a confused law student's TC journey :)

[confusedlawstudent]

Hi @confusedlawstudent ! I'm really not sure as to how TW's assessment is, so I cannot say with 100% certainty. However, if they do not give you any recommendations (e.g. via email when you received the invitation to complete the test), I would say a laptop as I imagine that it is easier to focus and has a bigger screen!

That's what I'll do then! Thank you )

 

[confusedlawstudent]

Just did the Taylor Wessing game assessment. It was awful. I got my feedback report and didn't score highly in ANYTHING. I got average in most things, but low in ability to work under pressure and overcome obstacles. Obviously those two skills are key to being a lawyer, so I'm just going to assume I'm not getting in to TW. Really upset 😭

 

[confusedlawstudent]

I am a final year law student who has, perhaps rather surprisingly, only just decided they want to be a commercial solicitor. Because of that, I am trying to do as much as I can to secure a TC for when I graduate.

In the past month:

• I have applied for the Taylor Wessing Summer Vacation Scheme and the Bristows IP Workshop.
• I have written 2 articles for my university's student newspaper about commercial topics.
• I have signed up for a Slaughter & May Commercial Awareness Workshop, and the Herbert Smith Freehills Digital Law Forage.

Apart from this, I am praying every night for a TC lol.

My goals for the rest of the year are:

• Apply for at least three more VSs
• Learn about a new commercial news story every two weeks, and, if I find it particularly interesting, to write an article about it for my student newspaper
• Do the TCLA M&A bootcamp

I started this thread to track my progress and hold myself accountable!

It's been a month since I started this thread so I'm going to give an update.

I just got rejected today from the Allen & Overy VS at the application review stage, so I'm feeling quite down. I know it was a long shot anyway, but I thought I could maybe get an interview at least. I just really don't know what else I can do to improve.

Since starting this thread, I have:

• Applied for and been rejected by HSF.
• Applied for and been rejected by A&O.
• Applied for the Bird & Bird VS
• Applied for the CMS VS
• Attended the Bristows IP Workshop (which I found really interesting and helpful)
• Done the Taylor Wessing second stage "online games assessment" which went awfully
• Completed the Commercial Awareness TCLA course
• Read the news everyday, listened to Watson's Daily most days, read ZipLaw newsletters a few times a week.

After being rejected by A&O, and after the Taylor Wessing assessment went terribly, I'm just feeling like I'm never going to get a TC. It's really put me down. I am going to keep trying, but I've lost a lot of motivation now. Hopefully I will get over it soon.

Over December, I hope to:

• Complete the TCLA M&A course
• Complete Bristows TC application
• Complete 2 more VS applications
• Continue developing my commercial awareness.

Hopefully I make some more progress!

 

[j.s.cox]

It's been a month since I started this thread so I'm going to give an update.

I just got rejected today from the Allen & Overy VS at the application review stage, so I'm feeling quite down. I know it was a long shot anyway, but I thought I could maybe get an interview at least. I just really don't know what else I can do to improve.

Since starting this thread, I have:

• Applied for and been rejected by HSF.
• Applied for and been rejected by A&O.
• Applied for the Bird & Bird VS
• Applied for the CMS VS
• Attended the Bristows IP Workshop (which I found really interesting and helpful)
• Done the Taylor Wessing second stage "online games assessment" which went awfully
• Completed the Commercial Awareness TCLA course
• Read the news everyday, listened to Watson's Daily most days, read ZipLaw newsletters a few times a week.

After being rejected by A&O, and after the Taylor Wessing assessment went terribly, I'm just feeling like I'm never going to get a TC. It's really put me down. I am going to keep trying, but I've lost a lot of motivation now. Hopefully I will get over it soon.

Over December, I hope to:

• Complete the TCLA M&A course
• Complete Bristows TC application
• Complete 2 more VS applications
• Continue developing my commercial awareness.

Hopefully I make some more progress!

I'm so sorry you are feeling this way! I think the game assessments are really difficult to prepare for. If you didn't enjoy it or found it very difficult, perhaps you could target your other applications to law firms which do not have this type of assessment.

If you are struggling at the written application stage, perhaps it would be worthwhile having your application reviewed before you submit it?

In terms of commercial awareness, what are you doing after you read the news? I've found that it is what I do afterwards that has developed my commercial awareness which has helped me a lot in my applications this year.

You will get a TC eventually. It's not if you will get one, but when. It may be that this year is for development. Saying that, it is only December, and you have other applications in the pipeline, so there is still a good chance you could land something. If you ever feel like you need to talk about things or would like another person to bounce ideas off, my DMs are open.

Good luck!

 

[AvniD]

I'm so sorry you are feeling this way! I think the game assessments are really difficult to prepare for. If you didn't enjoy it or found it very difficult, perhaps you could target your other applications to law firms which do not have this type of assessment.

If you are struggling at the written application stage, perhaps it would be worthwhile having your application reviewed before you submit it?

In terms of commercial awareness, what are you doing after you read the news? I've found that it is what I do afterwards that has developed my commercial awareness which has helped me a lot in my applications this year.

You will get a TC eventually. It's not if you will get one, but when. It may be that this year is for development. Saying that, it is only December, and you have other applications in the pipeline, so there is still a good chance you could land something. If you ever feel like you need to talk about things or would like another person to bounce ideas off, my DMs are open.

