TCLA General Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[Jessica Booker]

Very interesting insight Jessica! I do wonder if people are qualifying from the start (ie doing two years of one practice group) whether that means on the flip side they might be better NQs. Very interesting development either way

I think it will work like many other sectors. There will be a centralised graduate recruitment programme that gets in the majority of their graduate hires on a rotational basis and their training/development will all be centralised like it is now.

There will also be an added layer of direct team hiring that isn't run through graduate recruitment though. It will be for teams who want a particular skill set/type of candidate who will stick to their team upon qualification. I can see this working for niche areas with particular demands and that are popular areas to go into (e.g. International Arbitration, IP teams, and regional desks working out of UK offices) or departments that struggle more with getting interested NQs (*cough* Banking/Finance).

One of the biggest challenges Grad Rec have got going forward is that partners can now do their own hiring for their teams rather than having to rely on trainees being rotated into their team. And for many partners who weren't supportive of how their firm recruited trainees, this is a game-changer. Everything was centralised via graduate recruitment before, and it could now become much more fragmented.

Just my opinion of course - I could get this very wrong and it all continues like it has done...

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello, all. Could anyone please confirm if this link pertains to Ashurst's latest annual report? I cannot find any other document that goes over a yearly review in this detail but this looks more like a short note and not like a full-fledged PDF report so I was just confused.

Ashurst announces financial results - marking fifth consecutive year of revenue growth

Global law firm Ashurst today announces its results for the financial year ended 30 April 2021.

www.ashurst.com

Thanks.

 

[Kubed]

Hello, all. Could anyone please confirm if this link pertains to Ashurst's latest annual report? I cannot find any other document that goes over a yearly review in this detail but this looks more like a short note and not like a full-fledged PDF report so I was just confused.

Ashurst announces financial results - marking fifth consecutive year of revenue growth

Global law firm Ashurst today announces its results for the financial year ended 30 April 2021.

www.ashurst.com

Thanks.

They may well not have a publicly available annual report. Unlike public companies, there is no obligation for them to publish a report.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, all. Could anyone please confirm if this link pertains to Ashurst's latest annual report? I cannot find any other document that goes over a yearly review in this detail but this looks more like a short note and not like a full-fledged PDF report so I was just confused.

Ashurst announces financial results - marking fifth consecutive year of revenue growth

Global law firm Ashurst today announces its results for the financial year ended 30 April 2021.

www.ashurst.com

Thanks.

It must be, as their financial year runs until 30 April and so this year's financial year is not finished yet (and the report is likely to be published a couple of months after it ends).

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Thank you so much @Kubed @Jessica Booker

 

[shootingstar]

Hi there - yeah it's the same as the VS

Application ➡ Video Interview ➡ Assessment Centre ➡ Offer

Thank you so much for the quick reply, Daniel! Do you happen to have gone through the direct TC process and know how many people they recruit from the direct route?

I currently hold a summer VS offer but I may be taking up full-time work soon and am unsure whether that job would allow me to take 2 weeks out for the VS. I was therefore wondering about how the direct TC process is like and whether the GR would consider me for direct TC instead. I was wondering whether you have any ideas on this? Would really appreciate your view! Thanks again!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hello, all. What do you think about mentioning band-1,2,3,4 Chambers Partners/Legal 500 ratings if the firm is band 4? Can we say that it's the practice area strength that has influenced our decision to apply or would that come across as dishonest? I think band 3/4 is not great but I was wondering what'd happen if we say something like "X's market-leading M&A practice, evidenced by a ranking of band -4 in C&P 2022 has influenced my decision to apply..." on our application form.

Or, is showcasing an interest in the practice area that's band-1, a better strategy?

Thanks in advance.

 

[TC fiend]

Hello, all. What do you think about mentioning band-1,2,3,4 Chambers Partners/Legal 500 ratings if the firm is band 4? Can we say that it's the practice area strength that has influenced our decision to apply or would that come across as dishonest? I think band 3/4 is not great but I was wondering what'd happen if we say something like "X's market-leading M&A practice, evidenced by a ranking of band -4 in C&P 2022 has influenced my decision to apply..."

Thanks in advance.

There’s nothing wrong with saying “market leading” or “top tier” but I really wouldn’t mention bands. A lot of associates / partners don’t feel like the bands actually mean very much beyond the fact that the firm contributed information to Legal 500.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello, all. What do you think about mentioning band-1,2,3,4 Chambers Partners/Legal 500 ratings if the firm is band 4? Can we say that it's the practice area strength that has influenced our decision to apply or would that come across as dishonest? I think band 3/4 is not great but I was wondering what'd happen if we say something like "X's market-leading M&A practice, evidenced by a ranking of band -4 in C&P 2022 has influenced my decision to apply..." on our application form.

Or, is showcasing an interest in the practice area that's band-1, a better strategy?

Thanks in advance.

I dont think there is really an issue based on the above, although I would question how relevant a banding is to highlight it. So many people reference bandings and many times it isn't really adding anything to your answer if you are relying on that alone.

It is better to highlight the practice areas you are most interested in though IMO, rather than trying to fit your answer to what you think the firm wants to read.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

There’s nothing wrong with saying “market leading” or “top tier” but I really wouldn’t mention bands. A lot of associates / partners don’t feel like the bands actually mean very much beyond the fact that the firm contributed information to Legal 500.

Thanks @FS . Interestingly, bands vary across different websites, Ashurst is band-1 in PE on Legal 500 and band-4 on C&P. Guess that's another reason why we should skip mentioning bands.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

View attachment 3984
I dont think there is really an issue based on the above, although I would question how relevant a banding is to highlight it. So many people reference bandings and many times it isn't really adding anything to your answer if you are relying on that alone.

