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

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AAA_a

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Nov 14, 2019
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For Skadden, "Please insert your covering letter in support of your application here. Please include your reasons for applying to Skadden and why you believe you are suited to the firm."
Should there still be some reference to "Why Law" anyway?
 

M991

Distinguished Member
Mar 14, 2020
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Hey everyone!

Pinsent Masons has 3 questions on their application form:

Please explain why you have decided to pursue a career in commercial law and why you are applying to Pinsent Masons (Max 2000 Characters)
What are your main spare time interests? (Max 2000 characters including spaces)
Describe your greatest non-academic achievement of the last two years and why this achievement is important to you. (Max 2000 characters including spaces)

However, for only two of them, they say that it should be 2000 characters "including spaces". Does it mean that the first question can be 2000 characters long excluding spaces"?

I am confused :/
 

GXA123

Legendary Member
  • Nov 30, 2020
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    Hey everyone!

    Pinsent Masons has 3 questions on their application form:

    Please explain why you have decided to pursue a career in commercial law and why you are applying to Pinsent Masons (Max 2000 Characters)
    What are your main spare time interests? (Max 2000 characters including spaces)
    Describe your greatest non-academic achievement of the last two years and why this achievement is important to you. (Max 2000 characters including spaces)

    However, for only two of them, they say that it should be 2000 characters "including spaces". Does it mean that the first question can be 2000 characters long excluding spaces"?

    I am confused :/
    they are all with spaces, the portal doesn't allow you to submit the first one of it more than 2000 with spaces
     
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    Nicole15

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  • Aug 22, 2018
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    For Skadden, "Please insert your covering letter in support of your application here. Please include your reasons for applying to Skadden and why you believe you are suited to the firm."
    Should there still be some reference to "Why Law" anyway?
    Yes, I think is important to demonstrate your motivations for seeking a career in commercial law first and then go into specifics about why you're applying to that particular firm.

    I tend to draft my covering letters in the following format:

    1. Why law?
    2. Why the firm?
    3. Why you?

    Hope this helps! :)
     

    S87

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    Sep 4, 2018
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    For Skadden, "Please insert your covering letter in support of your application here. Please include your reasons for applying to Skadden and why you believe you are suited to the firm."
    Should there still be some reference to "Why Law" anyway?
    I think this is not a traditional cover letter but this is my humble opinion.

    You have to mention why Skadden by relating back to you and in there you can mention a particular experience that demonstrates why law (experiences etc) and then why you are suited to the firm.
     

    S87

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    For Skadden, "Please insert your covering letter in support of your application here. Please include your reasons for applying to Skadden and why you believe you are suited to the firm."
    Should there still be some reference to "Why Law" anyway?
    By the way have a look at the past applications..they really show you how to structure your answer
     

    AvniD

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    Oct 25, 2021
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    CMS WG invite! If anyone could recommend some helpful resources I would really appreciate it as I haven't been doing too great on the practice tests😬

    I hope these help improve your score in practice tests! And congratulations on your WG invite! 🥳
     

    AvniD

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    Oct 25, 2021
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    For Skadden, "Please insert your covering letter in support of your application here. Please include your reasons for applying to Skadden and why you believe you are suited to the firm."
    Should there still be some reference to "Why Law" anyway?
    Yes, I think is important to demonstrate your motivations for seeking a career in commercial law first and then go into specifics about why you're applying to that particular firm.

    I tend to draft my covering letters in the following format:

    1. Why law?
    2. Why the firm?
    3. Why you?

    Hope this helps! :)
    Completely agree with @Nicole15! My only suggestion is that to keep the cover letter to a page and, since they have been specific about what they are looking for, ensure that you really flesh out your motivations for wanting to apply to Skadden and why you're a good fit.

    A helpful way to do this is to relate your answers back to your motivations, traits, skills and aspirations for your career. For example, if you say that XYZ deal at the firm stood out to you, you should also say why this deal captured your interest and what you think deals like this mean for your training and career. Similarly, if you say the ABC characteristic makes you a good fit, you should mention how this matches with the firm's values/ethos and potentially how this characteristic will influence/impact your training.

    Wishing you the best!
     

    AAA_a

    Legendary Member
    Junior Lawyer
    Nov 14, 2019
    148
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    Completely agree with @Nicole15! My only suggestion is that to keep the cover letter to a page and, since they have been specific about what they are looking for, ensure that you really flesh out your motivations for wanting to apply to Skadden and why you're a good fit.

    A helpful way to do this is to relate your answers back to your motivations, traits, skills and aspirations for your career. For example, if you say that XYZ deal at the firm stood out to you, you should also say why this deal captured your interest and what you think deals like this mean for your training and career. Similarly, if you say the ABC characteristic makes you a good fit, you should mention how this matches with the firm's values/ethos and potentially how this characteristic will influence/impact your training.

    Wishing you the best!
    Thank you and to everyone else who replied as well.

    Their cover letter is limited to 300 words only, which is why I asked in the first place. Because they sort of set out what they are looking for in the wording of the question, and with such a limited word count, I wasn't sure if I should/can include much on "why law."

    I would have followed the "why law" "why firm" "why me" structure in a longer cover letter.
     

    S87

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    Sep 4, 2018
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    Thank you and to everyone else who replied as well.

    Their cover letter is limited to 300 words only, which is why I asked in the first place. Because they sort of set out what they are looking for in the wording of the question, and with such a limited word count, I wasn't sure if I should/can include much on "why law."

    I would have followed the "why law" "why firm" "why me" structure in a longer cover letter.
    You can include why law.

    For example: they are equally balanced when it comes to contentious and transactional work you can express that appeals to you because of X,Y experiences. Explain briefly what you did and show your interest in commercial law.

    Skadden entire application is all abut show me every single thing about you!
     

    em311

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    Jun 15, 2019
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    I hope these help improve your score in practice tests! And congratulations on your WG invite! 🥳

    Thank you so much!!
     
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