TCLA General Discussion Thread #2 (2021)

[Asil Ahmad]

Has anyone heard from Teacher Stern post app?

I got an update last week saying that selection will be done soon but no application update since then.

 

[Penelope]

I have an interview in a few hours and I have just found out someone close to me passed away an hour ago. As bad it may sound, I’m trying very hard to keep it together for my interview but struggling.

Does anyone have any tips for making it through this interview? Thanks

 

[Anon 11031]

I have an interview in a few hours and I have just found out someone close to me passed away an hour ago. As bad it may sound, I’m trying very hard to keep it together for my interview but struggling.

Does anyone have any tips for making it through this interview? Thanks

Hey,

Firstly, I'm really sorry for your loss - I can only imagine how you feel right now.

In terms of advice, I think there are two things here.

1. You can ask to rearrange the interview. This is the very definition of exceptional circumstances. Performing well in this situation, even if you've prepared and taken time for a breather will be very difficult. Our brains cannot function well after being given information like this. Try to think about how you usually cope under stress and ask yourself "if they asked me a really stressful question today, would I be able to deal with it?". This is what I would suggest doing in first instance. Try giving them a call, if you feel you can't (sometimes talking about these things aloud can make us upset) then send them an email explaining.

2. If you feel you are quite resilient and can still do/want to do the interview, then I would suggest trying to ground yourself this morning. Try to make a cup of tea. Get your notes out and go through them. Take things at a steady but reasonable pace. My therapist, around the time I was going through something similar, told me to think on important days 'I am allowed to be sad, but after my task is over. I have to get through this first and then I will set aside x amount of time to think about this later'. I don't know if this will help, but it really did help me compartmentalise at the time.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but I would in first instance try to get in touch with them.

Look after yourself and best of luck!

❤️

 

[GK8997]

I have an interview in a few hours and I have just found out someone close to me passed away an hour ago. As bad it may sound, I’m trying very hard to keep it together for my interview but struggling.

Does anyone have any tips for making it through this interview? Thanks

Hi,

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss, I can't imagine how hard this must be.

I also agree with @lawnoodle, I suspect the firm will be very understanding if you have to reschedule, this is the definition of an event that will impact your ability to perform at an interview so I think they will be very willing to rearrange once you've had some time to process and grieve.

This being said, I was in a similar position to you right before I had my VS interview with the firm I accepted my TC with, a close family member passed away 3 days before and I similarly chose not to postpone my interview because I felt that trying to prepare further while in the mindset I was in would be too difficult. For me, I think what helped was knowing that after my interview was finished, I would have the time to process my emotions without my interview hanging over me. I tried to keep my mind clear and just focus on what was in front of me and personally, having something else to focus on actually helped me at the time thinking back. Obviously, this was just my personal experience and I don't know if it will help you but I hope so and if you do want to discuss anything further either now or if you choose to defer your interview, feel free to message me at any time.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help and good luck with your interview we're all rooting for you!

 

[S87]

Cummings 'hearing is giving me chills..

 

[Penelope]

Hey,

Firstly, I'm really sorry for your loss - I can only imagine how you feel right now.

In terms of advice, I think there are two things here.

1. You can ask to rearrange the interview. This is the very definition of exceptional circumstances. Performing well in this situation, even if you've prepared and taken time for a breather will be very difficult. Our brains cannot function well after being given information like this. Try to think about how you usually cope under stress and ask yourself "if they asked me a really stressful question today, would I be able to deal with it?". This is what I would suggest doing in first instance. Try giving them a call, if you feel you can't (sometimes talking about these things aloud can make us upset) then send them an email explaining.

2. If you feel you are quite resilient and can still do/want to do the interview, then I would suggest trying to ground yourself this morning. Try to make a cup of tea. Get your notes out and go through them. Take things at a steady but reasonable pace. My therapist, around the time I was going through something similar, told me to think on important days 'I am allowed to be sad, but after my task is over. I have to get through this first and then I will set aside x amount of time to think about this later'. I don't know if this will help, but it really did help me compartmentalise at the time.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but I would in first instance try to get in touch with them.

Look after yourself and best of luck!

❤️

Hi,

First of all, I am so sorry for your loss, I can't imagine how hard this must be.

I also agree with @lawnoodle, I suspect the firm will be very understanding if you have to reschedule, this is the definition of an event that will impact your ability to perform at an interview so I think they will be very willing to rearrange once you've had some time to process and grieve.

This being said, I was in a similar position to you right before I had my VS interview with the firm I accepted my TC with, a close family member passed away 3 days before and I similarly chose not to postpone my interview because I felt that trying to prepare further while in the mindset I was in would be too difficult. For me, I think what helped was knowing that after my interview was finished, I would have the time to process my emotions without my interview hanging over me. I tried to keep my mind clear and just focus on what was in front of me and personally, having something else to focus on actually helped me at the time thinking back. Obviously, this was just my personal experience and I don't know if it will help you but I hope so and if you do want to discuss anything further either now or if you choose to defer your interview, feel free to message me at any time.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help and good luck with your interview we're all rooting for you!

