TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[andrecsaa]

I'm thinking of applying to the Ashurst Direct Training Contract even though I got to the Summer Vacation Scheme final AC last year. I know that many firms don't invite candidates that they've interviewed before but I feel that I really didn't know what I was doing back then and know that my skills and commercial awareness have totally transformed since. Their feedback was massively encouraging and helpful - it made me like the idea of them much more and I think they were really unique!
Is this the point in the application to acknowledge this?

Have you previously interviewed for a Vacation Scheme or Direct Training Contract with us before? If yes, please provide detail of the programme and when this took place. *​ ​ ​ No​ ​ Yes​ If yes, please provide details:*​

You should. They will know you applied in the last cycle anyway (cross checking name, email, etc).

I don’t see any cons as Ashurst officially says:

Can I reapply for a vacation scheme or Direct Training contract if I was previously unsuccessful?

• We only permit one application within each recruitment cycle. If you do wish to reapply we encourage you to complete a new application form in the next recruitment cycle and include any skills and experience you’ve gained since you last applied.

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

Baker McKenzie, Ashurst, and some other firms require I enter in a "letter grade" as well as a number. To anyone who went to a UK university, does this mean to enter in 1:1, 2:1, etc? or A, B, etc (if so, what scale should I be using to measure?)

I usually take this to mean 2:1, 1st etc

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

Hi everyone, @Jessica Booker , @Amma Usman , would appreciate some help with Mayer Brown! Is it necessary to tailor each work experience to the firm and/or highlight skills developed in the work experience section? considering that the word count is only 150. (same Q for the Additional Info/Extracurriculars section). At the same time, they don't have any additional questions on the app form so i suppose they'd like to see some kind of link with the firm besides just listing tasks and responsibilities. Thank you in advance!

Seconding this

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

I usually take this to mean 2:1, 1st etc

I don't think they are looking for both. They are looking for what you achieved at your specific uni. They recognise unis grade differently.

At mine it was a % eg 72%
At a friend's their modules were graded A-D.
The classification usually is required when they ask for year 1, year 2 etc.

They don't look for the equivalents to be entered just have the options there to cover that unis way of grading. If it won't let you move without filling a box then you put N/A if you can or leave it blank if it does let you move on.

Edit- sorry I meant to reply to @IntoLaw

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

hi, does anybody know when we are expected to hear back from CRS post VI?

 

[Law queries]

5 days ago they sent out the VI invites

ahh so i should assume a pfo

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi everyone, @Jessica Booker , @Amma Usman , would appreciate some help with Mayer Brown! Is it necessary to tailor each work experience to the firm and/or highlight skills developed in the work experience section? considering that the word count is only 150. (same Q for the Additional Info/Extracurriculars section). At the same time, they don't have any additional questions on the app form so i suppose they'd like to see some kind of link with the firm besides just listing tasks and responsibilities. Thank you in advance!

Hiya @Szofi66

Just before @Jessica Booker and @Amma Usman get back to you, I wanted to quickly share my thoughts. I don’t think it's necessary to tie back your entries to the firm. Having gotten past their application stage myself, I’d suggest focusing on clearly setting out your experiences and making sure you describe each role in enough detail. When I was filling out my applications, I did make a point of highlighting the specific tasks and skills from certain roles that were particularly relevant or transferable to a legal career. That said, I’d really encourage you to focus on what you actually did in each role rather than trying to tie everything back to the firm.

Hope that helps, and best of luck with your application!

 

[pleasepleaseplease]

Freshfields pfo post AC

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone, @Jessica Booker , @Amma Usman , would appreciate some help with Mayer Brown! Is it necessary to tailor each work experience to the firm and/or highlight skills developed in the work experience section? considering that the word count is only 150. (same Q for the Additional Info/Extracurriculars section). At the same time, they don't have any additional questions on the app form so i suppose they'd like to see some kind of link with the firm besides just listing tasks and responsibilities. Thank you in advance!

Just to add to @Ram Sabaratnam's great advice.

Not everything needs linking back to the firm specifically - sometimes firms don't need to see this at the application stage but may assess it later on in the recruitment process. As Ram has suggested, I think its important to focus on your key skills, achievements and impact you had, especially given the tight word limit. What you can do is think about the skills maybe the firm values the most and weave that into answers on occasion, but I don't think you need to transform everything, especially if it is as the cost of you demonstrating some of your more interesting or impactful experiences.

