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You've been amazing too! You're going to absolutely kill these VS schemes, one step closer to a TC!
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2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion
- Thread starter Jaysen
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You've been amazing too! You're going to absolutely kill these VS schemes, one step closer to a TC!
Well I did have two offers which clashed. They were both firms in my top three, so it was a difficult decision. I just made a judgement call based on which firm I felt was the best fit for me, and vice versa. The firm I declined actually called me and offered me an alternative date though, so it worked out really well in the end!
I just found out that I have been put on the reserve list for a VS 
I am having very mixed emotions about this - it's the furthest I have gotten in the current and past cycles, yet I can't help but to feel a bit disappointed in myself for not performing well enough to be offered a place straight away
Also given how competitive this cycle is, I really don't know if anyone will reject an offer so that I can eventually be offered a place...
I am having very mixed emotions about this - it's the furthest I have gotten in the current and past cycles, yet I can't help but to feel a bit disappointed in myself for not performing well enough to be offered a place straight away
Also given how competitive this cycle is, I really don't know if anyone will reject an offer so that I can eventually be offered a place...
I totally understand how you feel because one on the one hand you don't want to get your hopes up but on the other, you are a bit annoyed you didn't get the place outright... the only thing I'll say is that people pull out of VSs due to accepting TCs/clashes with other firms VSs all the time so fingers crossed you'll get on it!I just found out that I have been put on the reserve list for a VS
I am having very mixed emotions about this - it's the furthest I have gotten in the current and past cycles, yet I can't help but to feel a bit disappointed in myself for not performing well enough to be offered a place straight away
Also given how competitive this cycle is, I really don't know if anyone will reject an offer so that I can eventually be offered a place...
Might be worth asking the firm where you are on the waitlist as that may help you manage expectations?
As a law student, I feel obligated to say 'it depends'. But, tbh, that is probably the best answer here. It entirely depends on the firm and their application form. Ropes & Gray only had one question on their application this year, and I was able to complete that within an hour. Firms like Ashurst and Debevoise took about 6 hours of researching alone. I'd say if a firm has around 3-5 questions on their application form, it should take you around 2-3 hours to get some really good research done assuming that you have a strategy going in and know what you're looking for.
I've done applications where I spent a whole day researching the firm, went to open days, and got an immediate rejection. Likewise I've had applications where I spent all of about an hour learning about the firm and got to the next stage. Sometimes all you need is Chambers UK! I tend to get more into the research side of things if they progress me to WG/GBA/VI in that case I might spend a couple of days or more (around my uni work).
Depends on a trillion factors to be honest. Some key variables:
- how technical/ complex the information you're looking for is
- how much information the firm has posted about them online (e.g. an MC firm will probably have a lot more info than a semi-boutique American outfit or a regional firm)
- what you need the research for
- how good you are at researching
- your ability to synthesise the mass of information you'll be presented with
- whether the stars are aligned and the local cats are in a good mood
Speaking from experience, I rarely spent more than around 90 minutes to 2 hours researching a firm and I'd consider myself moderately proficient at general research and quite quick at synthesising/ extrapolating key info. I also looked for very specific pieces of information and, by and large, knew exactly where I would find them before I started searching which saved me a lot of time.
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Jessica Booker
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Sorry, I know this has probably already been asked a million times, but what kind of things/websites did you use (I don't know if there is a thread/article about this already).
- Firm's graduate website
- Chambers Student
- Legal Cheek
- The Lawyer
- IFLR
- Firm's LinkedIn page
- The Legal500
- Chambers & Partners
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To add:
- Vault (like Legal Cheek but for American firms, or more specifically, firms in America)
- Firm (ALM) Annual Reports (good for finding out the closest competitors of, and financial information for, American firms). Not many people seem to know about this, so here is an example for Jones Day: PowerPoint Presentation (alm.com)
- RollOnFriday (good for salary progression stats and news)
- Firm's Twitter (sometimes firms use this more than LinkedIn)
Weightmans said that they would inform us of our applications by the 15th April but I have still not heard one word from them. Anyone heard back yet?
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