TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, does anyone have any advice for approaching an interview with two partners?

My advice is a bit more fluffy but it can still be very practical. My advice would be:

• Try to remember they were once in your shoes - they might be partners now, but they were once a candidate being interviewed for a training contract and they most likely have similar concerns as you may experience - they are human, so don't feel you need to put them on some form on a mental pedestal just because they are a partner now.
• In a similar way, they want you to succeed in this interview. Even challenging questions or references to you potentially not being right is not them trying to get you to fail, it's actually trying to push you as far as they can to see whether you can show the right skills/attitudes/knowledge.
• Remember, an interview is a conversation - if you were having a conversation with two friends in a coffee shop and you and one of the friends were dominating the conversation, you'd still try to engage with your other friend while they were there with simple things like eye contact and smiling. As @NatashaS98 has mentioned, try to engage with your other interviewer, even if one is dominating the questions. Asking them both questions at the end is a great way to also try to interact with them beyond the smiling/eye contact.

 

[rightletsdothis]

Hi guys, I have been receiving DMs regarding a post I made in last year's VC forum, offering advice to those taking the Clyde & Co VI. I am a Future Trainee at the firm for some context. I thought it might be easier to leave my advice here for all to see.

Ok, firstly,

I would say prepare for the standard set of questions. Why Us? Why law? Why commercial law? News topic and how it relates to the firm, etc., make sure they are not generic. No “I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer”. Link something personal to yourself and give an example. In regards to the news story, make sure you know what Clyde is. It’s an insurance firm. If your story has nothing to do with that don’t use it. Talk about automated vehicles or drones. Maybe plane crashes or marine disasters etc.

You should know why Clyde stands out. I would say this is easy as Clyde is very unique. It’s an industry-focused firm with a heavy focus on contentious disputes and insurance, not transactional (although it has small transactional wings in marine finance and aviation finance). Clyde Lawyers are constantly headhunted by other firms for their skills in Dispute resolution and insurance liability etc.

I would avoid mentioning transactional topics like M&A or finance etc. go straight for disputes and insurance etc. also mention it’s a sector-focused firm and not practice-orientated. Maybe bring in their insane expansion (trebled in size in a decade etc), particularly in America! And maybe mention tech adoption with data labs, Clyde & code smart contracts etc/ parametric insurance.

Also, prepare a ton of stories for your competency questions, and do not use all law answers. Don’t give all your examples from law societies or your law degree etc. use stories from your hobbies, sports, music etc. be yourself! Be fun. They don’t want boring people! Half of being a lawyer is being personable as you’re trapped in rooms with clients day in and day out and they don’t want a socially awkward person who only knows the law and nothing else haha. And always link your answer back to the firm and how it would help/fit in!

Remember, smile, look at the camera, and use your hands! Talk up! Use a nice camera and get good lighting/mic. This is massively important. If you sound boring you have no shot. If your smiling and look genuinely excited and happy that will go very far! Trust me, I know this from the feedback I got from partners during my TC interview. If you get to that part, it’s even more important!

I also think it's good to know who Clyde's competitors are and how they challenge Clyde for their specific client focus. Again, Clyde is an insurance firm at the end of the day. Don't say firms compete with Clyde just because they are also massive, or are also global. Think of firms like your HFWs, Kennedy's etc who also focus heavily on insurance, and get specific. Do any other firms focus on insurance for aviation/marine etc?

Moreover, tailor your commercial awareness to their focus. Think of how different issues affect the commercial world in an insurance and risk-focused way.

• An example - discuss the potential to use greener fuels in shipping trucks
• Discuss the real-world issues of employment shortages due to covid
• The Russian war blocking fuel supplies
  
  I hope this helps guys! BTW the Clyde application is just a VI with some online tests mixed in. You will receive this VI a few days after you send in your APP so please research the firm before sending off this basic app (which only really includes your basic details) or you will be rushing in like 5 days to learn as much as you can about insurance which isn't the most relaxing time!

 

[User2002]

w&c post ac news?

 

[Bradley Draper]

My advice is a bit more fluffy but it can still be very practical. My advice would be:

• Try to remember they were once in your shoes - they might be partners now, but they were once a candidate being interviewed for a training contract and they most likely have similar concerns as you may experience - they are human, so don't feel you need to put them on some form on a mental pedestal just because they are a partner now.
• In a similar way, they want you to succeed in this interview. Even challenging questions or references to you potentially not being right is not them trying to get you to fail, it's actually trying to push you as far as they can to see whether you can show the right skills/attitudes/knowledge.
• Remember, an interview is a conversation - if you were having a conversation with two friends in a coffee shop and you and one of the friends were dominating the conversation, you'd still try to engage with your other friend while they were there with simple things like eye contact and smiling. As @NatashaS98 has mentioned, try to engage with your other interviewer, even if one is dominating the questions. Asking them both questions at the end is a great way to also try to interact with them beyond the smiling/eye contact.

