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

[Jessica Booker]

I am in the very fortunate position of having been offered a VS yesterday and offered another VS today. However, the dates I have been offered for the VSs clash. I know one of the two firms is running multiple VSs this summer. Would it be rude to ask if they have space on the other dates so I can complete both VSs?

No - this isn't rude at all and is actually very common. Graduate Recruitment will be used to having these conversations.

Just be prepared for the fact that they might not be able to move you across and that you may need to turn down one of the two offers.

 

[rose0904]

My graduation date is in the second week of the VS I was offered this morning. Is it okay for me to ask for a day off for it? When should I do this?

 

[Jessica Booker]

My graduation date is in the second week of the VS I was offered this morning. Is it okay for me to ask for a day off for it? When should I do this?

If it is something like a graduation, many firms will be willing for you to take a day off. However, there is no guarantee that they can offer this to you, and it will be subject to what they have planned for that day.

There is no harm in asking though. Be willing to suggest you’d be willing to make the time up over the rest of the week if required (for instance if they don’t give you annual leave or you don’t accumulate enough annual leave to cover it).

 

[Jessica Booker]

Eversheds VS offer!! Super happy and feeling very grateful 🤩

Eversheds Vac Scheme! 😇

Back to back posts 🎉😍🍾🥂🥳

 

[CF12345]

has anyone got any advice for answering 'why you/what makes you stand out?' in an interview?

 

[TeeLaw]

Has anyone heard back from Kirkland & Ellis following a partner interview? Thanks!

 

[Abii]

has anyone got any advice for answering 'why you/what makes you stand out?' in an interview?

Personally I think the best/strongest answer to this is the honest answer. Take some time to reflect on what is unique to you or a particularly strong attribute. Is it your work ethic demonstrated through a job and studies, is it your ability to balance many things at once, is it that you continuously seek out goals and achieve them. Language skills etc. it has to be an answer that you can provide evidence for. What about you makes you you!

 

[average_jo123]

did anyone receive a PFO from latham post vi/

Hi @breadpitt , yes I have.

London summer vac scheme deadline: 02/01/22
Applied: 29/12/21
Completed CAPP assessment: 04/01/22
Completed VI: 23/01/22
PFO post-VI: 03/03/22

I did email them on 26/02/22 requesting for an early response though (because of another offer I have), so that may be why they've gotten back to me with the post-VI PFO relatively early. Hope this helps.

 

[average_jo123]

Firms expect people to get multiple offers. They should be having these conversations with candidates all the time. It is not an issue to disclose other offers to graduate recruitment. The exception might be if they are at vastly different firms (eg high street criminal firm vs US PE firm).

Firm B might not confirm the dates for the exact reason you are asking. They may have to balance lots of conflicting offers and therefore may be trying to wait it out and find the best set of dates possible. However there could be a whole host of reasons why they can’t confirm the date yet - it may even be down to the graduate recruitment team’s availability and being unsure whether they will be available in the summer to cover the scheme dates.

Telling them doesn’t necessary expedite the process though. It’s just another variable they end up having to consider when they are told. How much consideration they put on it is hard to determine.

You can accept and then renege an offer so you could accept both offers and turn down one of them if the scheme dates clash.

Thank you so much for this @Jessica Booker. Really appreciate it.

 

[Scandi]

I had an ac yesterday and they said it was the last AC

Really? Maybe they meant for the spring? I completed my JS in late January

 

[summer207]

has anyone got any advice for answering 'why you/what makes you stand out?' in an interview?

@Abii already gave a great response! As a starting point, think about what skills/attributes you possess, evidence to support this and how that makes you fit for for the role you’re applying/makes you unique.

For a firm, I actually ended my answer for ‘why you’ by relating the points I made to some of their values (I didn’t prep this beforehand but whilst answering, I realised my points could easily fit into their values and used it to elevate my answer). Hope that helps!

 

[21wajsz]

Really? Maybe they meant for the spring? I completed my JS in late January

They cancelled the Spring Scheme unfortunately as they want the whole scheme to be in-person. So there are only 2 Summer Schemes which they started assessing for in early/mid-February (My AC was 17 February and it was the 4th out of the 8 AC's they were running). There were approximately 8-10 on each AC.

 

[Tony Stark]

Thanks everyone who advised me about accommodation in London! I've been able to find some hotels with good transport links and some uni halls However, I haven't been able to find any student facebook chats for stuff like this, so by chance does anyone know/is anyone in a FB chat for vac schemers looking to go splits on accommodation this summer? Please pm me!

Please post if you find one.

 

[crispychicken]

Withers VS!!

 

[kat_]

for questions like 'why this firm' and 'why do you want to be a lawyer' do I need to prepare different answers than the ones I have written in my cover letter? or is it alright that I expand on them?
I've always expanded on my answers but never been successful so I'm just wondering.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Abii]

for questions like 'why this firm' and 'why do you want to be a lawyer' do I need to prepare different answers than the ones I have written in my cover letter? or is it alright that I expand on them?
I've always expanded on my answers but never been successful so I'm just wondering.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

This is going to vary from firm to firm. Sometimes I expand and use the same one - this is in interviews where the person interviewing me hasn’t actually seen my application or where the application gives me ample space to actually give all the reasons however usually it has such a short word count you can’t get it all in!

Otherwise my answer starts with alongside the reasons mentioned in my application or my main motivation has been stated in the application but additional motivators are as follows and then I list an additional reason or reasons.

 

[user0102]

No - it’s only if you got an offer that they need to know.

Thank you!

 

[Adrian_S]

Hey everyone, I’ve started a new thread about an application writing group here. Hope to get the ball rolling on this by April/late March.

Feel free to comment with any suggestions

 

[angusgill1]

My graduation date is in the second week of the VS I was offered this morning. Is it okay for me to ask for a day off for it? When should I do this?

Honestly, if the firm doesn't let you take a half/full day off for a graduation you shouldn't be interested in joining them.

 

[YJ]

Has anyone heard back from Kirkland & Ellis following a partner interview? Thanks!

not yet have you?