2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[pe17797]

Does anyone have any experience of the Taylor Wessing assessment centre?

 

[Holly]

i'm a second year law student and haven't yet managed to secure any legal experience/vs, what are my chances as a third year student applying for vs?

This is perfectly common and normal Focus on getting great grades in your exams and coursework for the remainder of the year.

Many final year students, graduates and career changers secure vacation schemes. It’s less about what stage you are at and more about the skills you bring to the table.

Hope you’re feeling okay and best of luck with your apps going forward!

 

[Sebastian Clark]

Does anyone know whether firms look at your GDL grade or do you just need to pass?

Most firms aren’t explicit, usually just a pass. That being said, I got a highish pass (but with a 44 in contract law lol) and have been rejected at the application stage for pretty much every firm I’ve had to input the module breakdown for 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[LawGrad2019]

Does anyone have any experience of the Taylor Wessing assessment centre?

Hey!

Do you mind if I ask when you were invited? I haven't heard from them since the GBA.

I did do an AC with them last year (rejected afterwards), feel free to DM me

 

[Lawyer101]

Bird & Bird Spring VS offer!

 

[Soccerox73]

Hi, does anyone know long HSF usually take to get back to people after the AC? I know in the past they’ve told people the same day but I’m curious about whether this is usually the case- thanks!

Hey, I did their AC last year and it's as fast as they promise - I heard back a couple of hours after my AC, before I had even arrived home!

 

[Holly]

Bird & Bird Spring VS offer!

Amazing congrats 🥳

 

[Lillith]

Hey, I did their AC last year and it's as fast as they promise - I heard back a couple of hours after my AC, before I had even arrived home!

Great, thank you!

 

[Mena M]

This is perfectly common and normal Focus on getting great grades in your exams and coursework for the remainder of the year.

Many final year students, graduates and career changers secure vacation schemes. It’s less about what stage you are at and more about the skills you bring to the table.

Hope you’re feeling okay and best of luck with your apps going forward!

Thank you, Holly. I appreciate this.

 

[mia99]

Has anyone heard back from Winckworth Sherwood?

Do you mean post-interview or at application stage?

 

[Kubed]

When did they respond to you? I’ve not heard anything

I'm in the same boat as you - a few others here heard on Friday but nothing for me yet. Hopefully we hear soon!

 

[ilovetheDLR]

i'm a second year law student and haven't yet managed to secure any legal experience/vs, what are my chances as a third year student applying for vs?

I'd say just as good as anyone's , last year I had no legal experience but managed to get a vac scheme as a final year

I agree with this. However, there are many other things you can be doing to improve your chances even more.

You still have time to find some work experience - doesn't have to be at the biggest law firms but can be at smaller high street firms or legal clinics. In fact, it doesn't even have to be legal. If you can get work experiences in professional services experience e.g. marketing, accounting, audit, consulting and the like then they will have plenty of transferrable skills you can leverage. If you have part-time employment then they are also really good to demonstrate transferrable skills. Depending on your background, there are also organisations that can help you gain experience such as Aspiring Solicitors, SEO London, upReach etc. There are also plenty of virtual experiences that you can get through the Legal Cheek Vacation Scheme/Bright Network Internships and Forage. White & Case have said that they'll recognise these (especially their Forage one) as real experience and with firms that don't necessarily recognise it as proper work experience, it will still show them that you're interested in the career. Apply to lots of open days and insight events as well, you'll build your network and get your foot in the door which is a great start!

Apart from work experience, make sure you get involved in societies/sports teams and take leadership positions if you can. They will also help with demonstrating transferrable skills. If your university/uni law society run competitions (negotiations/mooting/commercial awareness) get involved as it'll give you something else to talk about in apps and if you win that's even more impressive. It's also a good idea to get involved in any pro-bono activities your uni might be running, be that helping out in legal clinics or providing free consulting services to small local businesses.

I think GR recognise that getting a VS is super hard but if you can show that you've got good grades (at least a 2:1 in second year is also v important), the transferrable skills through work experiences and extra-curriculars and a genuine commitment to the industry (through open days etc.) then you will have higher chances imo.

 

[Adrian_Healey]

Bird & Bird Spring VS offer!

Can I ask when was your AC?
Have mine tomorrow would be nice to know how long I can expect to wait for a reply lmao

 

[Lawyer101]

Can I ask when was your AC?
Have mine tomorrow would be nice to know how long I can expect to wait for a reply lmao

Hey! I completed my AC on the 3rd Feb - so just under 3 weeks. Best of luck for your AC!

 

[sam970]

I'm in the same boat as you - a few others here heard on Friday but nothing for me yet. Hopefully we hear soon!

Fingers crossed! Hopefully it’s just Birmingham being late with their responses ;/

 

[Haz]

When I booked my AC last week for Ashurst there were still some AC slots available for the coming weeks! I can't remember the dates off the top of my head but they defo ran into mid- March.

I booked my AC today and the only option was Friday 5th March

 

[jcatherine]

I booked my AC today and the only option was Friday 5th March

oh wow for summer schemes in london?

 

[Haz]

oh wow for summer schemes in london?

Yep. Although that of course might not mean it's the last 1 entirely, but for some reason I didn't have a choice

 

[andrewegga]

just got rejected by slaughter and may for its easter scheme lol

 

[LawGrad2019]

Any word from Hill Dickinson (Manchester)?