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

[FutureLawyer99]

When was your interview?

22nd June but they said we should hear back mid-July. When was yours?

 

[Lucy124]

Has anyone done the direct TC interview/ role play exercise for CRS?

 

[Legalmel_99]

22nd June but they said we should hear back mid-July. When was yours?

My friend heard back today

 

[FutureLawyer99]

My friend heard back today

What location did they apply for?

 

[bsww]

Any advice for managing your emotions when waiting to hear back from firms after vac schemes?

 

[AvniD]

Any advice for managing your emotions when waiting to hear back from firms after vac schemes?

Highly recommend disconnecting from law apps, law-related social media and pursuing things outside of being an aspiring solcitor. For me, this was painting, and in the two weeks that I waited to hear back from firms, I littered my house with some utterly awful art as a way to distract myself from the stress of receiving news from law firms 😅 The reality is, even with this, I was still baseline stressed, anxious and nervous and at some point, I accepted this and informed my inner circle about this so that I could receive their support through this period. Being open about how you feel with your close ones and talking through it will normalise your emotions and make it easier for you to regulate your them because you won't be stressing out as much about how you feel on top of stressing out about hearing back. I really hope this helps and am wishing you the very best with everything! You've got this! 💪

 

[Legalmel_99]

What location did they apply for?

Leeds

 

[MarianaMartins]

Hi! I am applying for a vacation scheme, and I have to apply through a cover letter. They just said to write about "why I want the vacation scheme and what I would like to gain from the experience". So, this cover page should be around 500 words, right?

 

[WeRegretToInformYou]

hello, this is random question but how accurate are the legalcheek statistics for start time and leave time ? thx

 

[Jessica Booker]

hello, this is random question but how accurate are the legalcheek statistics for start time and leave time ? thx

They will never be accurate. LC doesn't detail the sample size for one which means its pretty difficult to determine whether the data is even valid. For instance, if one trainee completes the survey and they work 9am to 10pm but all the other trainees don't complete the survey and they all work 9am to 7pm, its not going to provide an accurate picture.

But the accuracy of a survey is still questionable even if all the trainees completed it. Surveys are known to not be accurate tools (the humans who complete them can often not be very truthful or accurate), and also it depends when you survey them. Employers are quite tactical in when they survey their staff to try and ensure the data is the best (e.g. send a survey out on a Friday just before lunchtime or on pay day, and you are bound to get better results than if you send it on a Monday morning).

However, at least it is giving you some indication. I'd probably weigh up the figures alongside other information, such as feedback on Glassdoor or Chambers Student guide's references to billable hours. Like most things, using multiple sources to verify information is probably the best way to get a more accurate insight into the truth of working hours.

 

[WeRegretToInformYou]

They will never be accurate. LC doesn't detail the sample size for one which means its pretty difficult to determine whether the data is even valid. For instance, if one trainee completes the survey and they work 9am to 10pm but all the other trainees don't complete the survey and they all work 9am to 7pm, its not going to provide an accurate picture.

But the accuracy of a survey is still questionable even if all the trainees completed it. Surveys are known to not be accurate tools (the humans who complete them can often not be very truthful or accurate), and also it depends when you survey them. Employers are quite tactical in when they survey their staff to try and ensure the data is the best (e.g. send a survey out on a Friday just before lunchtime or on pay day, and you are bound to get better results than if you send it on a Monday morning).

However, at least it is giving you some indication. I'd probably weigh up the figures alongside other information, such as feedback on Glassdoor or Chambers Student guide's references to billable hours. Like most things, using multiple sources to verify information is probably the best way to get a more accurate insight into the truth of working hours.

that is very helpful thankyou

 

[AvniD]

Hi! I am applying for a vacation scheme, and I have to apply through a cover letter. They just said to write about "why I want the vacation scheme and what I would like to gain from the experience". So, this cover page should be around 500 words, right?

I'd limit it to one page rather than a number of words tbh. This way, you'll have a more detailed cover letter in case 500 words is too limiting or a more concise one in case 500 words runs into two pages.

