2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Jessica Booker]

Ok ok thanks. I'm curious, why so much detail?

Because being traceable is highly important. For all they know you could be changing addresses as part of some form of fraudlent activity that would make you unsuitable for a career as a solicitor.

 

[JayC]

I mean, it probably also doesn't hurt that the LCIA is there, which is one of the pre-eminent global arbitration centres and there is already a really strong offering for insurance and shipping arbitrations in London too. AFAIK about the barristers however, it tends to only be those who aren't doing that well go in house as newly qualifieds. The line between law firms and independent practice is becoming more blurred, for sure, but you can still earn so much more at a far earlier stage at the bar if you're good enough to get into a commercial set. Before I decided to focus on becoming a solicitor I did a few mini-pupillages and this one barrister I shadowed at a mid-ranking London chambers that does commercial work bragged that he made over £150k in his first year of tenancy while still taking the entire month of August off. It was a real eye-opener! I almost didn't believe him until I saw the costs order on the case I was observing...

Those positions are pretty impossible to get even compared to the TC hunt - and I think it would be hard to say a barrister isn’t doing well if they land a role at Debevoise! Far more career security at least

 

[FM302989]

Was the Fox Williams error checking test really time pressured or is that just me? I think I wasn’t able to answer two questions before the timer ran out.

I'm glad I'm not the only one!! It was such a short amount of time to answer all the questions - especially the ones with numbers!

Those were disgustingly, sweaty tests. I'm really not fond of "assessments" where I guess they're designed for you to not be able to finish them

 

[Jessica Booker]

Those were disgustingly, sweaty tests. I'm really not fond of "assessments" where I guess they're designed for you to not be able to finish them

That is pretty much any assessment!

 

[FM302989]

That is pretty much any assessment!

Hold on a moment, I just need to take an ice bath to cool down from that assessment!

 

[SamTam99]

Those were disgustingly, sweaty tests. I'm really not fond of "assessments" where I guess they're designed for you to not be able to finish them

Agreed! Found the error checking one especially hard, 90 seconds to answer 8 questions is actually just so cruel 🤣😭

 

[Lawstudent99!]

Please can someone provide some insight into how to prepare for an assessment day with WBD? Like what sort of activities to prepare for? It’s my first assessment day and I am really nervous.

 

[to law or not to law?]

Please can someone provide some insight into how to prepare for an assessment day with WBD? Like what sort of activities to prepare for? It’s my first assessment day and I am really nervous.

Have they sent out invitations yet?

 

[Velikilawyer123]

Because being traceable is highly important. For all they know you could be changing addresses as part of some form of fraudlent activity that would make you unsuitable for a career as a solicitor.

Hmm that's interesting, what if you were staying at an Airbnb for, say, a month while searching for a suitable place. Would you have to include that as well? Or would that be more on the side of short / informal stay?

 

[chi.c]

Applied to 20 firms and still have zero offers. Been feeling seriously demoralised especially as I'm a 3rd year law student. Is anyone on the same boat?

 

[CharlotteLegal]

Applied to 20 firms and still have zero offers. Been feeling seriously demoralised especially as I'm a 3rd year law student. Is anyone on the same boat?

I just wanna say pls don’t feel rushed to have a TC in third year. You are so so young. I converted and did the MA but I genuinely think I wasn't ready then, and I’m glad I have some legal work exp now post Uni to build on. Don’t treat it as the be all end all, because it isn’t! ❤️

 

[to law or not to law?]

Anyone heard back from WBD yet?

 

[magdalenite2017]

Just got invited to an interview with Gibson! I applied long before their deadline so I was just waiting for a PFO but I guess miracles happen.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hmm that's interesting, what if you were staying at an Airbnb for, say, a month while searching for a suitable place. Would you have to include that as well? Or would that be more on the side of short / informal stay?

That would be an informal stay, like a holiday. You would never be formally registered as living there (unless the local law says you have to).

 

[LegalLordLox]

Anyone heard back from WBD yet?

No not that I am aware of? The video update they sent us said we should hear back by Wednesday.

 

[Legalmel_99]

Gook luck everyone! Feel like since it’s the last week of the month/start of a new month we will hear from a few firms 😅

 

[Aquareed]

Please can someone provide some insight into how to prepare for an assessment day with WBD? Like what sort of activities to prepare for? It’s my first assessment day and I am really nervous.

Hey! Sorry I don’t know anything about WBD but can give some insight into generally preparing for ACs! I had two ACs and an interview last summer, and this is basically what I did

General Commercial Prep:

I kept up to date with the news like everyone says - mostly just BBC news everyday, but if there was a particular story I was interested in, I would read further on the FT + various news sources. I also listened to the FT news briefing podcast on my morning walks, which I really found helpful. One of the firms I had an AC at also had a podcast, so I listened to the episodes in stuff I was interested in. If you’re living with your family / friends and any of them read the news, practise talking about it with them.

I also bought and read the Commercial Law Handbook by Jake Schogger, which is a good overview, and All You Need to Know About the City by Christopher Stoakes, which is in places a lot more detail than you’ll need, but very good in bits. I did this reading far ahead of the AC though, so if it’s 3 days away don’t waste your time reading books!

AC specific prep:

Honestly the thing which helped me most here was reading other people’s accounts of their interview and ACs here on TCLA by trawling through the interview experiences threads. Through doing that I got an understanding of what activities tend to come up, and what the firm is looking for. Firm dependent obvs you can reasonably expect an interview, a case study, a group exercise and a written exercise (I got all 4), but reading through a bunch of people’s experiences really helped me understand what firms are looking for from you. Reading people discussing your specific firm’s ACs will be the most helpful, cause you’ll hopefully get a feel for the kind of person and skills they’re looking for.

I also did a practice interview and AC with BPP, where I was studying then, which I think helped. Printed off all the top 100 interview questions and made my family drill me on them (I prepared written responses for the 10 most likely to come up and memorised them.) Printed off my application and read through it multiple times.

Firm:

I read up on all the notes I made on the firm when writing my application. Had a google news update on their name so I was always alerted when a new story came up.

Mostly I just thought about the areas my firm was strong in, and tried to figure out how the news stories I was reading affected them, what departments would be busy and what would be suffering. Had a look on the articles on the firm’s website, which were mostly way too detailed, but I guess did help me figure out what the firm was thinking about?

I was so nervous I was physically sick before my first AC lol - but remember everyone will feel the same! Try do good prep, get a good night’s sleep the night before and have a good breakfast - that’s all you can control!

 

[to law or not to law?]

No not that I am aware of? The video update they sent us said we should hear back by Wednesday.

Ok thanks, I saw someone here say they had gotten an AC so I started panicking haha

 

[Lillith]

Does anyone know what the VS to TC conversion rate is for Baker McKenzie?

 

[GK8997]

Does anyone know what the VS to TC conversion rate is for Baker McKenzie?

I don't know for certain but I remember at an open day they mentioned that if they like you they'll find a way to keep you- I think year before this they kept all but 1 VS participant but obviously not completely sure I think @Dheepa will be better placed to answer this!