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Regarding direct TCs at US firms. Do you have to paralegal first? Wondering how realistic my apps are. Thinking Fried Frank, K&S, Paul Hastings. Anyone know non-paralegals get their TCs? Thank you very much in advance.

Hiya @Tintin06

I’m not entirely sure about King & Spalding, but I’ve met a sizeable number of future trainees at Fried Frank and Paul Hastings, and none of them had any paralegal experience. That said, they did have a number of vacation schemes under their belts by the time they applied. Given that you’ve also completed several vacation schemes at excellent firms, I’d definitely say it’s worth applying for their direct training contracts. Best of luck with your applications.

 

[Tintin06]

Hiya @Tintin06

I’m not entirely sure about King & Spalding, but I’ve met a sizeable number of future trainees at Fried Frank and Paul Hastings, and none of them had any paralegal experience. That said, they did have a number of vacation schemes under their belts by the time they applied. Given that you’ve also completed several vacation schemes at excellent firms, I’d definitely say it’s worth applying for their direct training contracts. Best of luck with your applications.

Thank you.

 

[Amiyrerose]

What do you need to know?

I wanted to know about ashursts application process in terms of what you learned from it? so any feedback

 

[Szofi66]

Hiya @Szofi66

Just before @Jessica Booker and @Amma Usman get back to you, I wanted to quickly share my thoughts. I don’t think it's necessary to tie back your entries to the firm. Having gotten past their application stage myself, I’d suggest focusing on clearly setting out your experiences and making sure you describe each role in enough detail. When I was filling out my applications, I did make a point of highlighting the specific tasks and skills from certain roles that were particularly relevant or transferable to a legal career. That said, I’d really encourage you to focus on what you actually did in each role rather than trying to tie everything back to the firm.

Hope that helps, and best of luck with your application!

Thank you!!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi everyone, @Jessica Booker , @Amma Usman , would appreciate some help with Mayer Brown! Is it necessary to tailor each work experience to the firm and/or highlight skills developed in the work experience section? considering that the word count is only 150. (same Q for the Additional Info/Extracurriculars section). At the same time, they don't have any additional questions on the app form so i suppose they'd like to see some kind of link with the firm besides just listing tasks and responsibilities. Thank you in advance!

Mayer Brown's application process is known to be quite idiosyncratic and I do not think they have much of an expectation for you to make many links to your 'why the firm' reasons at this stage. That said, I think if you have any good opportunities to do so (ie. where there is a clear alignment between a skill/experience and a differentiating feature of the firm) you should take them, as it can't do anything but elevate your application.

However, I definitely think you should not seek to tailor each work experience to the firm. The connections and resulting reasoning would likely look weak as a result, and you do not want to seem like you are pulling at straws. Moreover, it is generally thought that writing in the work experience section should be quite descriptive and to the point; if you consider Mayer Brown's tight word limit as well it's difficult to imagine they might have a different expectation. As such, I would say the same applies for inferences about skills: you can draw them, but do so sparsely and only where the link is very clear - you do not want to have a repetitive writing style.

 

[yellowponytwin]

hello,

anyone heard back from CRS for the DTC app?

thanks

it seems a fair few have but I personally havent (I applied to the Chelt office).

 

[yellowponytwin]

5 days ago they sent out the VI invites

not necessarily all of them though, surely? I've only heard from people who applied to the London office, and I didn't go for that one. trying to still hold out hope...

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

not necessarily all of them though, surely? I've only heard from people who applied to the London office, and I didn't go for that one. trying to still hold out hope...

yes yes ofc, I only meant for those who heard back for now since they had asked when we heard back.

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

did anybody hear back from HL today?

 

[yellowponytwin]

yes yes ofc, I only meant for those who heard back for now since they had asked when we heard back.

ahh thanks, I mean at this point it isn't looking too hopeful but I suppose it's possible still... I really like CRS so am trying to stay positive, anyway!

 

[sb04]

Hey there, has anyone got the Greenberg Traurig interview? I'd be more than willing to prep together or trade insights for other firms like Mills & Reeve, Forsters, White & Case, and other US firms!