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

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Commerciallaw

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  • Aug 30, 2021
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    Fair point - will make a point of clarifying this when using made-up terms in future. I'll take this opportunity to also mention that it's best not to use the term 'magic circle' when interviewing at a magic circle firm, they don't particularly like it.
    Can I ask why they don't like being called a MC firm - I would have assumed it would be a privilege?
     

    Rob93

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    Can I ask why they don't like being called a MC firm - I would have assumed it would be a privilege?
    Two main reasons - one is that it flattens out the ways in which they perceive themselves as different from one another.

    The other is that it has a certain smack of Englishness, and with the arguable exception of Slaughters they're quite keen to cast themselves as part of the so-called 'global elite' firms, not just the UK market leaders - some US-based firms rankle similarly at being branded as 'US firms' in the UK.
     

    Jessica Booker

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    Can I ask why they don't like being called a MC firm - I would have assumed it would be a privilege?
    They haven’t liked the term pretty much since it was created by the legal press several decades ago.

    It just is a really crude term (in terms of how basic it is) and was based purely when there was a huge gulf between them and other firms on revenue and particularly PEP. But the legal landscape has changed significantly now, not only down to the growth of US firms but also the growth of large international firms, particularly through mergers. They are now competing much more with other firms than just other MC firms.
     

    Jessica Booker

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    im really struggling to find a compelling answer to "why Clifford Chance". they are easily my favourite firm and the firm im most suited to but don't know how to explain why, in a convincing, non-generic way?
    The compelling answer is a genuine one. Pick out the specific aspects of CC that appeal to you and then provide the rationale as to why those things appeal/how you and the firm align. It doesn't matter if the theme is generic - the alignment won't be.
     

    kmax301

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    im really struggling to find a compelling answer to "why Clifford Chance". they are easily my favourite firm and the firm im most suited to but don't know how to explain why, in a convincing, non-generic way?
    Try to look at this in the following way:
    Let's say you like travelling by plane more than travelling by train. Most likely, there are some rational reasons for that but not just `I like it because I feel like I like it.` For instance, you might not enjoy trains because of the length of journeys or you like food or comfort in planes. These are all reasons that influence your choice when you have to decide.
    Coming back to real life, there should be rational reasons why you like CC more than any other firm. Whether it`s areas of work, quality of work, reputation, people, all these factors are quite relevant. I doubt that two people will have entirely the same reasons for applying to a firm. So, if you explain your reasons with particular references to the firm and if you do not write `I want to work in CC because I want to be a lawyer and get a lot of money`, your application will not be generic no matter how generic it might look to you.
     
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    Jessica Booker

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    Try to look at this in the following way:
    Let's say you like travelling by plane more than travelling by train. Most likely, there are some rational reasons for that but not just `I like it because I feel like I like it.` For instance, you might not like trains because of the length of journeys or you like food or comfort in planes. These are all reasons that influence your choice when you have to decide.
    Coming back to real life, there should be rational reasons why you like CC more than any other firm. Whether it`s areas of work, quality of work, reputation, people, all these factors are quite relevant. I doubt that two people will have entirely the same reasons for applying to a firm. So, if you explain your reasons with particular references to the firm and if you do not write `I want to work in CC because I want to be a lawyer and get a lot of money`, your application will not be generic no matter how generic it might look to you.
    An excellent way to describe it!
     
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