TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[NDLA]

Freshfields offer too! I had truly given up with applications this cycle 😭 (2nd year applying)

I got a call this week (Tuesday) with an offer. I had already lost hope but they still are calling people. They were very apologetic about the delay. You really never know

My candidate portal was actually updated on 31 March but I guess they were quite busy and only managed to call this week. Good luck everyone!

Amazing! Congratulations!

I just checked my online portal and it hasn't been updated since February 19. I'm literally losing my mind here 😭

 

[Zachary576]

Amazing! Congratulations!

I just checked my online portal and it hasn't been updated since February 19. I'm literally losing my mind here 😭

Same here - the wait is killing!

 

[Zacher]

Freshfields offer too! I had truly given up with applications this cycle 😭 (2nd year applying)

I got a call this week (Tuesday) with an offer. I had already lost hope but they still are calling people. They were very apologetic about the delay. You really never know

My candidate portal was actually updated on 31 March but I guess they were quite busy and only managed to call this week. Good luck everyone!

Congratulations on the offer. Who has called you? Was it the partner? If so was it for the partner who did the first interview or analytical interview?

 

[NS95]

Congratulations on the offer. Who has called you? Was it the partner? If so was it for the partner who did the first interview or analytical interview?

Call from one of the interviewers (senior partner, competency interview). This might vary though. It was a very brief call just to let me know and to say that grad recruitment would follow up.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Freshfields offer too! I had truly given up with applications this cycle 😭 (2nd year applying)

I got a call this week (Tuesday) with an offer. I had already lost hope but they still are calling people. They were very apologetic about the delay. You really never know

My candidate portal was actually updated on 31 March but I guess they were quite busy and only managed to call this week. Good luck everyone!

Amazing news - congratulations!!

 

[NS95]

Amazing news - congratulations!!

@Jessica Booker Thank you! Do you know how long (roughly) it should take the firm to send formal/written offers by email? Apologies if this has been asked before!

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Thank you! Do you know how long (roughly) it should take the firm to send formal/written offers by email? Apologies if this has been asked before!

If it is taking them some time to get verbal offers out, then I wouldn't expect a rush on this, especially now where it is the school holidays and people might be off.

You could email them and politely ask, or just sit it out to the other side of the Easter weekend and then ask. Alternatively if you need to know the T&Cs urgently (e.g. other offers to decline/need to start law school soon), then just ask if it can be sent to you sooner rather than later.

 

[NDLA]

If it is taking them some time to get verbal offers out, then I wouldn't expect a rush on this, especially now where it is the school holidays and people might be off.

You could email them and politely ask, or just sit it out to the other side of the Easter weekend and then ask. Alternatively if you need to know the T&Cs urgently (e.g. other offers to decline/need to start law school soon), then just ask if it can be sent to you sooner rather than later.

Hi @Jessica Booker how long would you reckon we should we wait - those of us awaiting to know the results post AC - before sending an email to the grad rec to know about the results? Is it better to just wait?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker how long would you reckon we should we wait - those of us awaiting to know the results post AC - before sending an email to the grad rec to know about the results? Is it better to just wait?

Normally I would say follow up 2 weeks after your AC but it seems things may be taking a little bit longer than usual based on what others have said.

If you need to know, then contact them. If you just want to know, then I'd probably try and wait it out another week or so if you can before contacting them.

 

[Zacher]

Has anyone got a rejection from Freshfields yet? I have seen like 10 offers in this forum itself. If they are only giving out the offers then I believe it seems to be over for most of us who are waiting for over a month after the AC. Seems like FF is giving out their offers as and when they interview and at the end give out rejections after all interviews are over. I so disheartened by this now after waiting for so long

 

[NaimK]

Please detail academic awards, prizes or scholarships and non-academic achievements at school, university and law school (if applicable).

When the Q says 'academic awards', could that just include the grade itself?

 

[Abii]

Please detail academic awards, prizes or scholarships and non-academic achievements at school, university and law school (if applicable).

When the Q says 'academic awards', could that just include the grade itself?

I wouldn’t consider a grade an academic award unless you had been given a high ranking in the cohort (say top three) and acknowledgement of that in some way. Interested to see others opinions on this.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Please detail academic awards, prizes or scholarships and non-academic achievements at school, university and law school (if applicable).

When the Q says 'academic awards', could that just include the grade itself?

Not really - it’s more whether you have obtained some kind of recognition for the grade.

But I have seen people say things like “3rd highest module result out of cohort of 500” rather than just repeating the grade.

 

[NaimK]

I wouldn’t consider a grade an academic award unless you had been given a high ranking in the cohort (say top three) and acknowledgement of that in some way. Interested to see others opinions on this.

Not really - it’s more whether you have obtained some kind of recognition for the grade.

But I have seen people say things like “3rd highest module result out of cohort of 500” rather than just repeating the grade.

Thank you both. I'm clutching at straws here since they've limited these achievements (both academic and non-academic) to my time at school/uni.

 

[NDLA]

Normally I would say follow up 2 weeks after your AC but it seems things may be taking a little bit longer than usual based on what others have said.

If you need to know, then contact them. If you just want to know, then I'd probably try and wait it out another week or so if you can before contacting them.

Great advice. I'll wait another week and send them an email. Thanks Jessica!

 

[NaimK]

Have you been following any recent news stories or events that have attracted your attention and you think would have an impact, or be of interest, to Orrick?

I guess 'recent' is a relative term, but would I be able to talk about the rise in online litigation during COVID and how it impacts the firm?

 

[Abii]

Have you been following any recent news stories or events that have attracted your attention and you think would have an impact, or be of interest, to Orrick?

I guess 'recent' is a relative term, but would I be able to talk about the rise in online litigation during COVID and how it impacts the firm?

You could but this question is really asking you to speak about something specific to Orrick. Is online litigation really going to be that specific or impactful to Orrick considering their biggest practice areas. I have used covid related answers before and been successful but I have really related it back to that firm in particular.

 

[DTB]

Hi all,

I am sure this must have been mentioned before but with so many threads I am unable to locate it. Could someone help me out please? I wanted to know which firms take a decent number of students from direct TC applications? For example, I know freshfields takes 50% from direct TC. I ask as I would like to know be selective with firms amongst other factors just to assess my chances! Also which firms are more strict about having done a vac scheme before a direct TC application?

 

[James Carrabino]

Hi all,

I am sure this must have been mentioned before but with so many threads I am unable to locate it. Could someone help me out please? I wanted to know which firms take a decent number of students from direct TC applications? For example, I know freshfields takes 50% from direct TC. I ask as I would like to know be selective with firms amongst other factors just to assess my chances! Also which firms are more strict about having done a vac scheme before a direct TC application?

Is this the thread you are looking for @YB?

 

[cecily78900]

Hey, the more research I do the more interested I have become in family law and really wanted to make sure this is an option for me in the future. Is it recommended I only apply to firms where family law is a seat and department, or is it better to hedge my bets and apply to more firms for training and switch after qualification (if that is even a thing?) to family law if I still want to do so? Sorry if a dim question as I am new to this!