2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[sberry1992]

Nope and I don't think they've reviewed them

What makes you say that?

 

[Dheepa]

Had a couple nightmares on my VS with a US firm the other week that I just remembered to post on here for the general amusement of TCLA... I actually really liked the firm come the scheme's conclusion, which leads to the first two problems - only 3 out of 16 of us will get the TC and we'll all have to wait until the end of the firm's final vac scheme in June for them to make TC decisions (so much for requesting the spring scheme with the hope of having something by now... but at least they have been clear about the time frame which I appreciate)!

Something that completely threw me was when, towards the end of my TC interview, one of my interviewers asked about my extracurricular interests and said 'It seems that you are too multi-talented to work here. You will find that the work we do is actually really boring and you will leave after a couple years, am I right?' and I had no idea what to say so I mumbled something about how I simply enjoy these hobbies as an outlet from work, to which he said 'But you won't have time to keep any of them up when you are working 16 hours a day' 🤣

...so I'm glad to have some clarity about what my life will look like if I eventually succeed in getting a TC - if only I somehow beat the impossible odds after a painful 2.5 months of waiting!

Congrats on getting through the VS and what sounds like a very painful TC interview! Dare I ask what firm this was? Completely fine if you're not comfortable sharing of course! Also I'm curious about the odds here, how do you know for sure that only 3 people out of the 16 will be made an offer?

 

[Kola]

N/A

Had a couple nightmares on my VS with a US firm the other week that I just remembered to post on here for the general amusement of TCLA... I actually really liked the firm come the scheme's conclusion, which leads to the first two problems - only 3 out of 16 of us will get the TC and we'll all have to wait until the end of the firm's final vac scheme in June for them to make TC decisions (so much for requesting the spring scheme with the hope of having something by now... but at least they have been clear about the time frame which I appreciate)!

Something that completely threw me was when, towards the end of my TC interview, one of my interviewers asked about my extracurricular interests and said 'It seems that you are too multi-talented to work here. You will find that the work we do is actually really boring and you will leave after a couple years, am I right?' and I had no idea what to say so I mumbled something about how I simply enjoy these hobbies as an outlet from work, to which he said 'But you won't have time to keep any of them up when you are working 16 hours a day' 🤣

...so I'm glad to have some clarity about what my life will look like if I eventually succeed in getting a TC - if only I somehow beat the impossible odds after a painful 2.5 months of waiting!

Argh, this gave me PTSD flashbacks to one of my interviews where they asked a similar question. Yours was an even tougher one though! What did you say to their response?

 

[Asil Ahmad]

For those who applied to Orrick what did you lot discuss in the covering letter as there are questions in the application about commercial law and why Orrick.

 

[John Travoni]

Looks like we will be finding out news from Lewis Silkin either tmoro or Wednesday😬

 

[M1999]

Had a couple nightmares on my VS with a US firm the other week that I just remembered to post on here for the general amusement of TCLA... I actually really liked the firm come the scheme's conclusion, which leads to the first two problems - only 3 out of 16 of us will get the TC and we'll all have to wait until the end of the firm's final vac scheme in June for them to make TC decisions (so much for requesting the spring scheme with the hope of having something by now... but at least they have been clear about the time frame which I appreciate)!

Something that completely threw me was when, towards the end of my TC interview, one of my interviewers asked about my extracurricular interests and said 'It seems that you are too multi-talented to work here. You will find that the work we do is actually really boring and you will leave after a couple years, am I right?' and I had no idea what to say so I mumbled something about how I simply enjoy these hobbies as an outlet from work, to which he said 'But you won't have time to keep any of them up when you are working 16 hours a day' 🤣

...so I'm glad to have some clarity about what my life will look like if I eventually succeed in getting a TC - if only I somehow beat the impossible odds after a painful 2.5 months of waiting!

I love how on the internet trainees say they rarely leave work after 8pm and then you get these little pockets of truth! I don’t even know what the truth is anymore !

 

[whisperingrock]

I love how on the internet trainees say they rarely leave work after 8pm and then you get these little pockets of truth! I don’t even know what the truth is anymore !

Depends on the firm.

 

[Jony]

I love how on the internet trainees say they rarely leave work after 8pm and then you get these little pockets of truth! I don’t even know what the truth is anymore !

I just finished my Skadden vac scheme (which was honestly SO awesome) and I worked no less than 12 hour days for the entire scheme: this is subjective to your department - whatever seat you're in will determine how long you work. For example, corporate now is MEGA busy with SPAC season and general M&A recovery.

Also, if you want to join a US firm, you're basically saying you want to get paid regardless of the hours

 

[JayC]

I just finished my Skadden vac scheme (which was honestly SO awesome) and I worked no less than 12 hour days for the entire scheme: this is subjective to your department - whatever seat you're in will determine how long you work. For example, corporate now is MEGA busy with SPAC season and general M&A recovery.

