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

[mckelly]

Anyone been invited for a Latham AC?

 

[Unknown22]

Does NRF recruit on a rolling basis?

 

[vacschemeapss]

My status is still on hold - potential prolonged PFO?

Guess so, Linklaters tend to accept people early and send rejection emails much late. Have people already been made offers for Winter VS?

 

[vacschemeapss]

Does NRF recruit on a rolling basis?

They don't anymore

 

[User274302]

Just received an invite to Weil's Insight Day at their office! Those of you that have applied, I recommend you check your spam folders, as mine went there and there's a time limit to confirm attendance.

 

[Anya B]

Still waiting to hear re NRF WVS post telephone interview - was told I'd hear yesterday, is it worth emailing?

 

[S87]

Hi guys,

I am applying to Reed Smith and there is only one question "Please provide us with any additional information that you would like to share about yourself, including your main activities or interests outside of study or work-life and for example any awards or personal achievements"

I was wondering if you would include also your qualities and skills for example "My entrepreneurial attitude and social activism have been instrumental to create commercial awareness workshops for my BAME colleagues and start working on my music/legal start-up etc.."

Thank you for your help.

 

[Unknown22]

Would it be recommended to wait for NRF to open Summer Apps and apply then, or risk it and apply Spring if I prefer the dates of the scheme?

 

[GXA123]

Would it be recommended to wait for NRF to open Summer Apps and apply then, or risk it and apply Spring if I prefer the dates of the scheme?

when is the deadline?

 

[Adamsmith]

Hi guys, I’ve been invited to an assessment centre and they’ve asked for a copy of my A Level certificates. I’ve looked everywhere but I can’t find them, I’ve got my degree transcripts and everything but just can’t find my A Level ones. Does anyone know how big of an issue this is likely to be or any way I can deal with this?

 

[Unknown22]

when is the deadline?

The firm is non-rolling, but the Spring deadline is 21st and summer app opens next week-ish.

 

[Shootingstars2]

Hey - I'm interested in commercial law, and private client law. In applications for firms which offer seats in both private client and commercial law, when they ask if there are any particular areas of law i'm interested in, is explaining my interest in both private client law, and commercial law acceptable or will this look bad? Not sure if they'd rather I have one specific preference since they're both so different!! Referring specifically to Charles Russell Speechyls which asks this question on their application form! Thanks

 

[LongSufferingLawGrad]

Guess so, Linklaters tend to accept people early and send rejection emails much late. Have people already been made offers for Winter VS?

Haven't heard anything from Links, but I think a few WVS offers have been made to those who competed their Pathfinder scheme or Making Links Scholarship.

Not sure how many offers have been made to external applicants...

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Just received an invite to Weil's Insight Day at their office! Those of you that have applied, I recommend you check your spam folders, as mine went there and there's a time limit to confirm attendance.

Still nothing for me but they are probably coming at different times for everyone.

 

[Rob93]

Hey - I'm interested in commercial law, and private client law. In applications for firms which offer seats in both private client and commercial law, when they ask if there are any particular areas of law i'm interested in, is explaining my interest in both private client law, and commercial law acceptable or will this look bad? Not sure if they'd rather I have one specific preference since they're both so different!! Referring specifically to Charles Russell Speechyls which asks this question on their application form! Thanks

Both is fine. I'd suggest trying to firm up what exactly you're keen on within those areas - commercial law is a very, very broad field and if CRS has any particular practice groups you're interested in then go to that level of detail.

I'm not sure how they run their private client practice but again that can involve a lot of things - assuming their focus is HNW individuals, do they handle private investment ex. into family offices, trusts, wills & estates, big-ticket divorces, Dickensian inheritance disputes, individual commercial/business disputes, real estate, secured borrowing? Identify your interests, get into what about this interests you, and why.

 

[Shootingstars2]

Both is fine. I'd suggest trying to firm up what exactly you're keen on within those areas - commercial law is a very, very broad field and if CRS has any particular practice groups you're interested in then go to that level of detail.

