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

[tc_hopeful]

Around 2 months! Wouldn’t write them off just yet!

Around 6 weeks so I really wouldn’t worry! X

Thanks guys I'll just sit tight then~

 

[ldawg]

Same! They don't mention anything about an interview, and the slot is only 2 and a half hours so I don't think there can be one. But on their website they say that they have a full assessment centre as the final stage with interview and all? extremely confused lol I've emailed grad recruitment

did grad recruitment reply? also so so confused and have my AC with them

 

[Abii]

did grad recruitment reply? also so so confused and have my AC with them

Having just looked at my schedule for my AC tomorrow there is no interview at this point.

 

[h1]

So after a small break post rejection, I did a VI this morn and was asked how many uses there are for a spoon... oh and I realised I did not answer the second part of a competency question! How's everyone else's Tuesday gone? 🥴🥴 oh and 60 secs to answer Qs is so tight!! Bombed it😭

 

[CC03]

So after a small break post rejection, I did a VI this morn and was asked how many uses there are for a spoon... oh and I realised I did not answer the second part of a competency question! How's everyone else's Tuesday gone? 🥴🥴 oh and 60 secs to answer Qs is so tight!! Bombed it😭

What firm was this?

 

[h1]

What firm was this?

Not a firm! It was for Samsung

 

[JD]

Hi @lawful_neutral216,

I want to start by saying how sorry I am to hear that you have found yourself in this position. Rejection is incredibly painful, especially in the later stages of a firm's application process.

I was rejected from three vacation schemes in the space of three months and every single one was brutal. Spending an entire application cycle building up to those schemes, with confidence that I would be able to convert at least one of them, meant that I just felt completely hopeless when I realised that I had failed to do so. The latter two post-vac scheme rejections came on the same day no less!! I moped around for about 24 hours before I sat down and started looking at upcoming direct TC deadlines.

The day after I received both of those two rejections, I sent off an app that ended up in a TC offer less than a month later. The day after that I sent off another app that ended up in another TC offer! This was all in July right at the end of my first cycle. The learning process of getting ACs and vac schemes and subsequently being rejected from them was invaluable in ultimately getting me to a firm that I love. I also got a genuinely interesting and varied perspective of the kind of work that City lawyers do, so I have no regrets about any of these experiences.

Take time to reflect and then realise that you have a huge amount of time remaining this cycle. I submitted a lot of direct Training Contract applications and that is how I received the offer for the firm I am going to. Of course it would be great to have a VS or TC offer at this stage, but I sincerely think that the more work one puts into researching and applying to firms now pays dividends in the long run. You do not necessarily want to default into the first firm that offered you an AC - it is great to have the opportunity to learn from that experience what areas of law you are interested in and which firms you should be looking at going forward.

It is an incredible feat that you got to two ACs in the first place, so congratulations!!! Do not worry about whether or not you prepared enough - I am sure you did everything you intended to with the right approach and intentions, but no-one is fully prepared for a law firm AC until they have done several previously. The real preparation required to ultimately obtain a Training Contract involves the lessons you learn from your unsuccessful ACs and how you take that insight into your future ACs. You will continue to develop confidence in your interview ability and you will find yourself in a pretty good position if you draw upon your resilience and keep moving forward

Does the fact that you are an international student worry you for visa purposes? I know that @AvniD has already given you a great response but she may be able to provide even more insight into this issue. Either way, I have every confidence that you will bounce back stronger than ever and obtain a Training Contract offer in this cycle

Such great advice, James. I was wondering do you know where I can find an updated list for applications for direct TCs? I think there's one on the forum but don't think it's updated.

 

[tc.la.vs]

"oh so how long have you been desperado for a TC/frantically refreshing your emails/trying to master the elusive title of being "commercially aware"?

psych its actually triple that.

 

[abcdefg]

LMAO for those who applied to A&O but haven't heard back, I had to find out the PFO from the portal instead of them sending an email

 

[thelovelygiraffe]

Do firms typically offer TCs after spring scheme or do they wait until the summer scheme is also over and then do a holistic assessment of candidates in both schemes to decide who gets TCs?

 

[aspiringlawyer123_]

Do firms typically offer TCs after spring scheme or do they wait until the summer scheme is also over and then do a holistic assessment of candidates in both schemes to decide who gets TCs?

I have the same question but specifically for HSF if anyone knows?

 

[Commerciallaw]

LMAO for those who applied to A&O but haven't heard back, I had to find out the PFO from the portal instead of them sending an email

same thing happened to me! 🤣

 

[Hummus town]

Is Mayor Brown VI automatic

 

[James Carrabino]

Such great advice, James. I was wondering do you know where I can find an updated list for applications for direct TCs? I think there's one on the forum but don't think it's updated.

Thank you so much @GWW!

I think the list you are referring to that has not been updated is this one and it outlines which firms take considerable numbers of people through the direct TC route! It is from last year but I think the majority remain the same this year so it would definitely still be helpful!

In terms of upcoming direct TC deadlines I would say that this is the most thorough resource and you can also find a list of TC deadlines for major firms here.

I hope this all helps - please let me know if you have any further questions

 

[lawpersongirl123]

Goodwin PFO!

sorry to hear, if you don’t mind me asking when did you apply?

 

[James Carrabino]

Hello, I am preparing for assessment centres and I was wondering if someone would be interested in doing a peer to peer case study exercise with me? I was thinking someone could play the interviewer and the other one the candidate and we would prepare a case study and then switch roles. I think it would be a great simulation exercise and we could learn from each other. If anyone is interested please feel free to send me a message!

Have you had messages about this yet? I think that you should post this as a new thread and @Jaysen may be able to include it in the forum banner if it is a popular idea!

 

[James Carrabino]

Hi all - might be a stupid question, but how detailed should your answers to "why law" and "why firm" be? Although my previous AC was successful, my answers to these two questions were seen as too vague in a mock interview with RARE so I'm really not confident (e.g., I gave an example of interning at a law firm doing legal research, found it interesting to analyse the economic, legal and political aspects of the particular industry and help clients who needed those information, but the mock interviewer said I needed to answer what is it about the actual work that interests me - I didn't get what this meant). Would appreciate if people could share how they articulate their answers!!

@YUKI1201 my guess is what they meant is that you should explore why it interests you not just from an academic perspective but show that you know what the hands-on work will entail and why you'll enjoy that! It is not too big a point in my opinion but definitely something to bear in mind

 

[James Carrabino]

Has anyone got any tips on how to prepare for a case study interview? (Addleshaw goddard)

Hi @manchester12 I do not know much about Addleshaw Goddard in particular but I have written about my approach to case studies here and @George Maxwell has provided a compilation of case study-related links here.

I hope all of this helps

 

[James Carrabino]

I feel like I pronounced the firms name wrong in the VI I did - will this be really problematic ? It was MDR btw - used to pronounce it properly until I heard someone else pronounce it differently!! Feel really dumb

Ah I would not worry - I did a vac scheme at a US firm where everyone in the London office pronounced the firm's name differently to everyone in the US lol

 

[AvniD]

Honestly I had a quick little cry while deciding if I could actually go through the 10-4 AC today but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity! I truly thank coffee, paracetamol and adrenaline for giving me the energy to push through lol!

@thirdtimelucky so happy to hear that you got through it- you're a star 👏 👏 👏