2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[breadpitt]

How would you guys tackle this question: What is the firm's ideal client?

 

[jan28]

90 secs

thank you SO much!! i attach a screenshot of a message from an amazon shop i received this morning which made me laugh and I wish you the same.

 

[Dheepa]

How would you guys tackle this question: What is the firm's ideal client?

A client that doesn’t ask for impossible discounts on fees maybe?

In all seriousness, I would think about this from the perspective of how the client can generate value for the firm. So maybe if it’s a growing company, large revenues, aggressive expansion strategies, influential founders (possible avenue in to other major companies as clients). All these things would mean that the firm can expect to continue doing large amounts of work for the client (ideally across different practice areas and different offices as well) for an extended period of time. I think this question essentially requires you to match what the firm in question does really well (it’s USPs) to what the client wants.

 

[lawyerlondon99]

Anyone with a Dechert Spring VS?

 

[futuretraineecity]

Anyone still not received Dechert VI?

 

[Jacob Miller]

Hey all, how would you suggest explaining to a firm why you're applying for a direct TC with them, but didn't apply for a VS with them, especially if you've managed to secure VSs with other firms during this cycle?

Truth be told I generally focused my VS efforts on firms which predominantly recruit from their VS and left those with no preference for direct TC applications, but just wondering how best to tackle that question should it come up.

And, actually, should I even mention if I've secured / have upcoming VSs with other firms when applying for a direct TC? Would I mention that under work experience?

Thanks!

@Jaysen @Jessica Booker @Jacob Miller @Neville Birdi

I would really just advise the same as Jess has here - just be honest. I've increasingly come round to the idea that firms aren't actually trying to trip you up with interview questions like these - i.e., they're not asking a loaded question. Often it will genuinely just be to pick up information about you

 

[Alex999]

Anyone still waiting on Kirkland?

 

[SaadN]

Anyone still not received Dechert VI?

Hi, not sure if this helps but I applied in early Dec and got my VI much later than other people who applied in late Dec. So they may be sending out VI invites in a non-chronological order.

Has anyone done a Dechert AC this cycle and can provide any tips or insights please?

 

[KerC14]

Is it okay to apply for a paralegal role at a firm you're still waiting to hear back from about a VS/TC app?

 

[S87]

Is it okay to apply for a paralegal role at a firm you're still waiting to hear back from about a VS/TC app?

Yes they are two different apps. Plus, the GR recruitment is separated from the HR team

 

[Jacob Miller]

Is it okay to apply for a paralegal role at a firm you're still waiting to hear back from about a VS/TC app?

I would tend to say this is okay for a VS, and for a TC so long as you wouldn't be cutting the paralegal contract short to start the TC.

It's almost always a different team you deal with for paralegal recruitment, so while your details will be on file, the recruiters won't know anything about you (past having a chat to their colleagues if they know much about you). When I arranged my paralegal role (starts in July during my GDL) with Travers, once Grad Rec referred me to the paralegal recruitment team, I dealt exclusively with them and GR didn't really have any further input into it as far as I know - if I'd made an application through the ordinary channels, GR wouldn't have been involved even as much as they were in my case so a pending app wouldn't really have affected things so long as accepting one wouldn't affect the other.

 

[vicsgreeno]

Has anyone else heard back from Willkie?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is it okay to apply for a paralegal role at a firm you're still waiting to hear back from about a VS/TC app?

If it is a contract role, tends to be ok. If it is a permanent job, you’ll probably find you are less likely to get through for the paralegal role (rather than the other way around).

The recruitment teams might be different, but the recruiter is likely to be able to see your applications across programmes/roles in most instances.

 

[f.2000]

Just got rejected from the Ashurst summer vac scheme post AC. Hurts a ton, especially because I thought I performed quite strongly. I guess the other candidates were all exceptional, which means I need to up my game for next time. Grateful for the experience though, it was my first ever AC so I can only improve from here!

 

[manchunited]

Also rejected from Ashurst post AC. I thought it went amazing and the interviewer said my answers were impressive.. was my only AC this cycle. Absolutely gutted

 

[els124]

Does anyone have advice on how to pick between firms? I've just written out the dates of schemes and worked out I have to reject one and now I'm agonising

Also, do people have opinions on whether you should gain experience in other areas? I've got two vac schemes with law firms and 1 with a consultancy firm (tax division). I'm pretty sure I don't want to go into consulting straight after graduating but I haven't ever done any other work experience so it seems silly to go into law without having tried anything else? Or will it make me look uncommitted to a career in commercial law once I start applying to TCs?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Does anyone have advice on how to pick between firms? I've just written out the dates of schemes and worked out I have to reject one and now I'm agonising

Also, do people have opinions on whether you should gain experience in other areas? I've got two vac schemes with law firms and 1 with a consultancy firm (tax division). I'm pretty sure I don't want to go into consulting straight after graduating but I haven't ever done any other work experience so it seems silly to go into law without having tried anything else? Or will it make me look uncommitted to a career in commercial law once I start applying to TCs?

If you are pretty sure you don’t want to do consulting, I think that gives you an answer of what to choose. I encourage people to pursue different types of work experience, but if you are pretty sure you don’t want to do it already, it seems pretty wasteful.

My advice would be to choose whatever roles/firms you think you’d want to work for the most - I think sometimes we over complicated things by trying to “game” a system, when in reality to me it should be as simple as choosing the roles that fit your own aspirations and expectations the most.

 

[els124]

If you are pretty sure you don’t want to do consulting, I think that gives you an answer of what to choose. I encourage people to pursue different types of work experience, but if you are pretty sure you don’t want to do it already, it seems pretty wasteful.

My advice would be to choose whatever roles/firms you think you’d want to work for the most - I think sometimes we over complicated things by trying to “game” a system, when in reality to me it should be as simple as choosing the roles that fit your own aspirations and expectations the most.

Thank you for the advice! I think I didn't express myself very well: it's less that I'm not interested in consultancy, and more that so far, I've focused my efforts on law. I know very little about consultancy (in fact it's a complete miracle I got the internship) and I guess I'm questioning whether I'm committed enough to law to stop considering other options (I'm only in my second year of a non-law degree).
But typing this out has made me realise that only I can really answer my own question. Thank you for taking the time to respond though!

 

[Annalie]

Good luck to everyone waiting to hear from Farrer & Co this week!

I've just had a No Caller ID missed call and am freaking out !!

 

[wongkarwai]

I've just had a No Caller ID missed call and am freaking out !!

NHS Track and Trace