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

[CC77]

heyy, is this for VS or TC? or both?

Hi! I’ve applied for the TC, I’m not sure if the date refers to the VS and/or the TC. Were the VI sent out for the VS and TC at the same time?

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker @Jaysen Hi! If a TC is offered in a regional office, it is possible to ask Grad Rec if you can do your TC in the London office instead and how would you advise navigating the conversation please? Thanks!

You can ask, but in my experience and opinion, it is unlikely that your offer will be directly transferred to the London office.

For decades, firms with regional offices have had to deal with people trying to game the recruitment process by applying to offices they think will be less popular, in the hope you they can then do what you are suggesting. This may not be your intention and you may have just changed your mind as to which location you want to work in, but the problem you have is that too many people try to do this at various stages of the recruitment process each year and by default you are associated with those people.

Apart from a straight yes/no decision, the firm could do/say any of the following:

• You'd have to reapply for the London office to be considered in that talent pipeline and benchmarked against them.
• You'd have to start the interview process again with London based lawyers (to me this is the most likely outcome)

A straight yes is more likely if you are an exceptional candidate and someone they don't want to lose, but even then if it is something you want, then re-interviewing with London lawyers should be something you are happy to do. A straight no is if they have already filled or ringfenced their London opportunities or if they just have a strong policy not to allow such requests (I know enough firms who have such a policy).

You'll need to have a conversation with the grad rec team. If they do consider it, they will probably want to know why this wasn't raised earlier in the recruitment process (why you didn't ask to be transferred ahead of your interviews) and what has caused you to change your mind to the location you now want to work in.

 

[Lawman]

@Jessica Booker @Jaysen Hi! If a TC is offered in a regional office, it is possible to ask Grad Rec if you can do your TC in the London office instead and how would you advise navigating the conversation please? Thanks!

It depends on the regional firm. So eg. Gowling and Shoosmiths have said in talks that they are not flexible in regards to this and find it quite off-putting if a candidate asks, especially considering how proud they are of their regional prowess. Firms like Eversheds may be more flexible though!

 

[5678]

You can ask, but in my experience and opinion, it is unlikely that your offer will be directly transferred to the London office.

For decades, firms with regional offices have had to deal with people trying to game the recruitment process by applying to offices they think will be less popular, in the hope you they can then do what you are suggesting. This may not be your intention and you may have just changed your mind as to which location you want to work in, but the problem you have is that too many people try to do this at various stages of the recruitment process each year and by default you are associated with those people.

Apart from a straight yes/no decision, the firm could do/say any of the following:

• You'd have to reapply for the London office to be considered in that talent pipeline and benchmarked against them.
• You'd have to start the interview process again with London based lawyers (to me this is the most likely outcome)

A straight yes is more likely if you are an exceptional candidate and someone they don't want to lose, but even then if it is something you want, then re-interviewing with London lawyers should be something you are happy to do. A straight no is if they have already filled or ringfenced their London opportunities or if they just have a strong policy not to allow such requests (I know enough firms who have such a policy).

You'll need to have a conversation with the grad rec team. If they do consider it, they will probably want to know why this wasn't raised earlier in the recruitment process (why you didn't ask to be transferred ahead of your interviews) and what has caused you to change your mind to the location you now want to work in.

Thank you very much. It would be because I'd have experienced a VS in a London office and decided I prefer London. Do you know if Addleshaw Goddard or DLA have any strong policy on this please?

Also, if an NQ trains at a regional office and applies to move to a London office - is training in the regions looked down on less favourably please?

 

[Lily1234]

Thank you very much. It would be because I'd have experienced a VS in a London office and decided I prefer London. Do you know if Addleshaw Goddard or DLA have any strong policy on this please?

Also, if an NQ trains at a regional office and applies to move to a London office - is training in the regions looked down on less favourably please?

Hi! My friend actually had this exact experience with DLA a few years ago. She did the VS with them in the Leeds office and received a TC offer, but realised she wanted to live in London so asked to be transferred. She was told she would need to reapply for the VS in London the following year. So I believe she used that time to do some more work experience and made her app even stronger for the London application. She is now a trainee at DLA London. Hope that helps!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you very much. It would be because I'd have experienced a VS in a London office and decided I prefer London. Do you know if Addleshaw Goddard or DLA have any strong policy on this please?

Also, if an NQ trains at a regional office and applies to move to a London office - is training in the regions looked down on less favourably please?

I suspect the firm is likely to still require you to interview with London based partners rather than directly move your offer across. You can explain that you have done a London based VS with another firm, and that is the reason for the change but I don’t think this necessarily changes their position on how they would deal with it, especially if your VS was before your interview.

I would just call the GR teams at both firms and speak to them about it. These things may not be constant (as lots of external factors outside of your control will ultimately influence the decision), so it is just best to speak to the firm about the possibility.

