General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[A.C]

Has anyone filled out a vacation scheme application for Gibson Dunn? Their online portal isn't letting me select 'no' to applying to the training contract and I can only get to the next page of the firm if I tick yes to vac scheme and TC. Is this a tech glitch or do we have to apply for both?

 

[Imababysolicitor]

On a more positive note, if anyone is really bad at these tests don’t lose hope! As shown I was so bad at the WG but still managed to get 2 vac scheme offers from firms that don’t use the WG and even improved with enough practice !! )

Hey, on an even more positive note, last year I believe I got around the same percentile in the WG as you and still was offered an AC with linklaters so don’t loose hope!

 

[cmaj]

Hi guys. Just thought I'd say - if you haven't signed up for Vantage already, go and do it! I was contacted by them today to say that they'd seen my profile and wanted to invite me to a webinar on Digital Media Law with Lewis Silkin this week.

I'd never actually read much about Lewis Silkin but having looked into it today, its specialisms perfectly align with my background! I was shocked that it had flown under my radar in the past! If anyone has any advice for me in making a future application, please do message me!

 

[conniekatherine]

As I did not hear back from Travers Smith about my application, I emailed to ask to withdraw my application from the Winter Vac Scheme so that I could reapply to the Summer Vac Scheme. I received a reply from Grad Rec saying this was fine and that I would have to reapply. I take this to mean they haven't actually looked at my application at all...? I had a similar experience last year, in which they emailed me months after the Vac Scheme to say it was already full. Has anyone had the same experience?

Yep - this happened to me for the summer scheme last year. It seems Travers are notoriously bad at looking at apps / getting back to people. I applied to the winter scheme this year which was obviously unsuccessful as it must be full by now, and it has really annoyed me as I actually really like the firm. I'm unsure whether to do as you say and withdraw then re-apply?

 

[Polzovatel]

As I did not hear back from Travers Smith about my application, I emailed to ask to withdraw my application from the Winter Vac Scheme so that I could reapply to the Summer Vac Scheme. I received a reply from Grad Rec saying this was fine and that I would have to reapply. I take this to mean they haven't actually looked at my application at all...? I had a similar experience last year, in which they emailed me months after the Vac Scheme to say it was already full. Has anyone had the same experience?

Do you know what their email address is

 

[MzM]

Has anyone filled out a vacation scheme application for Gibson Dunn? Their online portal isn't letting me select 'no' to applying to the training contract and I can only get to the next page of the firm if I tick yes to vac scheme and TC. Is this a tech glitch or do we have to apply for both?

Yeah its an automatic thing. They consider you for the Vac scheme first.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker A firm I'm applying for has an "Open days, volunteering and law firm presentations" section right after the regular work experience section. It's the same as the work exp, has an unlimited number of entries, though the work descriptions are limited to just 50 words each (whereas it's 250 for the work exp).

How many entries would you suggest mentioning here, since it's a very broad category? In the last 6 months alone I think I've attended 12 - 15 online presentations, but surely that would be too many to mention? If we discount these presentations, I've only got 1 open day and 1 volunteering experience, so I'd like to include at least a couple of presentations alongside that, just not sure which ones / how many to pick. Would law fairs (even if online) also count?

I'd put the open day and volunteering experience as seperate entries and then group the presentations together. Personally I wouldn't include law fairs (whether virtual or not).

 

[Jony]

What do you kind folk this about a question like this?

"If applicable please state any additional information which you think is relevant to your application or which you think has not been covered adequately in this form." (300 words) (on a separate page to the main questions)

I don't want to write for the sake of writing. Should I include seminal life-experiences here, values which I think align to the firm's, qualities about myself or just leave it good-ole-blank?

 

[Daniel Boden]

Has anyone filled out a vacation scheme application for Gibson Dunn? Their online portal isn't letting me select 'no' to applying to the training contract and I can only get to the next page of the firm if I tick yes to vac scheme and TC. Is this a tech glitch or do we have to apply for both?

Answered this in the other thread you posted it

 

[Manifesting]

I was curious about what firms have a zero tolerance for spelling/grammar/inconsistency mistakes? And which firms are known to be more lenient?

I am, of course, striving to make my application forms error-free but sometimes even after asking multiple people reading a form over, a mistake can slip through. This is embarrassing, but last week I cried actual tears because I had left in "realised" with a "z" in a submission that I previously was convinced was error-free. This process is competitive as it is and honestly I would have better peace of mind if the firms I was applying for marked me down for mistakes instead of throwing out my application based on one mistake.

 

[Jony]

@Jessica Booker might have some insight on firms and typos

 

[bethbristol]

I was curious about what firms have a zero tolerance for spelling/grammar/inconsistency mistakes? And which firms are known to be more lenient?

