TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

[48108210002]

on this, have people received the situational judgement test? I was under the impression it was automatic but I haven't and applied about a month ago

I don't think I got one, but honestly at this point a lot of them have melded into one indiscriminate amalgam of horror

 

[Julia Wyporkiewicz]

on this, have people received the situational judgement test? I was under the impression it was automatic but I haven't and applied about a month ago

I was wondering exactly the same, but I haven’t got one. I think they may send them over automatically to everyone but at some later point.

 

[Shreya Verma]

Is it advisable to relate your responsibilities in the work experience section to commercial law or highlight the transferable skills when nothing's mentioned about it? @axelbeugre @Jessica Booker

P.S. Having faced a rejection recently, I feel as if I should explain each and everything properly 🫣

 

[Shreya Verma]

In your first 3 months as a trainee at BCLP, who would you seek to build relationships with, and what strategies would you implement to ensure that these relationships are long lasting? How to answer this? @axelbeugre @Jessica Booker

 

[hannah04]

@Jessica Booker if I am looking to start a paralegal position in around August, when would be the best time to start applying, is now too far out?

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker if I am looking to start a paralegal position in around August, when would be the best time to start applying, is now too far out?

Early June at the earliest. There wouldn't be much point before then as firms are typically looking for someone to start fairly immediately.

 

[Jessica Booker]

In your first 3 months as a trainee at BCLP, who would you seek to build relationships with, and what strategies would you implement to ensure that these relationships are long lasting? How to answer this? @axelbeugre @Jessica Booker

The key to this answer is identifying who are the most important people to build relationships with. The answer cannot be everyone - this is a firm of thousands of people, so being selective about who you are identifying is important.

One key element of this is thinking about what is the purpose of the relationship - how will you benefit from that relationship existing?

Then think about how the relationships with those different people would differ and therefore how you may look to build a relationship in different ways.

Finally, feel free to put your own individuality on it. If you are interested in a particular practice area or want to be part of an employee network group, your answer may have more elements of that.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is it advisable to relate your responsibilities in the work experience section to commercial law or highlight the transferable skills when nothing's mentioned about it? @axelbeugre @Jessica Booker

P.S. Having faced a rejection recently, I feel as if I should explain each and everything properly 🫣

I personally don't think this is needed (unless the firm explictly asks you to do this in the application form). The recruiter can read into the connection between commercial law or consider what would be transferable skills, and in the vast majority of cases you don't need to spell it out why there is a connection.

Just evidencing the skill or experience should be sufficient.

 

[Studyinglaw]

@Jessica Booker Wondering if personal ties to a region are questioned in an interview? among other reasons I am planning to mention having extended family in the region in passing. Asking as this is not family I am particularly close to and have not visited them before.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Wondering if personal ties to a region are questioned in an interview? among other reasons I am planning to mention having extended family in the region in passing. Asking as this is not family I am particularly close to and have not visited them before.

Yes, I would expect this to be the case for many firms, especially for offices outside of London and if your application has no reference to that region.

Is having family there really a reason if you haven’t visited them? If not, I wouldn’t say this just for the sake of saying it. I would try to focus more about your reasons for willing to live and work in the region if the link to your family is fairly limited at the moment.

 

[Adamkhattak70]

I still havent heard back after a CMS Dubai VI but I know TC offers have been made for the London offices for a while now, is it safe to assume it’s a PFO?

 

[Shreya Verma]

The key to this answer is identifying who are the most important people to build relationships with. The answer cannot be everyone - this is a firm of thousands of people, so being selective about who you are identifying is important.

One key element of this is thinking about what is the purpose of the relationship - how will you benefit from that relationship existing?

Then think about how the relationships with those different people would differ and therefore how you may look to build a relationship in different ways.

Finally, feel free to put your own individuality on it. If you are interested in a particular practice area or want to be part of an employee network group, your answer may have more elements of that.

Yes I'm interested in their technology and ip disputes team and their South Asian lawyers network. I found these aspects quite interesting and relatable.

 

[Studyinglaw]

Yes, I would expect this to be the case for many firms, especially for offices outside of London and if your application has no reference to that region.

Is having family there really a reason if you haven’t visited them? If not, I wouldn’t say this just for the sake of saying it. I would try to focus more about your reasons for willing to live and work in the region if the link to your family is fairly limited at the moment.

Thanks. I am aiming to focus more on work-related motivations but am apprehensive that they would fall short against candidates who also have personal reasons.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks. I am aiming to focus more on work-related motivations but am apprehensive that they would fall short against candidates who also have personal reasons.

If you feel you need personal reasons, do a bit of research about the region and why you would like living there (e.g. what you'd get up to outside of work). You can mention the family too - but I think this just needs to be a brief reference given you aren't close/haven't spent time with them recently.

 

[SemperParatus]

Put so much effort into Hogan Lovells, nervous to hear back from them

 

[TC seeker]

Does anyone know is it the grade important for Slaughter and May ？I hear some people said Slaughter are expecting a first class

 

[LehmanBrothersRiskManagementIntern]

Does anyone know which firms will be opening the direct tc apps in the next weeks/months?

 

[S87]

Does anyone know which firms will be opening the direct tc apps in the next weeks/months?

They are listed on lawcareers.net

 

[Jessica Booker]

Does anyone know is it the grade important for Slaughter and May ？I hear some people said Slaughter are expecting a first class

You won’t need a first class, but they will look for strong grades at the higher end of the 2.1 range or above.

 

[Shreya Verma]

What do you find attractive about BCLP's sectors/departments and which area(s) are you interested in having exposure to in your Training Contract and why?

How to answer this question? Is it necessary to talk about all of BCLP's sectors/departments in general or just those which interest me?