 

[Deleted member 11671]

Hi everyone 👋

I wanted to drop a note that I have secured a training contract at Skadden! It was one of my top firms due to my interest in international arbitration. I'm a non-law student and a career changer. This was my first cycle and I secured two vac schemes as a result of performing well on the AS Commercial Awareness Competition. When I was first considering the switch to law, I also used a lot of TCLA resources and all the videos/courses, which helped demystify how the City works.

Many people and organisations helped me to get where I am and I would love to help as many people as possible for the upcoming application cycle. Feel free to drop a message with any questions you might have! 😊

 

[MarianaMartins]

Hi!! @Jessica Booker @AvniD
Do you think shadowing a paralegal is good? I do not have much of work experience... and I was thinking that maybe shadowing a paralegal can be relevant?

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Hi everyone 👋

I wanted to drop a note that I have secured a training contract at Skadden! It was one of my top firms due to my interest in international arbitration. I'm a non-law student and a career changer. This was my first cycle and I secured two vac schemes as a result of performing well on the AS Commercial Awareness Competition. When I was first considering the switch to law, I also used a lot of TCLA resources and all the videos/courses, which helped demystify how the City works.

Many people and organisations helped me to get where I am and I would love to help as many people as possible for the upcoming application cycle. Feel free to drop a message with any questions you might have! 😊

Congratulation this is really amazing news go an celebrate after the heatwave has gone.

 

[Abii]

Hi!!
Do you think shadowing a paralegal is good? I do not have much of work experience... and I was thinking that maybe shadowing a paralegal can be relevant?

I wouldn't consider it work experience as you aren't really doing anything - shadowing is just watching. It will give you an insight into the work but be aware that the type of work paralegals do hugely varies - at some firms they may do little more than proof read and print documents, others they will do more junior legal tasks and drafting etc.

 

[MarianaMartins]

I wouldn't consider it work experience as you aren't really doing anything - shadowing is just watching. It will give you an insight into the work but be aware that the type of work paralegals do hugely varies - at some firms they may do little more than proof read and print documents, others they will do more junior legal tasks and drafting etc.

Yeah good point! Maybe it would only be relevant if I did something when shadowing😥. Thank you for responding!

 

[AvniD]

Hi!! @Jessica Booker @AvniD
Do you think shadowing a paralegal is good? I do not have much of work experience... and I was thinking that maybe shadowing a paralegal can be relevant?

With shadowing, I have found that what you get out of it is entirely dependent on what you put into it. One of my most valuable experiences was when I shadowed barristers for a few days during a mini-pupillage. I would observe their interactions, method of advocacy, tasks they undertook and asked them questions about their work and motivations to be a barrister to understand if this was the right profession for me. I ended up choosing not to go down the barrister route, but had I stayed on the path, I know that this experience would have come in handy when applying for future mini-pupillages and pupillages because I learnt so much about what barristers did and if I would like to do the same in my career.

 

[MarianaMartins]

With shadowing, I have found that what you get out of it is entirely dependent on what you put into it. One of my most valuable experiences was when I shadowed barristers for a few days during a mini-pupillage. I would observe their interactions, method of advocacy, tasks they undertook and asked them questions about their work and motivations to be a barrister to understand if this was the right profession for me. I ended up choosing not to go down the barrister route, but had I stayed on the path, I know that this experience would have come in handy when applying for future mini-pupillages and pupillages because I learnt so much about what barristers did and if I would like to do the same in my career.

ohhhh that is interesting !! Yess! Thank you @AvniD ! I am thinking of maybe shadowing a paralegal in case I do not get a vacation scheme... so I can still see how solicitors work and how is like to work in a law firm. I know this is a bit bad to say, but shadowing is still something to put on my CV, right?

 

[Abii]

ohhhh that is interesting !! Yess! Thank you @AvniD ! I am thinking of maybe shadowing a paralegal in case I do not get a vacation scheme... so I can still see how solicitors work and how is like to work in a law firm. I know this is a bit bad to say, but shadowing is still something to put on my CV, right?

Yes of course you can put it on your CV! I'm just not sure it has any weight beyond showing a general interest in the legal profession much like joining law society at uni, unlike a VS it doesn't have a competitive application process or assessed element to it etc.