TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

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Jessica Booker

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AvniD

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Hi everyone so Osborne Clarke’s VS app has ‘Please describe a current business issue or opportunity for organisations operating within one of our sectors’ - now I would like to talk about ESG investing/have a good topic and answer. However, OC also have another question on the app saying “please outline why you want to work at OC - how have you developed your interest in commercial law through experience’ - in this answer I have mentioned my interest in energy and my desire to further this at OC as Energy is one of their core sectors.
Are these answers too similar? Should I pick a different news story to go with?
It will not be the same answer/will present different points, but it is reiterating my interest in the energy sector. Is this too focussed/ not showing my ability to be interested in multiple sectors? Thanks
Hi @Hele25!

The crux of the two questions is different- the first is sector-specific and the second is specific to your motivations- which, depending on your drafting, will result in different answers, even if they have energy in common. I would, however, mention at least a couple of areas that I'm interested to work in at the firm while answering the second question but would not feel the pressure to leave out energy just because it was the focus of the first question.

I hope this helps!

Best,

Avni
 
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JM1998

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OB

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    I'm reapplying Bird & Bird, last year my application got through initial screening and was sent the test. Should I be rewriting my answers to "what will be the greatest innovation to influence the firm in the next 5 years and why?" and "what do you understand to be the biggest opportunity for one of the sectors in which we specialise?" The former spanned developments over 5 years!
    I sent the same answers and got sent the test again. Haven't heard back since the test though :/
     
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    Veep9

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    I didn’t really, I refreshed a few stats to be more current but the rest I kept the same and managed to get past the app stage again if that’s reassuring!

    I sent the same answers and got sent the test again. Haven't heard back since the test though :/
    Thank you, @IzzyAn_na and @OB! I read over mine after @George Maxwell ’s reply to me and can definitely see room for improvement so I’ll edit mine but stick to the same topics generally.
    Hi guys, I had a question regarding Norton Rose Fulbright. Has anyone heard from grad rec that the firm does not like to be referred to with the abbreviation NRF? Anyone who may have used it, have you been successful? Thanks so much in advance!
    I once heard them say they don’t mind NRF if properly defined at the start - so “…Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) …” - but they dislike being referred to as Norton Rose and really bristle if Fulbright is spelled incorrectly, like with two l’s.
     
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    Hele25

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    Hi @Hele25!

    The crux of the two questions is different- the first is sector-specific and the second is specific to your motivations- which, depending on your drafting, will result in different answers, even if they have energy in common. I would, however, mention at least a couple of areas that I'm interested to work in at the firm while answering the second question but would not feel the pressure to leave out energy just because it was the focus of the first question.

    I hope this helps!

    Best,

    Avni
    Thanks so much, this really helps! :)
     
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    Jaysen

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    @Jessica Booker @Jaysen

    Hi guys - how many questions would you recommend to ask at the end of an interview? Is 1 perfect, or is it advisable to keep going until the interviewer calls time?

    If you have just one genuine question to ask, that's absolutely fine. I wouldn't ask more questions for the sake of doing so.

    If you do have more questions, I will say more than three/four would be pushing it.
     

    aishwaryakarunakaran

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    Thank you, @IzzyAn_na and @OB! I read over mine after @George Maxwell ’s reply to me and can definitely see room for improvement so I’ll edit mine but stick to the same topics generally.

    I once heard them say they don’t mind NRF if properly defined at the start - so “…Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) …” - but they dislike being referred to as Norton Rose and really bristle if Fulbright is spelled incorrectly, like with two l’s.
    That's really helpful, thanks so much!
     
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