TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[Amma Usman]

Hello all! I have received a CMS Assessment Day invitation for a Direct TC and would be grateful for any tips please!!

Hey there @lulilucha11 ,

Well done on the AC! I’ve provided some tips below.

• Prepare for the components as you have been told. This will enable you to laser focus on a few key areas of revision, rather than everything that could possibly come out. The firm will likely have told you this, or will in due course. It is worth reaching out to future trainees to learn from their experiences and provide more firm-specific insights.

• Continue your commercial awareness journey. This is where it will be tested, challenged, and embraced more than at any other stage in the process. For case study and article discussions, you will find it beneficial to link even the tiniest matters to current affairs globally, and more industry-specific arenas if you have insights on that too. Now, it is also worth mentioning that commercial awareness in an interview setting also encompasses how well you can link the case discussion to the firm. In this, I mean how the firm’s practices or expertise could be utilised or affected. Doing so shows you not only understand businesses, but legal advisory as it applies to businesses. This approach has always served me well. I will note, however, doing so will enable your interviewers to challenge and question your thoughts - after all, you are mentioning the firm’s role in an advisory scope. In no way should this be viewed as a scary thing though - in fact, you are on the road to a colourful trophy if you expatiate on it well. Further, it will also be a nice opportunity to learn from your interviewers about their work too. At the end of the day, you are not only being assessed for a TC - you are surrounded by a plethora of legal talent. Utilise it and make the most of the learning opportunity. It will also turn the vibe from initially hot, to more cool.

• Be confident in how you communicate your answers, but avoid coming off as the negative opposite of that.

• Ask questions. There is no harm in asking for clarification when you are unsure on something. This is even more noble than making things up along the way, and your assessors will respect this.

 

[Legalitaly]

From my understanding, ROLLING means that they hand out TC offers before the official deadline... Non-rolling means (1) that they look at no applications until after the deadline, OR (2) they look at applications and move people onto the next stage, but do NOT hand out TC offers until all applications have been read and progressed to the end stage, hence giving everyone who applies before the deadline a chance.

From my understanding of what a rolling deadline is I would say point (2) falls within the rolling category instead of the non-rolling one. If a deadline is non-rolling then they should specify that they do, however, go through applications and progress people before the deadline is passed, as that is more of an exception to the rule rather than the norm.