TCLA General Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[lawgal101]

Not real estate specific but if this is within a firm, here’s a couple tips from my own experience:

-Don’t be afraid to ask questions or “looking stupid” - if it’s your first role, no one expects you to know everything. Better to ask right away than have people cleaning up your easy messes!
-Leave a notebook on your desk and just jot down the administrative things you get told at the start - you’re going to forget down the line so just take notes right at the beginning so you can rely on them later. That includes ie the phone number for IT, email addresses for billing, where to find instructional videos and training, how to use the intranet, etc.
-If you hear/read about social initiatives, join! Sometimes networks or events sound like they’re only for fee-earners but in my experience they’re almost always open for junior staff too, you just have to reach out and register your interest. It’s also an excellent way to get to meet people outside your team/department.
-If you’re having a call, try to have your video on where possible - that way people can put a face to a name when you’re starting out.
-Use firm perks. Seriously. If they’re offering free taxis, free dinners, free coffees, discounted tickets, whatever, use it.

Hope that helps! Good luck

I have only just seen this! Thank you so much for sharing, really appreciate it!! 😁

 

[lawyering]

Hi @Jessica Booker - wondering if you had any thoughts on this:

I graduated this year having completed a four-year law degree. Back in first year I attended a number of presentation evenings and open days, and have a CV section/work experience section on applications dedicated to these events to show an ongoing interest in commercial law (though I actually went away and explored other avenues during my degree, and circled back to commercial law around a year and a half ago).

I'm applying to Slaughter and May's Winter Workshop (CV and cover letter) and DLA Piper's Summer Internship (CV and one commercial awareness question) and just remembered that I attended an Open Day (half-day at Slaughters) and a Presentation Evening (DLA) in my first year! Aside from getting a v v general understanding of commercial law and I&D efforts, pro bono etc, I can't seem to remember details about them - probably due to a mixture of it being ages ago and because I wasn't heavily interested in commercial law back then!

How / where would you recommend discussing these events, if at all? Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker - wondering if you had any thoughts on this:

I graduated this year having completed a four-year law degree. Back in first year I attended a number of presentation evenings and open days, and have a CV section/work experience section on applications dedicated to these events to show an ongoing interest in commercial law (though I actually went away and explored other avenues during my degree, and circled back to commercial law around a year and a half ago).

I'm applying to Slaughter and May's Winter Workshop (CV and cover letter) and DLA Piper's Summer Internship (CV and one commercial awareness question) and just remembered that I attended an Open Day (half-day at Slaughters) and a Presentation Evening (DLA) in my first year! Aside from getting a v v general understanding of commercial law and I&D efforts, pro bono etc, I can't seem to remember details about them - probably due to a mixture of it being ages ago and because I wasn't heavily interested in commercial law back then!

How / where would you recommend discussing these events, if at all? Thank you!

You could just create a section in your CV which lists careers events attended/conferences etc, and just put them as headings in that section with no other detail. Could look something like this:

Careers events and conferences:

• Open Day - Slaughter and May, April 2018
• Careers presentation - DLA, October 2019

If you can't really remember ant detail of the events it's difficult to really reference them in a cover letter/motivational answers etc

 

[lawyering]

You could just create a section in your CV which lists careers events attended/conferences etc, and just put them as headings in that section with no other detail. Could look something like this:

Careers events and conferences:

• Open Day - Slaughter and May, April 2018
• Careers presentation - DLA, October 2019

If you can't really remember ant detail of the events it's difficult to really reference them in a cover letter/motivational answers etc

Thanks very much, Jess! Just to follow up on this - I know Slaughters in particular can really put you through your paces and like to focus on details at interview. Do you that if I was questioned about these events at AC that it would reflect badly on me to have included them in my application if I could only really say about those events what I had told you above? Would it be regarded as unreasonable to mention these events and then have very little to say?

I would be keen to frame it positively by saying that what I do remember from those presentations eventually drew me back to the firm despite attending years ago.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks very much, Jess! Just to follow up on this - I know Slaughters in particular can really put you through your paces and like to focus on details at interview. Do you that if I was questioned about these events at AC that it would reflect badly on me to have included them in my application if I could only really say about those events what I had told you above? Would it be regarded as unreasonable to mention these events and then have very little to say?

I would be keen to frame it positively by saying that what I do remember from those presentations eventually drew me back to the firm despite attending years ago.

This will sound brutal but this isn’t true though. You have said you can’t remember much about the events, and therefore nothing at those events did draw you back to the firm, otherwise you’d remember what it was exactly that drew you back.

The firm isn’t going to ask you what you did on the open day. But they are going to ask about your decision making process both back then (eg why you chose not to apply for future opportunities with the firm after the event) and now (why you have been pulled back to the firm). Neither of those seem to be really driven by the open days - you might as well just be honest about that, otherwise you’ll just tie yourself up in knots through faking that it was. That’s likely to lead to you tripping yourself up or coming across as disingenuous.

 

[lawyering]

This will sound brutal but this isn’t true though. You have said you can’t remember much about the events, and therefore nothing at those events did draw you back to the firm, otherwise you’d remember what it was exactly that drew you back.

The firm isn’t going to ask you what you did on the open day. But they are going to ask about your decision making process both back then (eg why you chose not to apply for future opportunities with the firm after the event) and now (why you have been pulled back to the firm). Neither of those seem to be really driven by the open days - you might as well just be honest about that, otherwise you’ll just tie yourself up in knots through faking that it was. That’s likely to lead to you tripping yourself up or coming across as disingenuous.

That definitely makes sense - thanks for taking the time to respond!

