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

[Rob93]

Hi @Jessica Booker and Gemma,

I understand and agree with some of your remarks. However, may I ask you how candidates can understand how to improve their apps?
I mean, if I receive a general rejection how do I know what went wrong?

English is not my first language, however I have British people in my life who do not work in the legal industry but are happy to look at my apps and give me their feedback. However, this is not enough and it can be frustrating and mentally challenging at times.

To an extent that's just kind of how this works.

I think there's a lot to be said for like, being able to self-reflect and find iterative ways to improve what you've done - even if your application was good, it can always be better.

And that's a related point - I've been unsuccessful on plenty of apps that were like... entirely serviceable, have had former grad rec people say they were good. But sometimes you just aren't what they're looking for and it's important to make peace with that.

 

[S87]

To an extent that's just kind of how this works.

I think there's a lot to be said for like, being able to self-reflect and find iterative ways to improve what you've done - even if your application was good, it can always be better.

And that's a related point - I've been unsuccessful on plenty of apps that were like... entirely serviceable, have had former grad rec people say they were good. But sometimes you just aren't what they're looking for and it's important to make peace with that.

Amen to that..there is always room for improvement!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Just seen the number of pages of the forum

 

[Emily K]

Dechert written exercise and VI invite! any advice would be hugely appreciated!!

 

[Rob93]

Just seen the number of pages of the forum

That post rolled us onto 667 - confirmation Jessica is here doing God's work

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Just seen the number of pages of the forum

The weird thing is that your post landed on page 667 how weird.

 

[ps123]

Classic stuff, absolute paragons of the profession in the comments every time.

God I hate the legal cheek comments section.

I find it absolutely bonkers. I think the open nature of NQ salaries rn really warps opinions towards levels of remuneration. You see 15+ US firms offering crazy money and begin to think it's a norm when in fact the total numbers of NQ solicitors are pretty insignificant when compared with the broader total London grad market.

 

[ps123]

Dechert written exercise and VI invite! any advice would be hugely appreciated!!

The platform automatically saves your work as you go along, don't think it's a good idea to write up the exercise in word and try to copy and paste it over. I had a wifi glitch which meant I couldn't access the platform to submit my work and so the grand sum of my efforts was 'Dear' and that was the end of my Dechert process hahaah

 

[CC03]

I believe quite a few people on this forum are still waiting on W&C and Links too

Hey - I received a VI link for W&C last Thursday if that helps. I applied on the deadline day

 

[Limanehious]

I applied to Manchester, not Birmingham, but grad recruitment said there's a delay and they would issue AC invitations at some point today

Just want to add that I have just now received the email!

 

[Rob93]

I find it absolutely bonkers. I think the open nature of NQ salaries rn really warps opinions towards levels of remuneration. You see 15+ US firms offering crazy money and begin to think it's a norm when in fact the total numbers of NQ solicitors are pretty insignificant when compared with the broader total London grad market.

Yeah I mean it's also imo quite unseemly to get into pissing contests about comp levels as though that's a reflection of competence, intelligence or inherent worth. Everyone matriculating into City practice as an NQ is in or very near the top 1% of UK earners, the obsession in some corners with working at the highest levels of remuneration is a bit tasteless and should be relegated to investment banking where it belongs.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Yeah I mean it's also imo quite unseemly to get into pissing contests about comp levels as though that's a reflection of competence, intelligence or inherent worth. Everyone matriculating into City practice as an NQ is in or very near the top 1% of UK earners, the obsession in some corners with working at the highest levels of remuneration is a bit tasteless and should be relegated to investment banking where it belongs.

(although I am not convinced it has a place in IB either...)

 

[ps123]

Yeah I mean it's also imo quite unseemly to get into pissing contests about comp levels as though that's a reflection of competence, intelligence or inherent worth. Everyone matriculating into City practice as an NQ is in or very near the top 1% of UK earners, the obsession in some corners with working at the highest levels of remuneration is a bit tasteless and should be relegated to investment banking where it belongs.

Couldn't agree more. This was my first cycle and so with nothing else to go on, I'm not ashamed to admit I basically selected firms to apply for on the basis of the 'Most List' on Legal Cheek (NQ Salaries & even more amusingly PEP). As the months have gone on, various open days have really opened my eyes to how much you can actually find out about a firm when you look further than the superficial descriptions of a 'full-service international firm'.

 

[jamesbaillie]

Dechert AC!

Please can you DM with any tips for the video interview and written exercises!! I would really appreciate it!

 

[Rob93]

(although I am not convinced it has a place in IB either...)

It would be better if it didn't! I gather that no small part of the strain on city lawyers is a downstream effect of some of the... shall we say, 'extreme' behaviour sometimes seen in IB and PE outfits.

 

[Abii]

Yeah I mean it's also imo quite unseemly to get into pissing contests about comp levels as though that's a reflection of competence, intelligence or inherent worth. Everyone matriculating into City practice as an NQ is in or very near the top 1% of UK earners, the obsession in some corners with working at the highest levels of remuneration is a bit tasteless and should be relegated to investment banking where it belongs.

Even the trainee salaries are higher than the average London full-time salary! I think a lot of people forget that, perhaps it is because so many solicitors come from quite privileged backgrounds so see high salaries as normal.

 

[S87]

I got in touch with Dechert and they said that they are close to the completion of application screening.
So, another PFO for me! Well time to boost my salary with a new job

 

[Rob93]

Couldn't agree more. This was my first cycle and so with nothing else to go on, I'm not ashamed to admit I basically selected firms to apply for on the basis of the 'Most List' on Legal Cheek (NQ Salaries & even more amusingly PEP). As the months have gone on, various open days have really opened my eyes to how much you can actually find out about a firm when you look further than the superficial descriptions of a 'full-service international firm'.

Astronomically high PEP to me is a red flag because it means they are wringing ever more out of juniors. I will perhaps lateral into partnership at Kirkland in my later years, after building a respectable book of business at some 'lesser' firm 🥳

 

[Asil Ahmad]

I got in touch with Dechert and they said that they are close to the completion of application screening.
So, another PFO for me! Well time to boost my salary with a new job

Did they say when they will get back to everyone.

 

[S87]

Did they say when they will get back to everyone.

By next week