TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

[refy]

Hi, can I ask when you applied and when you got your interview invite?

hey i applied on october 12th and got an invite on the 17th

 

[BM99]

Anyone recently interviewed at Slaughters? If so could use some advice on the written task, thank you

Hi what is it for?

 

[AvniD]

For those who have submitted an application to A&O and been succesful, any tips on how to approach Why do you want to become a commercial lawyer at A&O and what do you think are the key skills and qualities required for success? (250 words)

I am confused as to 1. whether for the first part we need to mention why commercial law, and 2. for the second part whether we should generally talk about what skills are needed or a one line on I believe xyz skills are needed and then give examples of how you achieved the skill? 3. Hoe many skills is good to mention? I would say 3 but the word limit is so less for both parts

Any advice from @Jessica Booker ?

Thank you so much!

I would combine why commercial law and why commercial law at A&O given the tight word limit.

I would also make sure the skills/qualities you identify are specific to A&O rather than as a lawyer generally. There is no need to evidence the skills by providing explanations of how you have achieved that quality - it is more important to explain why you think they are the key skills/qualities. Some people do manage to squeeze in an exceptionally brief reference to where they have developed those skills though, especially if the evidence is really easy to identify in other aspects of the application.

Completely agree with Jessica's approach! Would just add that it may even be useful to do a structure where you talk about why you want to be a commercial lawyer at A&O ➡️ begin listing the skills/qualities you think are required for success at the firm one by one substantiate how you know about this skill/quality by mentioning a specific interaction you had that informed you about it, something you read/saw etc. I would then repeat this for each skill, mentioning at least 2. I hope this helps!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Weil are recruiting for 2023 TCs for anyone who’s be eligible to start next year:

Yohanna Wilson on LinkedIn: Training Contract

If you are looking to start a Training Contract in September 2023, we are hiring! At Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, you will have the opportunity to maximise your…

www.linkedin.com

 

[sxw517]

I got through to the final interview for a firm I really like around July sort of time for their direct TC, they encouraged me to apply again in the feedback call.

I am wondering whether my application from the previous app needs to be substantially amended, I would understand why it would if I was rejected at the app stage. However, I'm not sure in this particular circumstance.

FYI - I am applying for the direct TC route again.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I got through to the final interview for a firm I really like around July sort of time for their direct TC, they encouraged me to apply again in the feedback call.

I am wondering whether my application from the previous app needs to be substantially amended, I would understand why it would if I was rejected at the app stage. However, I'm not sure in this particular circumstance.

FYI - I am applying for the direct TC route again.

It should be updated and refined but it is fine is a lot of the themes stay the same.

 

[isaacngzw]

Hi everyone, may I know if anyone who applied for A&O direct TC has heard back from them after completing the AC? I'd like to know how long the wait was!

 

[isaacngzw]

Hi, does anyone know how long A&O take to get back to you after successful SJT?

I waited about a month! Got the SJT outcome on 9 Oct and interview invite on 4 Nov

 

[ms167bs]

How long does it usually take between doing the SJT and finding out if it was successful?

 

[rose888]

How long does it usually take between doing the SJT and finding out if it was successful?

if you're talking about A&O, I found out a day later

 

[AvniD]

How long does it usually take between doing the SJT and finding out if it was successful?

Really depends on the firm/time in the application cycle- can take anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks!

 

[ms167bs]

Really depends on the firm/time in the application cycle- can take anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks!

Thank you! This is for A&O for context, forgot to add that in haha

 

[NMA]

Hi everyone, may I know if anyone who applied for A&O direct TC has heard back from them after completing the AC? I'd like to know how long the wait was!

Did mine last Thursday and still waiting!

 

[manifestingg]

Is anyone doing the city consortium SQE and available to help with a few questions I have about programme and timetable? I’m due to start in Feb 2023 but have no idea what’s going on!
Many thanks 😊

 

[manifestingbiglaw]

Hi everyone (@Jessica Booker) (@AvniD) - I have benefitted from many helpful posts here but posting myself for the first time and would appreciate any insight/advice on the following.

I'm currently doing the LPC and am sponsored by a City law firm with whom I have a London TC starting March '24. Doing the LPC has informed me that I want to do Restructuring and Private Equity but my firm does not specialise in these areas. A US firm that does specialise in these areas is recruiting for the same intake as me (direct TC) and I was wondering what the repercussions could be if I were to apply to this firm. I appreciate that I would have to pay back GDL/LPC fees including any grants to my current firm but I could do that from the retrospective pay I receive from the new firm if I was to be successful. Do you think I can be honest with the new firm and explain my situation / is there a right way of navigating this?