 

[Inez]

Hi everyone, apologies if this is not the right thread! I was wondering if anyone has any experience with asking the firm if they would refund your LPC once you get a TC offer? I have heard some firms do it but most of the times it is not mentioned on their website. I finished my LPC back in 2020 and currently am paying back my postgrad loan. It would be nice to have that burden taken off me 🤔

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone, apologies if this is not the right thread! I was wondering if anyone has any experience with asking the firm if they would refund your LPC once you get a TC offer? I have heard some firms do it but most of the times it is not mentioned on their website. I finished my LPC back in 2020 and currently am paying back my postgrad loan. It would be nice to have that burden taken off me 🤔

It is usually something to ask at final stage interview or at the offer stage.

 

[Lawbour]

Hi guys,
I'm meant to have started applications again this year but my motivation is SO low after coming so close to securing a TC this summer... has anyone been through this and how did you manage keep yourself motivated? This will be my 4th cycle of applications and I feel like a bit (lot) of a failure for not managing to have gotten a tc yet

 

[OB]

Hi guys,
I'm meant to have started applications again this year but my motivation is SO low after coming so close to securing a TC this summer... has anyone been through this and how did you manage keep yourself motivated? This will be my 4th cycle of applications and I feel like a bit (lot) of a failure for not managing to have gotten a tc yet

Hey! Honestly I felt the same coming into this cycle as I felt like I put my all into last cycle and then missing out on a vac scheme by 1.5 points in my feedback for a scheme that gives TCs to 90% of their vac schemers ... just felt so close yet so far. The thought of doing it all again was not the best but honestly if you get back into the mindset and remember the end goal it gets better. You'll know all the tips and tricks of writing good applications now so I'm sure this is your cycle!!

 

[Dheepa]

Does anyone have any experience on the AC for SEO Corporate Law Programme? How can I best prepare and what sorts of questions do they ask?

Hey I’ve given some advice on this here before:

TCLA General Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

Is it ok to reuse a cover letter (for the same firm) from last year's application cycle if you were able to get past the application stage to the Watson Glaser test? I’d update and refine it

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Hope it helps!

 

[LS07]

Hello,

I graduated in July 2021 and I am now a paralegal until next August. I am in the process of applying to firms but I am just unsure whether I should apply for direct TC or vacation schemes. I have very little holidays so squeezing in vacation schemes will be difficult. I know that many law firms say that they also recruit through direct TC but I have a feeling that the places are more limited and therefore more competitive. I applied all of last year and didn't get anything so I'm really hoping that having done one year of paralegal will help with applications this year but I just don't know which route to take. Any advice much appreciated! Thank you

 

[KB2106]

Hi everyone,

I've recently been invited to the Freshfields Employability Insight Day and was wondering if anyone has any experience with attending/ what to expect? I had to submit an online application form but not sure if it is the same as a legal cheek fair where everyone is accepted or if there are actual filters on who attends?
Thanks !!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone,

I've recently been invited to the Freshfields Employability Insight Day and was wondering if anyone has any experience with attending/ what to expect? I had to submit an online application form but not sure if it is the same as a legal cheek fair where everyone is accepted or if there are actual filters on who attends?
Thanks !!

I very much doubt it would be everyone who applies attends. If it’s an in-person event, an insight day can sometimes be more selective that vacation schemes or TCs (depending on the criteria for the programme and also when it is running).

 

[Lawbour]

Hey! Honestly I felt the same coming into this cycle as I felt like I put my all into last cycle and then missing out on a vac scheme by 1.5 points in my feedback for a scheme that gives TCs to 90% of their vac schemers ... just felt so close yet so far. The thought of doing it all again was not the best but honestly if you get back into the mindset and remember the end goal it gets better. You'll know all the tips and tricks of writing good applications now so I'm sure this is your cycle!!

I think the feeling of being so close but not making it is what makes it feel so much worse!
Really hope you have better luck this year, I have my fingers crossed for you

 

[OB]

I think the feeling of being so close but not making it is what makes it feel so much worse!
Really hope you have better luck this year, I have my fingers crossed for you

You too! My DMs are open anytime!

 

[Penelope]

Hello,

I graduated in July 2021 and I am now a paralegal until next August. I am in the process of applying to firms but I am just unsure whether I should apply for direct TC or vacation schemes. I have very little holidays so squeezing in vacation schemes will be difficult. I know that many law firms say that they also recruit through direct TC but I have a feeling that the places are more limited and therefore more competitive. I applied all of last year and didn't get anything so I'm really hoping that having done one year of paralegal will help with applications this year but I just don't know which route to take. Any advice much appreciated! Thank you

I did something similar and mostly applied for direct TCs rather than VS as I also had limited holiday. Happy to discuss in more detail if helpful

 

[Deleted member 8227]

Hi all, was hoping to get some opinions on a scenario question. If you're a trainee and you accidentally send the defence strategy to the other side and your supervisor is unavailable, what do you do?
I would personally, email them immediately to notify them that the information was sent in error and also notify other senior members of the deal team of the mistake but I'm not sure if that's the right approach.

 

[BeGrateful.101]

I applied for a summer scheme and then realised i'm not eligible so applied for the direct TC ..
the application portal doesn't allow me to withdraw my summer scheme application ... what do i do ?
stressed..spent a lot of time on this application -_-

 

[Dheepa]

Hi all, was hoping to get some opinions on a scenario question. If you're a trainee and you accidentally send the defence strategy to the other side and your supervisor is unavailable, what do you do?
I would personally, email them immediately to notify them that the information was sent in error and also notify other senior members of the deal team of the mistake but I'm not sure if that's the right approach.

I’d say this is the right approach - first step to resolving a mistake is to take ownership of it and let your team (even if not the supervisor) know.