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

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Jessica Booker

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@Jessica Booker 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?
Could be either option really.

Different firms have different approaches. It is something to ask the firm while you are there.
 
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James Carrabino

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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?
Hi @syw, I do not have any particular knowledge about this issue and I would love for anyone who knows more than me to jump in and correct me! My (perhaps naive) assumption, however, would be that paralegal experience cannot be a negative, can it?

Perhaps the bigger question is which firms are more amenable to recruiting graduates who have been out of university for some time? In my anecdotal experience, UK firms with large trainee cohorts tend to prioritise the standard intake groups (i.e. 2nd-year law/final year non-law) whereas US firms and firms with special areas of expertise often take candidates who have some other experience. At BPP on the PGDL course, I am in a class with students who are almost all going to US firms and at 24 years old I think I am under the average age in the class. My friends in a class with future trainees of London's 'City Consortium' firms say that almost everyone is 21!

So judging on this alone, I would say that the major UK firms may prefer 2nd-year law or final-year non-law students but as far as post-uni experience goes, I can't see why being a paralegal could possibly be a bad thing. Firms often espouse their desire for candidates to have legal work experience so I think that your experience should put you in good stead for most of the firms you are applying to :)
 
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James Carrabino

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@Jessica Booker 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?
Following what @Jessica Booker said, it could be either (and I did vac schemes at firms which both did it the opposite way)! My sense, however, is that the former approach is more common - hope that helps :)
 
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James Carrabino

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Think I just messed up an interview, I was asked what I’m interested in that’s not academic/law related … and I said skin care. 😐 *I did say I like reading the scientific elements of everything and how it all works together but oh my goodness could I have picked a more vapid answer fmllll
This is a cool answer! Hey we all have different interests and you can justify anything very well if it genuinely excites you :) In my opinion, this is far preferable to a standard boring answer like 'reading the news' or something!
 

syw

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    Hi @syw, I do not have any particular knowledge about this issue and I would love for anyone who knows more than me to jump in and correct me! My (perhaps naive) assumption, however, would be that paralegal experience cannot be a negative, can it?

    Perhaps the bigger question is which firms are more amenable to recruiting graduates who have been out of university for some time? In my anecdotal experience, UK firms with large trainee cohorts tend to prioritise the standard intake groups (i.e. 2nd-year law/final year non-law) whereas US firms and firms with special areas of expertise often take candidates who have some other experience. At BPP on the PGDL course, I am in a class with students who are almost all going to US firms and at 24 years old I think I am under the average age in the class. My friends in a class with future trainees of London's 'City Consortium' firms say that almost everyone is 21!

    So judging on this alone, I would say that the major UK firms may prefer 2nd-year law or final-year non-law students but as far as post-uni experience goes, I can't see why being a paralegal could possibly be a bad thing. Firms often espouse their desire for candidates to have legal work experience so I think that your experience should put you in good stead for most of the firms you are applying to :)
    Hi James, your answer is actually spot on with somebody else I was speaking with about this. Thanks so much for clarifying! This will definitely help me make a more targeted approach to specific firm's going forward. It's interesting because I understand the whole 'moulding' concept, i.e if you recruit those younger, you can train them up in a specific way, however in some ways, surely this goes against the whole ethos of having diversity of approach/opinion/working styles within firms. Just a thought of mine, but eh we move!
     

    Rob93

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    Mayer Brown PFO....

    I don't think I saw anyone who submitted near deadline got to the next stage with MB and DLA. So how early should we apply when the firm is rolling?
    It varies a lot - if you're like 2 weeks before deadline you're ahead of a majority of candidates. A rule of thumb I've seen is to try to apply within the first 2/3 of the application window.

    In a perfect world I would submit every application 6 weeks in advance of close, but that's essentially arbitrary and often not practicable if you are in work or study.

    Different firms also approach rolling with different degrees of austerity - Slaughters will genuinely fill out its offers before the deadline, while others will only start progressing candidates a few weeks before close and will continue for several weeks after. Unfortunately there isn't a consolidated bit of guidance on this point and I think it would be very hard to make one, but it can probably be sussed out by trawling through old posts or asking about past experiences.
     
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