Thanks in advance guys. I appreciate that having a TC is a privileged position but this has been bothering me for a while now so would really appreciate any input. Have a great day/evening!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone (@Jessica Booker) (@AvniD) - I have benefitted from many helpful posts here but posting myself for the first time and would appreciate any insight/advice on the following.

I'm currently doing the LPC and am sponsored by a City law firm with whom I have a London TC starting March '24. Doing the LPC has informed me that I want to do Restructuring and Private Equity but my firm does not specialise in these areas. A US firm that does specialise in these areas is recruiting for the same intake as me (direct TC) and I was wondering what the repercussions could be if I were to apply to this firm. I appreciate that I would have to pay back GDL/LPC fees including any grants to my current firm but I could do that from the retrospective pay I receive from the new firm if I was to be successful. Do you think I can be honest with the new firm and explain my situation / is there a right way of navigating this?

Thanks in advance guys. I appreciate that having a TC is a privileged position but this has been bothering me for a while now so would really appreciate any input. Have a great day/evening!

It is exceptionally rare for people to do this. Most people who renege on an offer do so before they receive any financial support from their firm. I know a very small number of people who have reneged whilst in the middle of a sponsored GDL/LPC/SQE course and it is exceptionally messy.

Be mindful that most firms do not pay your maintenance fee retrospectively, only your course fees. Therefore, even if this is something you choose to do, you could easily find the "new" firm isn't covering the full amount you have to pay back to your current firm. It also assumes that the firms are paying the same amount for the course - this can differ massively. Some firms are paying 25-40% more for their GDL/LPC/SQE providers than other firms. If your current firm has paid £15k for the LPC, and your new firm only pays £12k, you are likely to be £3k short when repaying your current firm back. What makes it even more complicated is that you haven't paid for the course, your current firm has. And therefore proving what your GDL/LPC/SQE course cost can be very difficult without you showing you owe your previous firm money.

I'll be frank - there is no right way of navigating this. When people have done it (that I have known about anyway), they have kept it all pretty quiet and hoped it would never come out in the recruitment process. How they then dealt with it with the firm at the point of offer and getting reimbursements, I don't know.

Most firms won't want to go near a candidate who is a future trainee at another firm (many see this as a moral/ethical issue). So be mindful that if your LinkedIn profile states you are a future trainee, they will probably just turn you down if they view your LinkedIn profile during the recruitment process.

It is not to say people haven't managed to do this - I know a very small number (could count on less than one hand) who have done. How they have managed the specifics, I don't know, but all I can say is that it is complicated and should be considered very carefully.

 

[O]

How did everyone submit their Freshfields application? It says to attach the personal statement. Should I just have it on a word doc with the word count and not include the question? Not sure on format - in previous years we would have the template.

 

[isaacngzw]

Did mine last Thursday and still waiting!

oh me too! all the best

 

[AvniD]

How did everyone submit their Freshfields application? It says to attach the personal statement. Should I just have it on a word doc with the word count and not include the question? Not sure on format - in previous years we would have the template.

Your approach of attaching it as a word doc should work fine! If you're really unsure, you could even confirm with grad rec if there's a particular manner in which you need to be submitting the personal statement.

 

[AvniD]

Hi everyone (@Jessica Booker) (@AvniD) - I have benefitted from many helpful posts here but posting myself for the first time and would appreciate any insight/advice on the following.

I'm currently doing the LPC and am sponsored by a City law firm with whom I have a London TC starting March '24. Doing the LPC has informed me that I want to do Restructuring and Private Equity but my firm does not specialise in these areas. A US firm that does specialise in these areas is recruiting for the same intake as me (direct TC) and I was wondering what the repercussions could be if I were to apply to this firm. I appreciate that I would have to pay back GDL/LPC fees including any grants to my current firm but I could do that from the retrospective pay I receive from the new firm if I was to be successful. Do you think I can be honest with the new firm and explain my situation / is there a right way of navigating this?

Thanks in advance guys. I appreciate that having a TC is a privileged position but this has been bothering me for a while now so would really appreciate any input. Have a great day/evening!

Hi @manifestingbiglaw, I think @Jessica Booker has given you a sound perspective on what it might take to make this switch and you may need to mentally prepare for it to not be easy. I'd also stress that the LPC isn't the best representation of what working in certain practice areas is actually like and so I'd encourage you to speak to people working in the areas of your interest before making a decision to switch firms.

Wishing you all the best- I know this can't be easy but I'm hoping you have found more clarity than you had before making your post!