2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[LS12]

Anyone else feel like they are literally just getting rejected from everywhere post app.

Think I have sent 20+ applications this cycle and have honestly tried 100% with all of them, in terms of research and having people read over them.

I definitely understand this feeling - keep telling myself it’s particularly competitive this year but not helping with my self esteem much lol

 

[Bonolaw]

Willkie written exercise invitation

Finally seem to be moving in the right direction with a firm.

 

[Lily721]

It could be worse, you could be the candidate who thought the recruiter was a friend playing a prank on them and who told the recruiter to F off 😂

Oh my LOL

Did they still get the offer?

 

[Renemccarthy]

Sorry if this has already been discussed - does anyone know if DWF consider the VI’s on a rolling basis?

Thank you.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Oh my LOL

Did they still get the offer?

Oh yes, it was quite funny although had to give them lots of reassurances I wasn’t going to retract their offer! There’s a whole range of stories I could tell about people reacting to offers.

If anything the ones you get worried about are the ones where people seem really unfazed/unbothered about it. Never felt entirely comfortable when it doesn’t seem to have stirred any type of emotional response out of them.

 

[djqb]

Has anybody heard back from King & Spalding?

 

[Lian Lian]

Yes, just email grad rec and ask for your report

Thank you! I've emailed them but they haven't gotten back to me yet. I will try again

 

[Matt_96]

Anyone else feel like they are literally just getting rejected from everywhere post app.

Think I have sent 20+ applications this cycle and have honestly tried 100% with all of them, in terms of research and having people read over them.

It's very frustrating. Moreso when you see all of these success stories abounding. I submitted my 29th app a few days ago, and in total I've only had one interview at all this cycle so far and 10 rejections. But at the end of the day, there is only so much you can control and you just have to try and take everything as a learning experience.

 

[Helpme12345]

Guys, a very random question but out of interest, how did you react when you got a VS offer or a TC offer? I wonder what my actual reaction will be and would love to hear some of yours 🤩

Bit of a different reaction to everyone else but when I got my vac scheme offer this year I had imposter syndrome to the extreme to the point where I just cried because I didn’t think I deserved it and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t happy... after a few days it settled in a bit and now I’m over the moon but just to highlight what this process does to everyone!

 

[Jacob Miller]

guys I'm prepping for a video interview and I was thinking about the question 'why law' - is this the same as 'why commercial law?' or 'why international commercial law?'
furthermore, if I'm applying to an international commercial law firm, would they even ask me 'why law' or would it be implied that they mean 'why international commercial law?'

I tended to answer it on two levels: first, why law in general, and then why commercial law as the specialism therein. I always tended to interpret it as why commercial law even where that wasn't explicit. Most interviewers would be more than able to ask a follow up of "why commercial law?" within that if they felt it necessary.

 

[Naomi U]

if a firm's AC is based around presenting a recent legal update, how recent should this update be? could it be something from like October or would that be too far off now?

Hiya!

I think ideally you want to use a story that has progressed over time as this gives you more scope to cover during your discussion. So I definitely don't think October is too far off if thats when the initial story happened, so long as you are able to account for the present updates.

Hope this helps! ☺️

 

[Jacob Miller]

Hey guys! Looking for some advice that's maybe slightly different from my usual qs about big firms 😂

So when I was at a law fair this year I met a firm that's smaller, more regional, but extremely highly ranked with a whole bunch of training awards. I really, really like them, but this year having had the opportunity to apply to a bunch of midsize UK firms something I get questioned a LOT on is whether I really want to work there as opposed to a big corporate. From what I can discern from what I typically get asked, this seems to be because I speak a lot of languages, and for some reason firms seem to think this automatically translates (pardon the pun) to me wanting to work internationally. While international work is cool and I'd probably do it given the opportunity, I'm not applying to firms solely for that specific possibility!