I'm not sure how they run their private client practice but again that can involve a lot of things - assuming their focus is HNW individuals, do they handle private investment ex. into family offices, trusts, wills & estates, big-ticket divorces, Dickensian inheritance disputes, individual commercial/business disputes, real estate, secured borrowing? Identify your interests, get into what about this interests you, and why.

Thank you - really grateful for your detailed response. Is having a specific interest in particular areas really important in the application phase? I have lots of pro bono experience and I enjoyed helping individual clients and understanding their personal issues, so this has clarified that private client law is my particular interest. Would they expect to know specific areas of private client law and why they interest me?

I only have limited law firm experience and I only had expose to wills and estates, and by exposure, I mean, I helped draft a will by filling in a template for a fake client (not that exciting). Whilst for example, big-ticket divorces interests me, how would you explain this interest without having experience in this area?

But I also enjoyed my business experience, and working with businesses, and M&A type work. They are such different areas (private and commercial) so worried the law firm will think I just have no clue, and will never find an area I want to qualify into if i'm interested in such polar practice areas....

 

[Rob93]

Thank you - really grateful for your detailed response. Is having a specific interest in particular areas really important in the application phase? I have lots of pro bono experience and I enjoyed helping individual clients and understanding their personal issues, so this has clarified that private client law is my particular interest. Would they expect to know specific areas of private client law and why they interest me?

I only have limited law firm experience and I only had expose to wills and estates, and by exposure, I mean, I helped draft a will by filling in a template for a fake client (not that exciting). Whilst for example, big-ticket divorces interests me, how would you explain this interest without having experience in this area?

But I also enjoyed my business experience, and working with businesses, and M&A type work. They are such different areas (private and commercial) so worried the law firm will think I just have no clue, and will never find an area I want to qualify into if i'm interested in such polar practice areas....

Don't worry too much about what exposure you've had - most applicants don't have much experience. Your pro bono experience sounds great, for private client I'd really lean in on wanting to do work that has a direct impact on people's lives - just bear in mind that the type of client and the type of work will obviously be very different. For, say, divorce discuss why it interests you - ex. these are obviously very charged disputes with a lot at stake, and the prospect of acting as a level-headed advisor to help clients achieve the best outcome in these challenging situations is attractive. Re: commercial and M&A, again the key thing is what's attractive about it for you personally?

I don't think it's an issue to talk about both private client and corporate/commercial if you're applying to a firm that is serious about both of those things and where you're likely to have a seat in both areas during training. On the contrary, it gives you a strong 'why this firm?' response - because there aren't a lot of firms that have substantial capabilities in both those areas, training there will help you make the right decision about what to pursue on qualification.

 

[Rob93]

Thank you - really grateful for your detailed response. Is having a specific interest in particular areas really important in the application phase? I have lots of pro bono experience and I enjoyed helping individual clients and understanding their personal issues, so this has clarified that private client law is my particular interest. Would they expect to know specific areas of private client law and why they interest me?

I only have limited law firm experience and I only had expose to wills and estates, and by exposure, I mean, I helped draft a will by filling in a template for a fake client (not that exciting). Whilst for example, big-ticket divorces interests me, how would you explain this interest without having experience in this area?

But I also enjoyed my business experience, and working with businesses, and M&A type work. They are such different areas (private and commercial) so worried the law firm will think I just have no clue, and will never find an area I want to qualify into if i'm interested in such polar practice areas....

To answer the more general question, at application stage it's best to calibrate the level of specificity to the firm. If you were applying to a US firm with an intense finance focus then obviously it would be appropriate to go deep on that. Conversely, some MC and other full service firms will raise an eyebrow if you're too focused on one thing because you'll spend most of your TC doing other things and they don't want you phoning it in.

 

[Shaz]

Received a Links WVS offer as an external applicant on Monday! My AC was last Tuesday

 

[Slawrelated]

Why would a firm ask you why you are applying to that specific office? i.e London instead of Manchester etc