2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Chidiogo Obidike]

Has anyone heard back from Hogan Lovells and Travers Smith regarding Winter Vacation Schemes? Also, has anyone heard from Macfarlanes for their direct TC? Graduate recruitment told me they do a couple of ACs around November.

I'm yet to hear from Macfarlanes as well..I wonder why that is.

 

[Chidiogo Obidike]

Hi,

I was wondering. If you're Nigerian who did undergraduate degree in Nigeria as well. How have you managed to fill the undergraduate courses %Grade columns?
My transcript doesn't %grades (60%,70%). It only shows grades (A,B).

Help!!

 

[gilo]

I forgot to mention I am currently studying the GDL in an application - should I leave a note?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Yup! Not sure what to make of it tbh, was invited to WG 3 weeks ago today and then completed it a few days after the invite

That’s no time at all for graduate recruiters at this time of year. I don’t think there is anything to make of it in all honesty.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi,

I was wondering. If you're Nigerian who did undergraduate degree in Nigeria as well. How have you managed to fill the undergraduate courses %Grade columns?
My transcript doesn't %grades (60%,70%). It only shows grades (A,B).

Help!!

They you just put your grades as you know them. Not all degrees convert to them percentages and firms know that.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I forgot to mention I am currently studying the GDL in an application - should I leave a note?

You definitely should include this in applications. It’s too late now, unless you can update the application yourself, this isn’t going to be something grad rec can easily update or remember. Do remember it in future applications though!

 

[Andrew M]

Can anyone explain how DWF's IPO and new resulting business structure has affected their business in a positive way? I understand that a lot of the employees are shareholders so that serves as incentive, but I am not sure what else is great?

Its often easier to manage investment in a public company, rather than a partnership model. It has allowed DWF to make some large acquisitions which it probably wouldn't have been able to under the old model. Partnerships are often quite risk averse, whereas companies tend to take bigger risks where there is a prospect for longer term success.

 

[CareerChanger]

Any advice for non-law career changers doing ACs? Got invited to my first one yesterday. Do things like producing written advice/mock client interviews tend to require a lot of legal knowledge?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Any advice for non-law career changers doing ACs? Got invited to my first one yesterday. Do things like producing written advice/mock client interviews tend to require a lot of legal knowledge?

As a non law graduate you won’t be expected to know technicalities of law, much more common sense of the issues that may come up from more of a commercial perspective.

 

[LegalNim]

Any advice for non-law career changers doing ACs? Got invited to my first one yesterday. Do things like producing written advice/mock client interviews tend to require a lot of legal knowledge?

Firms say that they don't but honestly, I think they do a bit. I had one last year where a client was requesting to know whether his overseas assets needed to be disclosed in family court proceedings. My instinct said yes, but I genuinely didn't know. So, that's what I wrote, saying I would check with a colleague and get back to them. When I asked Grad Rec for feedback when I was unsuccessful, they cited that not knowing that was my only negative and said it was only thing they could actually put their finger on - I was the last person to be cut from the list. I think that often when exercises are devised by people who pick up a lot of legal knowledge (either just from working in a firm or because they have legal qualifications), it's inevitable that occasionally they'll expect a level of legal knowledge without even recognising that they're requesting it.

However, in general, the ones I've done have needed commercial knowledge, client understanding and analytical skills more than anything else. You can't possibly learn everything law-related that might come up so I'd focus on those three skills.

 

[jan28]

Any advice for non-law career changers doing ACs? Got invited to my first one yesterday. Do things like producing written advice/mock client interviews tend to require a lot of legal knowledge?

Not a lot but often there will often be parts of contract law that you’ll be expected to know such as warranties, indemnities, the type of contracts e.g. SPAs and its content - I’m sure I’ve missed a few but do look through the forums there are heaps of case study advice good luck!!

edit - i should say you might be expected* depending on the type of case-study

 

[Jessica Booker]

To clarify on my earlier point, there may be legal technicalities in an exercise, but the expectations of what you will know will be different if you are a non-law undergrad versus a LPC grad whose worked in the profession. Firms tend to adjust expectations based on your education and experience.

 

[SouffléSouffléSoufflé]

Has anyone heard from Penningtons post-AC?

 

[Polyglot]

What were your strengths and weaknesses if you don’t mind me asking ?

I don't really want to talk about specifics on an open forum, but do feel free to PM me with your feedback and we can talk about my results as well.

My understanding of these tests is that they are designed to give 3 strengths and 1 weakness, but will not compare individuals against their cohort. Therefore, regardless of how well you performed in terms of matching the firm's requirements, you will always end up with 3 strengths and 1 weakness. The feedback will be individual to you. For example, if you score highly across the board, it may be that in your area of weakness you achieved a higher score than someone else, who had the same area marked as a strength, but scored low across the board.