Also, if you want to join a US firm, you're basically saying you want to get paid regardless of the hours

I love how on the internet trainees say they rarely leave work after 8pm and then you get these little pockets of truth! I don’t even know what the truth is anymore !

Ah yes I forgot to clarify that I was working until 1am most nights during my vac scheme and starting at 9 (thank goodness it was just a week, although the weekend following the scheme was also taken up completing a lengthy research project due Monday morning) 🤣

 

[JayC]

Congrats on getting through the VS and what sounds like a very painful TC interview! Dare I ask what firm this was? Completely fine if you're not comfortable sharing of course! Also I'm curious about the odds here, how do you know for sure that only 3 people out of the 16 will be made an offer?

Thank you haha of course I will message you

 

[Celestie]

I just finished my Skadden vac scheme (which was honestly SO awesome) and I worked no less than 12 hour days for the entire scheme: this is subjective to your department - whatever seat you're in will determine how long you work. For example, corporate now is MEGA busy with SPAC season and general M&A recovery.

Also, if you want to join a US firm, you're basically saying you want to get paid regardless of the hours

I didn't even work in M&A and I worked 10-11 hour days on my VS... but then again my department had a big case/deal going on. I guess this is where commercial awareness big brain time is really important in real-life application

 

[Nuzi99]

Rejected from WBD after video interview 😞

 

[JayC]

N/A


Argh, this gave me PTSD flashbacks to one of my interviews where they asked a similar question. Yours was an even tougher one though! What did you say to their response?

I said that I had made my decision and committed myself to a career in commercial law and that I would be more than happy to keep up my hobbies on the occasional sunday or during holiday... not much more I could say!

 

[_Lolly]

Hi, this coming cycle will be my third applying to city law firms. I have meanwhile been offered a job as a paralegal at a big US firm in London and another as a paralegal for a decent regional firm outside of London.

I’m concerned that the extra travel time (1-2 hours)and the overtime/increased workload at the US firm (which has been eluded to during my interview) would severely reduce my free time spent on making applications to city firms.

On the other hand, the regional firm is local to me and has offered the flexibility of wfh more regularly. The experience is however not as good because I am aiming to get a TC in a London city firm.

Any advice will be hugely appreciated!

 

[Abbie4329]

Hi, this coming cycle will be my third applying to city law firms. I have meanwhile been offered a job as a paralegal at a big US firm in London and another as a paralegal for a decent regional firm outside of London.

I’m concerned that the extra travel time (1-2 hours)and the overtime/increased workload at the US firm (which has been eluded to during my interview) would severely reduce my free time spent on making applications to city firms.

On the other hand, the regional firm is local to me and has offered the flexibility of wfh more regularly. The experience is however not as good because I am aiming to get a TC in a London city firm.

Any advice will be hugely appreciated!

I’d picked the US firm if I were you. It will be better experience and I suspect you’ll be doing largely the same job as an actual trainee. Assuming the extra travel time is by train would you be able to spend that time researching / writing apps instead? Also would the US firm consider the SQE route as paralegalling would count towards the work experience required (assuming you would want to be a lawyer at that particular firm)?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, this coming cycle will be my third applying to city law firms. I have meanwhile been offered a job as a paralegal at a big US firm in London and another as a paralegal for a decent regional firm outside of London.

I’m concerned that the extra travel time (1-2 hours)and the overtime/increased workload at the US firm (which has been eluded to during my interview) would severely reduce my free time spent on making applications to city firms.

On the other hand, the regional firm is local to me and has offered the flexibility of wfh more regularly. The experience is however not as good because I am aiming to get a TC in a London city firm.

Any advice will be hugely appreciated!

If you are aiming for the city, then the answer is the US firm. Use things like holiday allowances as time off to complete applications. A half day every other week for instance wouldn't put too big a dent in your holiday allowance. Or ask to see whether you can do reduced hours and say only work a half day on a Friday to allow you the time to concentrate on applications.

 

[thatwonder_woman]

This talk about hours/ work life balance is why i am sceptical when City firms say they take mental health seriously 😭😭😭 I mean, i am fasting 16 hours a day at the moment and it honestly makes me wonder how people doing that + working those long hours do it. I remember reading a comment on here about how things won’t change until clients change, which makes me wonder, is that ever going to happen?

 

[law89]

Has anyone heard back from Gateley post AC yet?

 

[HopeLaw1997]

Just received a Dechert video interview! total shock!! Any tips or insights would be amazing for this as i find video interviews very hard!
What kinds of questions do they ask etc... Thank you!!

 

[StudentOfLaw21]

I am setting up a mock AC with the help of a LinkedIn mentor. This is for those who have been invited to the WBD AC, but if you have an AC coming up you are more than welcome to join.

If you'd like more info, please message me

on another note - I don't want this thread to end!