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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4
- Thread starter Jessica Booker
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hey, i applied this year for their summer intake (1st june) took them just over a month to get an acceptance
Hi, all. Can we discuss a deal of interest if it is 5 years old (in an interview)? or is that a complete no? thanks
i wouldn't, I
would try and find a more updated one as it may be more relevant to the firm's strategy / new legislation imposed etc.
would try and find a more updated one as it may be more relevant to the firm's strategy / new legislation imposed etc.
- Sep 14, 2023
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I would look for something more recent but if it is of interest to you you can mention it as one of the reasons why you wanna join the firm.
For Stephenson Harwood, can we send in one application for winter, spring and summer VS together? Because the app form seems to allow you to choose more than one placement scheme
Jessica Booker
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I would try to find something more up to date (say the last 2-3 years max) if you can unless you know the deal is very unique and something like it hasn’t happened since.
The issue with something that happened 5 years ago is it is a very different landscape to where we are now so picking out the pertinent points of why a deal happened maybe less relevant to the current economical/political landscape.
@Jessica Booker the Simmons and Simmons application asks when I’m planning to study the FE1s. I don’t know what that is. Could you please clarify what this is? Should I just write N/A in the relevant box?
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I sent the application and just put “N/A” in the box. I had to put something as I was required to answer.
Anyone still waiting to hear back from HL for the July 31st deadline TC?
I am struggling with the question, "why do you want to study commercial law?" As a non-law student, this question is much harder than expected. I do not have any legal experience that could have sparked the interest. I am struggling to answer the "why" without being too generic, such as "I enjoy the intellectually stimulating aspect of commercial law." My degree background is in Psychology, so should I find ways to link them together? I also thought of finding ways to link my work experience of working as a cafe assistant, shop floor assistant, charity volunteer, and tutoring into this answer. However, it was too generic of an answer that had no relevance to commercial law. I have tried to find some books to widen my understanding and use them as part of my application, but I did not find any unique commercial law books.
I would be very grateful for ANY advice on how to tackle this question, coming from a psychology background and as someone who is working to widen their commercial awareness.
I would be very grateful for ANY advice on how to tackle this question, coming from a psychology background and as someone who is working to widen their commercial awareness.
Jessica Booker
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One of two things - it is either a standard question across application forms to try and accommodate different opportunities in different locations (and this is specifically for Ireland). Or this is what the Dubai/UAE admission exams are called (I don’t know enough about this to comment).
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hey @Dervise2001, I am totally sympathetic towards your concerns and I myself, as a non-law student, was struggling so much to understand how I could convey my interest in the law without actual knowledge on the subject or much experience. I think it is important to remember that majority of the law firms out there do put an emphasis on non-law students so do not worry about this cause you are still more than capable to be successful at the application stage. One of my closest friends had a bachelor in psychology and now is a future trainee at a major US law firm so do not worry at all!
In terms of answering why law questions, what I found out that worked quite well for me was:
- Be very personal in the first 1/2 lines of the application: this means try to convey the reasons you are interested in commercial law with a story that makes sense to you, your background and experiences. I always started by talking about how when I was young I used to help my mother, who is a nurse and a business owner on the side in both Ivory Coast and Italy, with translating contracts from French to Italian and vice versa and I had to explain to her certain terms that she did not understand well in Italian. I emphasised how this made me appreciate the greater impact that a commercial solicitor has on a business and its developments and that is how an interest in commercial law first sparked. And then I am able to connect this story to my varied internships and research about the firm.
- Connect your story to elements related to the legal profession: what I mean by this is that, as you can tell by my story, it clearly shows a genuine interest in the law and also skills such as attention to detail, summarising key information and report it to clients and work hard for the client's request, things that are invaluable as a trainee and ultimately a future lawyer.
- Highlight the intersection between law and business: I think this was a key point for me during the application stage last year as I was not aware of this. However, it is important to stress how this interaction between these two elements appeals to you and what you think you can provide to society with the knowledge acquired as a commercial lawyer. That has been my strategy ever since I started applying and it worked out well because I personally think that it made me stand out, it made sense and it was not redundant.
- Once you told your personal story, make sure to substantiate the 'why law' answer with one/two professional experiences (that do not have to be law related in the slightest) where you have seen how the impact you had made you want to help people and businesses from a legal stand point. I used to talk about my experience in a fintech start-up company where I was doing market research.
what I would do is:
- Read Business News:
- Start by regularly reading reputable business news sources like The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and The Economist. These sources provide insights into global and industry-specific trends, mergers, acquisitions, and financial data.
- Follow Industry News:
- Stay updated on industry-specific news and publications related to your area of interest. Subscribing to industry magazines, websites, and newsletters can provide in-depth knowledge about your chosen field.
- Podcasts and Webinars:
- Listen to podcasts and attend webinars relevant to your industry. Podcasts like "How I Built This" and "Masters of Scale" often feature successful entrepreneurs and business leaders sharing their experiences and insights.
- Online Courses:
- Enroll in online courses related to business and finance. Websites like Coursera, edX, and LinkedIn Learning offer a variety of courses that can help you build your knowledge. There are courses even here on TCLA that you could use and understand a little bit more about private equity, M&A, legal tech and things of that nature.
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