I am, of course, striving to make my application forms error-free but sometimes even after asking multiple people reading a form over, a mistake can slip through. This is embarrassing, but last week I cried actual tears because I had left in "realised" with a "z" in a submission that I previously was convinced was error-free. This process is competitive as it is and honestly I would have better peace of mind if the firms I was applying for marked me down for mistakes instead of throwing out my application based on one mistake.

Once I re-read a cover letter I had sent in, and I had a typo and spelt a partner's name wrong. I was a mess. Got invited to interview though (at a top US firm). I think as hard as it is, once the application is gone it's gone. No point looking over it again until you get an interview!

 

[Jaysen]

I was curious about what firms have a zero tolerance for spelling/grammar/inconsistency mistakes? And which firms are known to be more lenient?

I am, of course, striving to make my application forms error-free but sometimes even after asking multiple people reading a form over, a mistake can slip through. This is embarrassing, but last week I cried actual tears because I had left in "realised" with a "z" in a submission that I previously was convinced was error-free. This process is competitive as it is and honestly I would have better peace of mind if the firms I was applying for marked me down for mistakes instead of throwing out my application based on one mistake.

I think it's very hard to identify specific firms for this. Some will mention this at open days (NRF did for me back in the day), but I would just aim to have zero typos. This is different to having zero grammar/inconsistency mistakes, I feel there is more leeway there.

Either way, we very very rarely review an application without any of these mistakes. The aim is just to avoid them to the best you can. I am also certain that a firm will not reject you on the basis of spelling realise with a 'z'. It's not wrong, it's just an American spelling.

There's a big difference between having a mistake based on inconsistent capitalisation/imperfect grammar v having multiple typos throughout your application.

 

[Moon]

Anyone got experience with Bird & Bird video interview, what questions came up for you? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Legal_rawn]

I was curious about what firms have a zero tolerance for spelling/grammar/inconsistency mistakes? And which firms are known to be more lenient?

I am, of course, striving to make my application forms error-free but sometimes even after asking multiple people reading a form over, a mistake can slip through. This is embarrassing, but last week I cried actual tears because I had left in "realised" with a "z" in a submission that I previously was convinced was error-free. This process is competitive as it is and honestly I would have better peace of mind if the firms I was applying for marked me down for mistakes instead of throwing out my application based on one mistake.

At the Skadden open day they said they dislike spelling errors and it 'marks you down' but they still consider the whole application. S&M have interviewed people who have called them Allen & Overy in their cover letter or have said they have a moscow office when they don't. Hope that is some sort of help!

 

[Legal_rawn]

Does anyone know if you can find out your WG score for CC? I passed last year so was automatically passed this year but I have no clue how well I actually did/if it matters.

 

[WannabeSolicitor24]

Does anyone know if you can find out your WG score for CC? I passed last year so was automatically passed this year but I have no clue how well I actually did/if it matters.

Yep - email them and they'll send it over

 

[M1999]

Is it wise to email GR if I’ve been waiting nearly two weeks after an interview for a vac scheme and they said I will hear in one week? There’s another stage & the vac scheme starts in less than 2 weeks. I think it’s a rejection but I would like to know so I can take my mind off it

 

[M1999]

I was curious about what firms have a zero tolerance for spelling/grammar/inconsistency mistakes? And which firms are known to be more lenient?

I am, of course, striving to make my application forms error-free but sometimes even after asking multiple people reading a form over, a mistake can slip through. This is embarrassing, but last week I cried actual tears because I had left in "realised" with a "z" in a submission that I previously was convinced was error-free. This process is competitive as it is and honestly I would have better peace of mind if the firms I was applying for marked me down for mistakes instead of throwing out my application based on one mistake.

I wouldn’t worry about realise/realize because realize is a recognised American spelling. Although not grammatically correct for English, it doesn’t show you’re bad at spelling or careless tbh

 

[Jessica Booker]

I was curious about what firms have a zero tolerance for spelling/grammar/inconsistency mistakes? And which firms are known to be more lenient?

I am, of course, striving to make my application forms error-free but sometimes even after asking multiple people reading a form over, a mistake can slip through. This is embarrassing, but last week I cried actual tears because I had left in "realised" with a "z" in a submission that I previously was convinced was error-free. This process is competitive as it is and honestly I would have better peace of mind if the firms I was applying for marked me down for mistakes instead of throwing out my application based on one mistake.

I don’t think any firm has a 0 tolerance policy to be honest. For that to happen, a firm would have to ensure that their screeners were always 100% accurate, and put frankly, they are never 100% accurate in spotting errors. It’s impossible to be 100% accurate as applications are screened fairly quickly and also on mass. It also depends on your definition of an error, the weight of it (some errors are worse than others, and how many errors there are.