Please feel free to correct me if I got the wrong end of the stick here.

 

[bethxx]

Which offices did you apply to? @Bethxwilde

Birmingham!

 

[MW110601]

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone had any advice or experience of my current situation.

I am a second year law student and this has been my first round of VS applications. I have applied for 5 schemes so far and already secured one VS for the Summer. I am so grateful for this opportunity, but as someone who is very critical of themselves I can't help but think this isn't enough and think that I need secure another, as I believe I can't just rely on the one VS to get me a TC. I also got through to VI stage for two firms but just received a rejection for one last night which is seriously making me doubt myself.

I know I should be proud and grateful for the one VS I already have, but does anyone have any advice of being in this situation where they are constantly thinking about the future and doubting their ability, rather than being proud of what they have achieved?

Not sure if I make any sense, I just feel like I'm constantly thinking about the next steps rather than being happy with the one VS that I have already achieved! It's like the human nature to constantly be striving for more and I don't think this mindset is doing me any good!

 

[tractor12]

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone had any advice or experience of my current situation.

I am a second year law student and this has been my first round of VS applications. I have applied for 5 schemes so far and already secured one VS for the Summer. I am so grateful for this opportunity, but as someone who is very critical of themselves I can't help but think this isn't enough and think that I need secure another, as I believe I can't just rely on the one VS to get me a TC. I also got through to VI stage for two firms but just received a rejection for one last night which is seriously making me doubt myself.

I know I should be proud and grateful for the one VS I already have, but does anyone have any advice of being in this situation where they are constantly thinking about the future and doubting their ability, rather than being proud of what they have achieved?

Not sure if I make any sense, I just feel like I'm constantly thinking about the next steps rather than being happy with the one VS that I have already achieved! It's like the human nature to constantly be striving for more and I don't think this mindset is doing me any good!

It's good to think things through and have contingency plans but at the same time the process is full of highs and lows so its important to really make the most of the highs! It's great you've already got one VS and on your first cycle as well. Do what you can in securing another but you still have a fantastic opportunity this summer regardless.

 

[haylaw]

Thrilled to share that I have just received an invitation to attend a Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) vacation scheme!

 

[Jony]

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone had any advice or experience of my current situation.

I am a second year law student and this has been my first round of VS applications. I have applied for 5 schemes so far and already secured one VS for the Summer. I am so grateful for this opportunity, but as someone who is very critical of themselves I can't help but think this isn't enough and think that I need secure another, as I believe I can't just rely on the one VS to get me a TC. I also got through to VI stage for two firms but just received a rejection for one last night which is seriously making me doubt myself.

I know I should be proud and grateful for the one VS I already have, but does anyone have any advice of being in this situation where they are constantly thinking about the future and doubting their ability, rather than being proud of what they have achieved?

Not sure if I make any sense, I just feel like I'm constantly thinking about the next steps rather than being happy with the one VS that I have already achieved! It's like the human nature to constantly be striving for more and I don't think this mindset is doing me any good!

Hey, you're already doing SO great!

As a 2nd year who applied for just 5 schemes and who clinched 1, you're already in the minority. So keep your head up!

I'm a third year who didn't apply for any schemes in my 2nd year because I wanted to hitchhike across Europe. I've thus far clinched one in my third year, and currently waiting for results from more! You have the winter season and even next year spring/summer to do so, so don't worry too much! Try to get the best out of your one scheme and make friends and learn as much as you can, and the right firm will open doors for you.

All the best!

 

[Andrew M]

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone had any advice or experience of my current situation.

I am a second year law student and this has been my first round of VS applications. I have applied for 5 schemes so far and already secured one VS for the Summer. I am so grateful for this opportunity, but as someone who is very critical of themselves I can't help but think this isn't enough and think that I need secure another, as I believe I can't just rely on the one VS to get me a TC. I also got through to VI stage for two firms but just received a rejection for one last night which is seriously making me doubt myself.

I know I should be proud and grateful for the one VS I already have, but does anyone have any advice of being in this situation where they are constantly thinking about the future and doubting their ability, rather than being proud of what they have achieved?

Not sure if I make any sense, I just feel like I'm constantly thinking about the next steps rather than being happy with the one VS that I have already achieved! It's like the human nature to constantly be striving for more and I don't think this mindset is doing me any good!

Just to add to what others have said... if you end up having to apply for firms again next year, it's really not the end of the world. Of course it isn't ideal. But it's actually quite refreshing starting with a fresh slate. By which I mean that you get to reapply to top preference firms that rejected you. So even if you don't convert your VS into a TC, you still have plenty of time (and a lot of positives to build on).