

Hey!

I applied to a few firms last year and quite frankly, had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I for one didn't know how competitive the industry was, but I also didn't understand the importance of research. Reading back through some of my applications last year is actually quite comical as the Grad Rec reading over it must have thrown some of them out within seconds (I didn't make it past the application stage in any of these)

This year, through attending a couple of open days (and finding TCLA), I've much better understood what's actually required. I really think that a large proportion of what you write (obviously depending on the question) needs to either be tailored to the firm itself, or to the legal profession more widely. It shows a proper interest in the profession. For example, last year I'd state a general interest in law's relationship with business but wouldn't really state why this was important. In comparison to this year, I'd make the same point and then discuss how possessing a business-driven mentality would have been important in a particular deal that firm was involved in, or something like that (just an example).

I'm by no means an expert at this, but have luckily managed 2 ACs so far, I'm waiting to hear back from a couple of firms post-VI and have thankfully only been rejected at the initial application a couple of times. I'd definitely have a go at reading back through some of your unsuccessful applications, and look for areas in which they might be a bit vague and not directly related to what's being asked. Also, it can be beneficial to link any experiences you've had (e.g., extra-curriculars or work) to the firm's core values if they're a key component of the firm. Once again, it shows the recruiters you've really tried to tailor your apps to the firm!

Obviously I have no idea whether your apps weren't tailored enough to the firm and it could potentially be something else, but this is something I really noticed with mine and therefore was my main focus of improvement this year (which appears to have helped me get to further stages)

 

[ab1147]

I wanted an opinion on this also like if you have a 2.2 in second or third year and you average a 2.1 overall in your degree will you be a weaker candidate and lead to rejection mainly for US and MC firms I think @Jessica Booker will be the best to answer this if possible.

If it makes you feel any better, I had an overall 2:2 in first year, including one module at a third and another which I actually failed. I managed to still get a 1st overall though, and I've still made it past application stage with a few firms despite really poor first year grades

 

[Lawstudent99!]

Hi guys, I have a video interview with Hill Dickinson coming up next week and was wondering if anyone had any tips to prepare?

what sort of questions do they normally ask?