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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

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HLL

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Mar 26, 2021
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Hey! Congratulations!
My tips:
- Fully answer every question. They don't ask follow ups so make sure you are happy with everything you've said.
- Make a note of the questions they ask. Some questions have multiple parts and you need to have answered each part of the question.
- Prepare an answer to "what considerations do you need to have when opening a new office and where should NRF open a new office". Every single Winter Vac Schemer was asked this either at TI or AC stage so have an answer.
- They are judging you based on the following competencies: Commercial Awareness, intellectual curiosity, intellectual and analytical ability, interpersonal skills, and teamwork. Don't force examples of these, but try and weave them into your answers.


I was asked the following questions on my TI and my interview only took 15 minutes:
- Why NRF?
- Why law?
- Why a vacation scheme and not a direct training contract?
- How did you develop an interest in energy?
- When has been a time you worked in a team to achieve the goal? What was the goal? How did you achieve it? What reflections do you have of this goal?
(This was the question that was in so many parts I had to write it down)

Hope this helps!
Thank you!!! This is so helpful!!!
 
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avyanka09

Standard Member
Sep 23, 2022
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I applied for the Cambridge VS on 26/11 and received games on 06/12. Don’t think there’s any prep you can really do for the assessment, just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to do it!
Thank you so much for letting me know! I applied very close to the deadline so just hoping there is still a chance for me to also receive the games assessment invite.
Hope they revert back soon and you progress to the AC!
 
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lawyering

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Oct 29, 2020
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I am a bit stuck on this question:

"Life as a Trainee Solicitor at Bird & Bird is busy and varied and you will be expected to manage your own workload. Please describe a project, piece of work or event where it was important for you to be organised with multiple tasks and deadlines – what specifically did you do to manage this?"

Is this asking about a single project/piece of work/event involving multiple deadlines, or how I juggled multiple deadlines alongside the project?

Any thoughts appreciated!
 

BeGrateful.101

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  • Aug 1, 2021
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    I am a bit stuck on this question:

    "Life as a Trainee Solicitor at Bird & Bird is busy and varied and you will be expected to manage your own workload. Please describe a project, piece of work or event where it was important for you to be organised with multiple tasks and deadlines – what specifically did you do to manage this?"

    Is this asking about a single project/piece of work/event involving multiple deadlines, or how I juggled multiple deadlines alongside the project?

    Any thoughts appreciated!
    I think it's asking you to talk about a single project which involved multiple tasks and deadlines. ie. you organised an event - what sort of tasks the event involved/ what deadlines you had/ how did you manage this.

    I guess pick one piece of work/event or a single project and then go into the relevant details.
     
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    lawyering

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    Oct 29, 2020
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    I think it's asking you to talk about a single project which involved multiple tasks and deadlines. ie. you organised an event - what sort of tasks the event involved/ what deadlines you had/ how did you manage this.

    I guess pick one piece of work/event or a single project and then go into the relevant details.

    Thank you!
     
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    Sachin Chandra

    Esteemed Member
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    Apr 16, 2020
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    How can you prepare for a SJT? I feel like it's near impossible apart from looking at their values perhaps??

    Also, I'm close to submitting my Kirkland & Ellis app. Does anyone know if there is a Watson Glaser test if I'm successful with the written application form?
     

    IT7

    Esteemed Member
  • Jun 23, 2021
    84
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    I tend to suggest framing it in a slightly more positive way (if you know this information anyway) of something like: "Despite my low grade in X module, I was in the top 20% of the cohort that academic year for that subject"

    This highlights that you did well comparatively to others in your year without having to place blame as to why the grade might be lower.
    Thank you for your response Jessica! It's not possible for me to figure out my percentile for those modules, since there is no official system at my university to determine that.

    Except percentile, what other answers can be given that directly address the grade itself? I'm unsure about the kind of answers firms prefer for this question? Especially for a 2:2 grade that is recent, but is an outlier in comparison to other modules?

    [Sometimes there's no clarity on why the grade was low since my university doesn't allow exam paper reviews. So answering this question becomes tough]
     
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