Thanks a lot for the insights and tips @NatashaS98 and @Jessica Booker, both are really useful perspectives.

 

[law12]

Technically you can do this. But I would advise against it. The first step would be to ask whether you could have any additional time to decide from both firms. I would also speak to both firms to see if you can speak to people from the firm (or even come to their offices) to try and help you make the decision.

Although they may not start for two years time, the reality is it becomes harder for the firm to fill that role with less than two years, given they need to invest in the time for the PGDL/SQE/LPC for their trainees in most instances. Therefore holding on to that offer for too long could ultimately lead to that vacancy never being filled. Therefore turning down one of the two firms in a timely manner is likely to allow someone else the opportunity to take that TC up (and get all the appropriate support and sponsorship before their TC starts).

Thank you! I will take your advice because I don't think it's wise to accept both either. But hypothetically speaking, you are allowed to do this then? I just want to know if either firm would find out you did this before all the onboarding began, and then upon finding out rescind the offer on this basis. Because in one of the contracts, it says that I'm not permitted to take up any other offers or interviews once I've formally accepted. Is something like this enforceable?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you! I will take your advice because I don't think it's wise to accept both either. But hypothetically speaking, you are allowed to do this then? I just want to know if either firm would find out you did this before all the onboarding began, and then upon finding out rescind the offer on this basis. Because in one of the contracts, it says that I'm not permitted to take up any other offers or interviews once I've formally accepted. Is something like this enforceable?

Normally, you can hypothetically accept both others. Whether it is morally right to do this is another thing though.

If you have a term in one of your contracts regarding it, then obviously this is slightly different though - it does present a risk of the TC not going ahead, as you are in breach of contract (the firm isn't rescinding, they would say you have failed to meet your obligations).

How enforceable this term is though is another matter, and one I don't really have any experience with to be able to comment on. The big question to me would be how the firms would find out. Really this can only happen if either you tell them or put it in the public domain, or at a push if someone you know who knows you have accepted both roles tells them (which would be a bit dodgy to rely on hearsay).

However, the best thing to do in these situations is to get whatever questions you have about either firm answered and promptly so you can make a decision. Then you don't put yourself in this predicament. If you explain to both firms what questions you need answering/what additional information you need to make the decision, they are likely to give you some initial wiggle room with the deadline to accept so you can make the right decision. The last thing they want is you accepting and then reneging on them a couple of weeks later.

 

[AvniD]

Thanks for the response, @AvniD!

A small clarification regarding the first question, my doubt is - For example, if the skill I'm demonstrating is collaboration - how much should I talk about how collaboration will help me as a CC lawyer?

This is entirely up to you- how much ever you think is necessary to put your point across convincingly!

 

[Dumbledore]

I am curious whether there is any data available about the % of success of TC after a vacation scheme vs direct TC? Some firms only allow one application per cycle and I think this information would help me decide which one should I apply to.

 

[moxiebobo]

I am curious whether there is any data available about the % of success of TC after a vacation scheme vs direct TC? Some firms only allow one application per cycle and I think this information would help me decide which one should I apply to.

I think the answer to this is really firm-specific and I would do my research on each firm I am applying to - I think there is a list on this forum somewhere that indicates which firms save spots for direct TC applications - at these firms, I have an (unconfirmed/unsupported) tendency to think that it is easier to go direct TC (given that you only have to jump through one hoop (the application process) rather than two (the application process and proving yourself throughout the vac scheme). However, most of the time I think the difference is pretty negligible/favoured towards the vac scheme - most firms recruit most, if not all, of their trainees through the vac scheme and so lots of spots are left for vac schemers and not many for direct TC application.

On that note, another number to look at when deciding whether to apply to a firm's vac scheme or their direct TC, is how many people (approx.) they take on the vac scheme and then the percentage of those people that convert to a TC. I realise those numbers are hard to find but in my personal experience I was on a vac scheme with 18 people and they were only taking 7, which meant you had to stand out rather than just not doing an explicitly bad job. I think at the bigger firms its more a case of the latter (i.e. just being competent and likeable, rather than a literal god like you have to be at some of the smaller US firms)

 

[law12]

Normally, you can hypothetically accept both others. Whether it is morally right to do this is another thing though.

If you have a term in one of your contracts regarding it, then obviously this is slightly different though - it does present a risk of the TC not going ahead, as you are in breach of contract (the firm isn't rescinding, they would say you have failed to meet your obligations).