It is not that the training will be looked down upon, but ultimately if you have been regionally based and are then looking to move to London, you’ll need certain things to align - namely exposure to the right practice areas, exposure to similar types of clients and matters, exposure to the same complexity and size of matters. That is not always straight forward if you are coming from a regional office to a city office. However, it’s not impossible, it’s just going to depend on the experiences you gain during your TC and how they position you against other NQs who have trained in London.

 

[ofm]

Had anyone still not heard back from Hogan Lovells post-WG / does anyone have the GR email? Thanks!

 

[Law1099]

I got the call on Monday offering me a TC at NRF (my dream firm). After 3 cycles, over 40 applications and multiple rejections I really didn't think it was possible but as my username suggests, it was indeed third time lucky! I truly couldn’t have gotten it without the support of the forum and the resources available on the TCLA so thank you all so much for everything! And if I can help anyone/or the forum in any way it would be a huge privilege! Now to relax until January!

I am not AT ALL surprised, but I’m so happy for you! Major congrats. NRF is such a great firm

 

[Username9999]

What’s the best way to ask a law firm if you could receive the outcome of a final round quicker because you would need to give another firm notice that you are going to reneg

 

[TCApp2021]

Anyone have insight into trainee development at Hogan Lovells and Travers. Am struggling to pick between the two

 

[TC fiend]

Anyone have insight into trainee development at Hogan Lovells and Travers. Am struggling to pick between the two

This is based on absolutely nothing but personal observations but I’ve known quite a lot of people who qualified into contentious seats at Hovell who moved onto elite US firms after that. On the flip side I hear great things about approachability and work life balance at Travers, and all their D&I stuff I see looks really good. Both excellent firms so can’t go wrong. Really depends on what is important to you!

 

[dg_burnham]

What’s the best way to ask a law firm if you could receive the outcome of a final round quicker because you would need to give another firm notice that you are going to reneg

Dear Y Graduate Recruitment Team,

I have received an offer from X, and I have to give my response by XX/XX/XXXX. However, I would much rather work for your firm. Could you please let me know if your firm will extend me a training contract offer before XX/XX/XXXX?

Thank you for considering my request.

Yours faithfully,

AntiVacYap

(Let us know how it goes!)

 

[GOI983]

Anyone still not heard from BM post-WG?

Considering they have their first AC on May 7th according to their earlier sent email and a VI has to be completed and reviewed before then, what are the chances that people not invited to a VI, can still be progressed?

 

[John Travoni]

Has anybody heard back from Teacher Stern yet?

 

[ellwilsen]

Anyone have any experience with Hunters re when we can expect to hear back (vac scheme)

 

[F12M34L]

Anyone still not heard from BM post-WG?

Considering they have their first AC on May 7th according to their earlier sent email and a VI has to be completed and reviewed before then, what are the chances that people not invited to a VI, can still be progressed?

I got my VI invite 2 days after giving WG. Their first AC is on May 17th.

 

[Jaysen]

I got the call on Monday offering me a TC at NRF (my dream firm). After 3 cycles, over 40 applications and multiple rejections I really didn't think it was possible but as my username suggests, it was indeed third time lucky! I truly couldn’t have gotten it without the support of the forum and the resources available on the TCLA so thank you all so much for everything! And if I can help anyone/or the forum in any way it would be a huge privilege! Now to relax until January!

Delighted to read this - well done!

 

[Lawyered]

Did you give them a work email address by any chance? If so, that might be the data issue. I cannot think of any other reason why they would potentially change their mind (as it seems they were happy to provide it via email at first). The only thing could be if there are any data concerns relating to other people in the process (both interviewers or other candidates), but this seems unlikely.

Calls are generally a lot easier for them - it's quicker for them to do it over a call and answer any questions you may have, rather than providing a written document to you, and for you to then come back with questions and for there to potentially be back and forth. I generally encourage people to have a call rather than rely on something in writing as:

1) You can ask questions as you discuss the feedback
2) You can ask for clairty
3) You can listen to the tone a lot more - I think people will often read things differently when they are written versus how they may come across in a call
4) Although this doesn't sound like it would be the case in your instance, you could ask the firm what other opportunities there could be with the firm/whether you could reapply.

Thank you Jessica for your reply!

 

[h1]

Hi! I’ve applied for the TC, I’m not sure if the date refers to the VS and/or the TC. Were the VI sent out for the VS and TC at the same time?

Ah I'm a TC applicant too so good to know that date! Not sure if VS were sent at the same time or if they're already done

 

[WeRegretToInformYou]

i’m sure it varies between firms but are firms generally willing to let you do a AC for next cycles vacation scheme if you been offered an AC and cannot make it because of exams? thank you