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

[therealellewoods]

How do HL looks at WG score when allocating AC offers- in isolation/as a cut-off point or do they look at your app as well?

I think automatic cut off is anything under 18th percentile - so if you don't meet that you would have got rejected straight away

 

[Desk Chair]

Mayer Brown AC!!!!! I did the job sim on the 24th December. If anyone has any advice for the first stage of the AC it would be much appreciated!!

 

[avaelle42]

simmons pfo post-ac! expected as ran out of time to finish an task - onto the next one i guess!

 

[lawful_neutral216]

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

Hi @James Carrabino Thank you so much for your response, I truly appreciate it. I took the evening off yesterday just to give some time to myself to self-reflect and relax. Definitely feeling a lot more positive today and will try to focus on the remaining cycle, and start thinking about direct TCs.

Yes, being a final year international student worries me for visa purposes, since I have limited options to stay in the country and continue to apply but I have bookmarked some of @AvniD's posts on the topic and also refer to the International Students guide that has been put together by TCLA.

 

[amzey2]

Anyone knows how much time Linklaters take to send the contract following the offer call. (TC)

 

[lawful_neutral216]

Rejection absolutely sucks, but you should be super proud of yourself - you DID give it your best and I can tell because it’s clear how much you care. that’s all you can ask and expect of yourself✨ also, doubly amazing that you’re going to be so proactive about your feedback - that’s what is going to bring you success!
Wish you the best of luck for any other applications & your dissertation, and don’t forget to take care of yourself!

Hi there @A.Diane01 Thank you so much for your response! I really appreciate it. I took the evening off yesterday to relax and feeling better today. So grateful for all the support this community provides!

 

[S87]

Anyone knows how much time Linklaters take to send the contract following the offer call. (TC)

Hi congrats! can I ask you if you applied for the direct tc?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @James Carrabino Thank you so much for your response, I truly appreciate it. I took the evening off yesterday just to give some time to myself to self-reflect and relax. Definitely feeling a lot more positive today and will try to focus on the remaining cycle, and start thinking about direct TCs.

Yes, being a final year international student worries me for visa purposes, since I have limited options to stay in the country and continue to apply but I have bookmarked some of @AvniD's posts on the topic and also refer to the International Students guide that has been put together by TCLA.

If you have got the money to be able to cover the fees, look into the post-graduate visa which will give you two years to work in the UK after graduation.

Graduate visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You wouldn't be able to apply for this to cover a TC anyway but you have to apply for it while you are still in the UK and on your student visa, so it is a great option if you want to stay in the UK and look for work.

 

[Asil Ahmad]

I just wanted to say I really loved @Jaysen Linkedin post this morning and which was also included in the TCLA email subscription.

That post was really accurate on point about the different types of people who get into law. Everything in that post was spot on and 100% true as from a disadvantaged background I can relate so much to it.

 

[amzey2]

Hi congrats! can I ask you if you applied for the direct tc?

Thx and yes that’s for the direct TC

 

[Jessica Booker]

Anyone knows how much time Linklaters take to send the contract following the offer call. (TC)

Could be a couple of weeks. I know it is super urgent to you, but they won't necessarily see the immediate rush where you wont see need to sign up for the GDL/LPC/SQE for sometime yet.

 

[lawful_neutral216]

If you have got the money to be able to cover the fees, look into the post-graduate visa which will give you two years to work in the UK after graduation.

Graduate visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You wouldn't be able to apply for this to cover a TC anyway but you have to apply for it while you are still in the UK and on your student visa, so it is a great option if you want to stay in the UK and look for work.

Thank you Jessica! Yes, applying for the Graduate visa is one of my options- I graduate in May and my current student visa doesn't expire until September so I will have the summer months to apply for it if I decide to do so.

 

[amzey2]

Could be a couple of weeks. I know it is super urgent to you, but they won't necessarily see the immediate rush where you wont see need to sign up for the GDL/LPC/SQE for sometime yet.

Thx!
Was just wondering cz I thought I heard that they would be liaising back the day itself somewhere haha.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thx!
Was just wondering cz I thought I heard that they would be liaising back the day itself somewhere haha.

How long since your verbal offer?

 

[sxw517]

You're supposed to be challenged, yes, but I don't know how I'd feel if everything I said was being treated as fodder for a debate. As @thirdtimelucky said, maybe the debate-style interview is a way to test whether you can stand your ground and hold your own. I presume that you've succeeded if you've been able to do that to some degree.

I hope the outcome of your AC is in your favour 🤞

Thanks for your kind words! Yes I'm not sure really, I understand the need to be academically challenged and the need for rigour in thought.

 

[syw]

Hi all, I am a law grad / current paralegal and I am trying to get together a list of firms that look at candidates with paralegal experience/past careers favourably, and really value this experience. I know a lot of firm's tend to make it out they all feel this way, however I know this is simply not the same across all firms. If you have paralegal experience, are there any firms where you have got to interview/ AC stage, and felt that they valued this experience?

 

[Han.louise]

simmons pfo post-ac! expected as ran out of time to finish an task - onto the next one i guess!

Hi, sorry to hear this. How long did they take to get back to you?

 

[amzey2]

How long since your verbal offer?

1 day only

 

[H12345678]

DACB VI!

 

[BAT678]

Hi! Has anyone heard from Shearman & Sterling, Gibson Dunn, Cleary or Sidley for summer VC?