It is better to highlight the practice areas you are most interested in though IMO, rather than trying to fit your answer to what you think the firm wants to read.

Thanks, Jessica. I was just wondering if bands make the answer more specific to the firm because if we simply write "market-leading corporate M&A practice has influenced my decision..." , then it seems very generic and this statement totally fails the litmus test "if it still makes sense for another firm then it's not specific enough." What do you think of that?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks, Jessica. I was just wondering if bands make the answer more specific to the firm because if we simply write "market-leading corporate M&A practice has influenced my decision..." , then it seems very generic and this statement totally fails the litmus test of "if it still makes sense for another firm then it's not specific enough." What do you think of that?

There are so many types of rankings though - for C&P there are eleven categories for Banking and Finance alone.

And then individual lawyers are also ranked, so you could find yourself in a team working with an "eminent practitioner" but the firm's overall category is lower.

I guess my question is did a ranking really prompt your application to them? Or are you just using it to try and show you have done your research.... if the latter I am not wholly convinced it is a good idea to use it unless it is supported with more relevant information that is tailored to you (remember tailoring your application goes both ways - needs to be tailored to the firm and to you!).

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

There are so many types of rankings though - for C&P there are eleven categories for Banking and Finance alone.

And then individual lawyers are also ranked, so you could find yourself in a team working with an "eminent practitioner" but the firm's overall category is lower.

I guess my question is did a ranking really prompt your application to them? Or are you just using it to try and show you have done your research.... if the latter I am not wholly convinced it is a good idea to use it unless it is supported with more relevant information that is tailored to you (remember tailoring your application goes both ways - needs to be tailored to the firm and to you!).

Got it, thank you so much.

 

[AvniD]

View attachment 3984
I dont think there is really an issue based on the above, although I would question how relevant a banding is to highlight it. So many people reference bandings and many times it isn't really adding anything to your answer if you are relying on that alone.

It is better to highlight the practice areas you are most interested in though IMO, rather than trying to fit your answer to what you think the firm wants to read.

Thanks, Jessica. I was just wondering if bands make the answer more specific to the firm because if we simply write "market-leading corporate M&A practice has influenced my decision..." , then it seems very generic and this statement totally fails the litmus test "if it still makes sense for another firm then it's not specific enough." What do you think of that?

The way that I'd go about this is entirely skip mentioning which band/tier the firm's rankings appears in, simply state the firm is highly ranked in XYZ publication and instead focus on why this factor has ➡️ directly influenced my decision to train at the firm. Bring in examples demonstrating your interest in that practice area to bolster your answer. Ultimately, what makes the answer strong is masterfully linking your motivations for working at the firm to the firm's ranking, rather than the ranking itself.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

The way that I'd go about this is entirely skip mentioning which band/tier the firm's rankings appears in, simply state the firm is highly ranked in XYZ publication and instead focus on why this factor has ➡️ directly influenced my decision to train at the firm. Bring in examples demonstrating your interest in that practice area to bolster your answer. Ultimately, what makes the answer strong is masterfully linking your motivations for working at the firm to the firm's ranking, rather than the ranking itself.

Thank you, Avni.

 

[Nick W]

I am due to start a period of QWE for 6 months in a lawyer's office in Nairobi. Could anyone kindly advise how I may contact a UK solicitor who could "sign-off" the QWE to satisfy oversight requirements? Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

I am due to start a period of QWE for 6 months in a lawyer's office in Nairobi. Could anyone kindly advise how I may contact a UK solicitor who could "sign-off" the QWE to satisfy oversight requirements? Thanks

The solicitor will need to have a connection to your firm really and be able to clearly speak to your supervisor(s) and yourself to understand the nature of the work. Does the firm you will be working for have any "best-friend" firms that could sign it off for you, or do they have any lawyers in their office who are qualified in England and Wales?

 

[summer207]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I hope you are well! I have a quick question. A member of graduate recruitment team continues to email me with the wrong name. It is a shorter version of my full name that I've never been called before. I already gave a preferred name in my application, during the VS AC, on the onboarding platform and I sign off all my emails with that version of my name. Is there a polite way to approach this? It might not be a big deal for some people but it's starting to rub me the wrong way, especially because I've never indicated that I would like to be called that.

 

[TC fiend]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I hope you are well! I have a quick question. A member of graduate recruitment team continues to email me with the wrong name. It is a shorter version of my full name that I've never been called before. I already gave a preferred name in my application, during the VS AC, on the onboarding platform and I sign off all my emails with that version of my name. Is there a polite way to approach this? It might not be a big deal for some people but it's starting to rub me the wrong way, especially because I've never indicated that I would like to be called that.

If it was me I’d bold my name and make it awkwardly large so it stands out. If they keep it up then just address it in the email (“Hi, for future reference please note that my name is x and I would prefer to be addressed as such, many thanks”).

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, I hope you are well! I have a quick question. A member of graduate recruitment team continues to email me with the wrong name. It is a shorter version of my full name that I've never been called before. I already gave a preferred name in my application, during the VS AC, on the onboarding platform and I sign off all my emails with that version of my name. Is there a polite way to approach this? It might not be a big deal for some people but it's starting to rub me the wrong way, especially because I've never indicated that I would like to be called that.

I would send an email that says something along the lines of (and you'll word it better than me):

Thank you for your email. I have noticed in your emails you refer to me as XXXXX. During my time at the firm, I would like to be referred to as XXXXXXXXXXXXXX as your shortened version is not something I personally use. I am keen to not cause any confusion about my name during my vacation scheme, so going forward, please could any references to my name in firm documents or aspects like email addresses please use my full name.