Thank you both very much, I really appreciate it

 

[Jessica Booker]

I have an interview in a few hours and I have just found out someone close to me passed away an hour ago. As bad it may sound, I’m trying very hard to keep it together for my interview but struggling.

Does anyone have any tips for making it through this interview? Thanks

I'd ask to reschedule. They will understand.

 

[Andrew M]

Thank you both very much, I really appreciate it

It might be worth just letting grad rec know about your circumstances, even if you do choose to persevere. I had a bit of a personal crisis myself earlier in the year - I chose to soldier on with five AC's and not say anything. I ended up being successful with the majority of the assessment centres/interviews during this time but one firm I was rejected from said in their feedback that I had come across very distracted throughout. When I told her why that had been (because I was afraid I'd caused offence) she said that they would have taken that into account had I mentioned it. I would have kicked myself if I'd had similarly lost out with the others for the same reason!

 

[Anon 11031]

I got accepted into a summer school today at Yale Law (AMRI) and I'm super pleased about it. It's competition law/antitrust law based. How should I incorporate this into my CV/apps?

 

[Jessica Booker]

I got accepted into a summer school today at Yale Law (AMRI) and I'm super pleased about it. It's competition law/antitrust law based. How should I incorporate this into my CV/apps?

Extra curricular section I think is the most appropriate unless you are getting a formal qualification out of the school.

 

[Penelope]

I'd ask to reschedule. They will understand.

It might be worth just letting grad rec know about your circumstances, even if you do choose to persevere. I had a bit of a personal crisis myself earlier in the year - I chose to soldier on with five AC's and not say anything. I ended up being successful with the majority of the assessment centres/interviews during this time but one firm I was rejected from said in their feedback that I had come across very distracted throughout. When I told her why that had been (because I was afraid I'd caused offence) she said that they would have taken that into account had I mentioned it. I would have kicked myself if I'd had similarly lost out with the others for the same reason!

Thanks both. I wasn't able to reschedule so I chose to just persevere and get the interview done

 

[Anon 11031]

Thanks both. I wasn't able to reschedule so I chose to just persevere and get the interview done

All the best with it. Please do let us know how it goes, and make sure to take time for yourself afterwards ❤️

 

[Asil Ahmad]

I got accepted into a summer school today at Yale Law (AMRI) and I'm super pleased about it. It's competition law/antitrust law based. How should I incorporate this into my CV/apps?

Congratulations this is an amazing achievement

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks both. I wasn't able to reschedule so I chose to just persevere and get the interview done

Hope it went ok.

 

[Jooooopp7]

Hi guys! does anyone have any tips for an interview with an in-house team at a bank/any financial institution? Or would anyone have some insight into the type of work that they do, just so I have a better idea! thank you so much!

 

[Helpme12345]

Has anyone heard anything from Orrick yet?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi guys! does anyone have any tips for an interview with an in-house team at a bank/any financial institution? Or would anyone have some insight into the type of work that they do, just so I have a better idea! thank you so much!

Legal in-house teams tend to do a broad range of work. They could be doing anything from looking at a contract with a supplier for something as small as sponsorship at a university event, all the way through working with external legal advisors across a range of law firms on any legal complex legal advice.

Things they tend the focus on in interviews are:

- time management
- dealing with conflicting priorities
- attention to detail
- knowing when to raise thing with your supervisor
- managing clients (they will generally be internal and will have little to no knowledge of law and frustrated that the legal stuff is slowing them down)
- why you want to work for them (they can have high turn over, so want some reassurances you won’t jump ship at the first opportunity)

 

[Jooooopp7]

Legal in-house teams tend to do a broad range of work. They could be doing anything from looking at a contract with a supplier for something as small as sponsorship at a university event, all the way through working with external legal advisors across a range of law firms on any legal complex legal advice.

Things they tend the focus on in interviews are:

- time management
- dealing with conflicting priorities
- attention to detail
- knowing when to raise thing with your supervisor
- managing clients (they will generally be internal and will have little to no knowledge of law and frustrated that the legal stuff is slowing them down)
- why you want to work for them (they can have high turn over, so want some reassurances you won’t jump ship at the first opportunity)

Ahh amazing, this is a massive help, thank you for the insight!!

 

[Legal1234]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any guidance on which provider (BPP/ULaw) is best for the conversion course. Any positives or negatives for both would be great. Thank you!

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any guidance on which provider (BPP/ULaw) is best for the conversion course. Any positives or negatives for both would be great. Thank you!

I got positives and negatives for BPP as I live at BPP