Good luck!

Completely agree with @j.s.cox - I strongly disliked taking game-based assessments and targeted my applications with this in mind, along with the other factors that mattered to me. There's no need to put yourself through something that you do not enjoy or adds no value to your application process!

 

[confusedlawstudent]

I'm so sorry you are feeling this way! I think the game assessments are really difficult to prepare for. If you didn't enjoy it or found it very difficult, perhaps you could target your other applications to law firms which do not have this type of assessment.

If you are struggling at the written application stage, perhaps it would be worthwhile having your application reviewed before you submit it?

In terms of commercial awareness, what are you doing after you read the news? I've found that it is what I do afterwards that has developed my commercial awareness which has helped me a lot in my applications this year.

You will get a TC eventually. It's not if you will get one, but when. It may be that this year is for development. Saying that, it is only December, and you have other applications in the pipeline, so there is still a good chance you could land something. If you ever feel like you need to talk about things or would like another person to bounce ideas off, my DMs are open.

Good luck!

Thank you so much! I'll definitely take you up on that

 

[confusedlawstudent]

Eversheds Sutherland VS video interview invite

 

[mmm918]

Congratulations on the VI invite @confusedlawstudent ! May I know when did you receive the invite and was it by phone/ emails? Thanks!

 

[confusedlawstudent]

Congratulations on the VI invite @confusedlawstudent ! May I know when did you receive the invite and was it by phone/ emails? Thanks!

I got an email on Tuesday! I applied only 2 days before the deadline, so like the 11th of December I think!

 

[confusedlawstudent]

Just did the Eversheds VI. Went horrifically.

 

[F99]

I got an email on Tuesday! I applied only 2 days before the deadline, so like the 11th of December I think!

Hi, congrats on receiving a VI invite! May I ask what you applied for, was it the summer VS?

 

[confusedlawstudent]

Hi, congrats on receiving a VI invite! May I ask what you applied for, was it the summer VS?

yes, it was the summer VS at the Manchester office

 

[futurecitylawyer00]

Just did the Eversheds VI. Went horrifically.

I'm sorry to hear that, but please take every VI as a learning experience! That's what I usually do with mine.
I have to do the Eversheds VI in 2 days, but I've never done a strength-based one. Do you have any insight on the questions/how to prepare?

 

[NotLord Denning]

Just did the Eversheds VI. Went horrifically.

Sorry to hear that mate. Do you recall what questions were asked?

 

[NotLord Denning]

I'm sorry to hear that, but please take every VI as a learning experience! That's what I usually do with mine.
I have to do the Eversheds VI in 2 days, but I've never done a strength-based one. Do you have any insight on the questions/how to prepare?

Hi Have you completed the VI yet?

 

[futurecitylawyer00]

Hi Have you completed the VI yet?

Not yet, I plan on doing it tomorrow as I'm struggling a bit to prepare this new format.

 

[confusedlawstudent]

PFO from Bird & Bird 😘

 

[confusedlawstudent]

Addleshaw Goddard VI invite! A rejection and VI invite in one day. Such an emotional rollercoaster lol.

 

[confusedlawstudent]

It's been a month since I started this thread so I'm going to give an update.

I just got rejected today from the Allen & Overy VS at the application review stage, so I'm feeling quite down. I know it was a long shot anyway, but I thought I could maybe get an interview at least. I just really don't know what else I can do to improve.

Since starting this thread, I have:

• Applied for and been rejected by HSF.
• Applied for and been rejected by A&O.
• Applied for the Bird & Bird VS
• Applied for the CMS VS
• Attended the Bristows IP Workshop (which I found really interesting and helpful)
• Done the Taylor Wessing second stage "online games assessment" which went awfully
• Completed the Commercial Awareness TCLA course
• Read the news everyday, listened to Watson's Daily most days, read ZipLaw newsletters a few times a week.

After being rejected by A&O, and after the Taylor Wessing assessment went terribly, I'm just feeling like I'm never going to get a TC. It's really put me down. I am going to keep trying, but I've lost a lot of motivation now. Hopefully I will get over it soon.

Over December, I hope to:

• Complete the TCLA M&A course
• Complete Bristows TC application
• Complete 2 more VS applications
• Continue developing my commercial awareness.

Hopefully I make some more progress!

Just going to give a quick update on my progress!

Over December I:
✅ Completed the TCLA M&A course (and really enjoyed it actually!)
✅ Completed the Bristows TC application
✅ Submitted 4 more VS applications
❌ I have not devoted as much time to commercial awareness as I would have liked, so this is something I will try to make more time for this month.

This month is when most of the VS deadlines are, so it is going to be busy. I also have the Addleshaw Goddard VI to do as well. There are 9 more vacation schemes I would like to apply to this month. However, I don't want to go for quantity over quality, so I am going to aim to submit 5 more, and do them to the best of my ability, and if I have time I will do the others.

Goals for this month:
- Submit at least 5 more VS applications
- Devote substantially more time to commercial awareness

It honestly feels like this is a never-ending journey, but I will not stop until I get a TC!

Thank you for everyone's help so far!

 

[j.s.cox]

Congrats on your progress through December!

Do you have a plan for how you will develop your commercial awareness? I'd be happy to help in any way that's useful for you. Looking forward to seeing your hard work pay off!