How enforceable this term is though is another matter, and one I don't really have any experience with to be able to comment on. The big question to me would be how the firms would find out. Really this can only happen if either you tell them or put it in the public domain, or at a push if someone you know who knows you have accepted both roles tells them (which would be a bit dodgy to rely on hearsay).

However, the best thing to do in these situations is to get whatever questions you have about either firm answered and promptly so you can make a decision. Then you don't put yourself in this predicament. If you explain to both firms what questions you need answering/what additional information you need to make the decision, they are likely to give you some initial wiggle room with the deadline to accept so you can make the right decision. The last thing they want is you accepting and then reneging on them a couple of weeks later.

Thank you I really appreciate the help!

 

[Deleted member 3712]

Hi - not @NatashaS98 but I can give you some insight.

Typically you will prepare in another room and then be taken into a room where your assessors/interviewers will be. Sometimes, when your prep time is up, the assessors/interviewers will come into the room you are preparing in though when your prep time is up.

The format of the assessment will be explained to you. This could be anything from a short presentation through to more of a discussion of various points.

Depending on that format, you can choose to stand if it is more of a presentation format, although even in those instances, it typically is the case you’ll be sat down at a table with your interviewers. Your interviewers tend to guide you a little on this, or offer you the chance for you to choose which way you would like to present.

The order of things really depends on the exercise - it’s really difficult to state there is a certain order, as these exercises vary so much. It’s best to read through the instructions carefully and also the content you have in front of you, and then make a judgement of the order/structure you want to go with, rather than having a fixed idea of what this should be going into your prep time.

Thank you @Jessica Booker this was extremely insightful!

 

[Ald]

A firm I applied to a month ago asked me to send an ‘updated cover letter and cv’ to progress my application further

has anyone had this before??

 

[BeGrateful.101]

Hi team
does anyone know if DLA piper recruits on a rolling basis?

 

[Donuttime]

Hi team
does anyone know if DLA piper recruits on a rolling basis?

yes they do

 

[daisy_yawn]

How quickly do Slaughters get back to people usually? Don't know if they're rolling but get back after the deadline or actually hand out interviews before

 

[Jessica Booker]

A firm I applied to a month ago asked me to send an ‘updated cover letter and cv’ to progress my application further

has anyone had this before??

This isn’t unknown, especially if it’s been some time since you last applied.

 

[Payne4321]

Hi everyone, this is my first post so forgive me if this is posted to the wrong forum. I am struggling with the following Michelmores LLP application question and would appreciate any advice:

What key attributes do you think make a solicitor successful in the current market? Why?

My current thoughts are to look at the traits needed in light of Brexit, the pandemic, and the current war between Russia - Ukraine. To this end, I have come up with versatility & commercial awareness as attributes needed to make a solicitor successful in the current market. I chose versatility because the pandemic has accelerated innovation & change within the industry, so solicitors ultimately need to be versatile enough to change their own ways of working. I have chosen commercial awareness because all three global events have had a significant effect on the workings of the businesses in which law firms advise, therefore requiring solicitors to understand these effects to ensure their advice is consistent with the changes.

Could someone please confirm whether I am on the right track?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone, this is my first post so forgive me if this is posted to the wrong forum. I am struggling with the following Michelmores LLP application question and would appreciate any advice:

What key attributes do you think make a solicitor successful in the current market? Why?

My current thoughts are to look at the traits needed in light of Brexit, the pandemic, and the current war between Russia - Ukraine. To this end, I have come up with versatility & commercial awareness as attributes needed to make a solicitor successful in the current market. I chose versatility because the pandemic has accelerated innovation & change within the industry, so solicitors ultimately need to be versatile enough to change their own ways of working. I have chosen commercial awareness because all three global events have had a significant effect on the workings of the businesses in which law firms advise, therefore requiring solicitors to understand these effects to ensure their advice is consistent with the changes.

Could someone please confirm whether I am on the right track?

Thanks in advance!

The current market also could include the other PESTLE factors (sociological, technological, legal, environmental).

I think you are of the right track with versatility. I would try to look at something more specific than commercial awareness though, as this will be something lawyers have always needed (it wouldn’t be unique to the current circumstances) and it is quite a broad (and overused) term. I would try to find something maybe more specific to now than would have been 10-15 years ago to ensure you nail the question.

 

[Payne4321]

The current market also could include the other PESTLE factors (sociological, technological, legal, environmental).

I think you are of the right track with versatility. I would try to look at something more specific than commercial awareness though, as this will be something lawyers have always needed (it wouldn’t be unique to the current circumstances) and it is quite a broad (and overused) term. I would try to find something maybe more specific to now than would have been 10-15 years ago to ensure you nail the question.

Perfect, thank you Jessica!

 

[born&raised]

I missed out on the CC Impactful Applications workshop If anyone took notes or main pointers I'd be so grateful if you could share them!