When I looked at this regional firm's app form it did ask me to disclose what languages I speak and I'm immediately feeling hesitant because I'm getting flashbacks to my last interview with a UK firm where I was asked almost 3 times 'are you SURE you wouldn't prefer an international firm rather than us, given you speak Xish and Yese?'. But at the same time, it would be incredibly questionable for me to leave at least 2 of them off the app form considering I took them for A Level. This firm's application form doesn't really have a place where I could explain 'I learned this before I wanted to become a solicitor/this is my home language' so I'm worried they'll immediately go 'we don't do international work so this gal's clearly not going to be interested'.
So now I'm in a total conundrum: if you guys were in this situation, what would you do? Has anyone else had a similar experience? Or do you think the firm will probably see it as a positive and not care at all?

Personally, I would put them down. At the end of the day, they're skills you've worked very hard to achieve and should be proud of. If you feel you can truthfully and authentically justify why you're interested in those firms, it shouldn't be an issue!

 

[33c]

FYI- Just spoke to Kirkland's grad rec and they only held 3 ACs and it sounds like they won't be holding any more.

 

[Jacob Miller]

Sorry to go back to the previous LinkedIn discussion, but this is the best I've ever seen. View attachment 2935

This is phenomenal 😂😂😂

 

[p9b]

Anyone else feel like they are literally just getting rejected from everywhere post app.

Think I have sent 20+ applications this cycle and have honestly tried 100% with all of them, in terms of research and having people read over them.

Hey, i know how you feel. I felt the same, after receiving nearly 10 rejections in a row, i finally got an AC and then a VS. It’s the only successful app i’ve had. I know it’s disheartening but just remain hopeful, all you need is one yes! It does make me wonder though, how can one firm accept me and all these others reject me when my applications are very similarly written 😅

 

[breadpitt]

Does anyone know if Linklaters is still holding Acs? Are the people on hold just waiting for an impending rejection at this point?

 

[GK8997]

FYI- Just spoke to Kirkland's grad rec and they only held 3 ACs and it sounds like they won't be holding any more.

Is this for their spring and summer schemes?

 

[Naomi U]

Hey guys! Looking for some advice that's maybe slightly different from my usual qs about big firms 😂

So when I was at a law fair this year I met a firm that's smaller, more regional, but extremely highly ranked with a whole bunch of training awards. I really, really like them, but this year having had the opportunity to apply to a bunch of midsize UK firms something I get questioned a LOT on is whether I really want to work there as opposed to a big corporate. From what I can discern from what I typically get asked, this seems to be because I speak a lot of languages, and for some reason firms seem to think this automatically translates (pardon the pun) to me wanting to work internationally. While international work is cool and I'd probably do it given the opportunity, I'm not applying to firms solely for that specific possibility!

When I looked at this regional firm's app form it did ask me to disclose what languages I speak and I'm immediately feeling hesitant because I'm getting flashbacks to my last interview with a UK firm where I was asked almost 3 times 'are you SURE you wouldn't prefer an international firm rather than us, given you speak Xish and Yese?'. But at the same time, it would be incredibly questionable for me to leave at least 2 of them off the app form considering I took them for A Level. This firm's application form doesn't really have a place where I could explain 'I learned this before I wanted to become a solicitor/this is my home language' so I'm worried they'll immediately go 'we don't do international work so this gal's clearly not going to be interested'.
So now I'm in a total conundrum: if you guys were in this situation, what would you do? Has anyone else had a similar experience? Or do you think the firm will probably see it as a positive and not care at all?

Hiya!

I agree with the above comments.

I would definitely put them down. I don't see anything wrong or negative with doing so- it's an asset and something you should be very proud of (being totally honest I've always been very jealous of multilingual speakers 😅, not my forte but I'm learning!).

 

[Jacob Miller]

Guys, a very random question but out of interest, how did you react when you got a VS offer or a TC offer? I wonder what my actual reaction will be and would love to hear some of yours 🤩

I've mentioned the story about my TC offer a few times (tl;dr got absolutely hammered when the phonecall ended).

My VS offers were a bit different though. The night I got my Travers VS offer, I was actually in the car on my own driving to Edinburgh to help present a guest lecture on trading the financial markets to the Edinburgh Uni Trade and Investment Society. I think the audience must have thought I was an absolute loony cutting about with a massive permanent grin!

 

[33c]

Is this for their spring and summer schemes?

I applied for summer so I assume so but can't be 100% sure.