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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

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law23

Distinguished Member
  • Jan 23, 2022
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    How do you balance application work and uni work? I have 3 upcoming ACs to prepare for (2 in the same week) and I just feel like there's not enough hours in the day
     

    HopefulFutureTrainee123

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    Oct 26, 2022
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    How do you balance application work and uni work? I have 3 upcoming ACs to prepare for (2 in the same week) and I just feel like there's not enough hours in the day
    I always find that if I give myself a very specific set time to complete something, I am so much more efficient! For example, if you give yourself an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening for AC prep, and you know that those are your only times for it, you'll be so much more efficient. If you give a task a day, when it should take an hour, you'll find it still spreads itself out over the whole day!
     
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    j.s.cox

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    Junior Lawyer
  • Jan 29, 2022
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    How do you balance application work and uni work? I have 3 upcoming ACs to prepare for (2 in the same week) and I just feel like there's not enough hours in the day

    I always find that if I give myself a very specific set time to complete something, I am so much more efficient! For example, if you give yourself an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening for AC prep, and you know that those are your only times for it, you'll be so much more efficient. If you give a task a day, when it should take an hour, you'll find it still spreads itself out over the whole day!

    I second @HopefulFutureTrainee123. Don't fall for Parkinson's Law (allowing work to expand into the time you have to do it). Although you have 3 ACs (congratulations btw!), lots of the prep will be the same, so don't let the number scare you. Allocate a small amount of time each day and be consistent with it.
     

    CorpLawyer00

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    Premium Member
    Aug 8, 2022
    508
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    How disastrous is making up a term in an interview? I said a company was "lowly-leveraged".. ofc I said this due to the existence of the term "highly-leveraged", but now I'm worried that "lowly-leveraged" just sounds weird :(
    hahahhahahah i would not say its disastrous at all, they know ur nervous and u are not surrounded by that language all the time. most ppl make mistakes like that and dont even notice
     
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    Jessica Booker

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    Aug 1, 2019
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    my grades are 72-78 with one 62, I got pressed pretty hard on a 62 in criminal law in an interview yday? wtf r u meant to say when u get pressed w stuff like that
    Questions like this are often asked as they are 1) challenging and 2) asking you to be self-aware or reflective

    They would have just been wanting you to provide some kind of thoughts as to why the one grade stood out very differently from the rest of your results.
     
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    CorpLawyer00

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    Aug 8, 2022
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    Questions like this are often asked as they are 1) challenging and 2) asking you to be self-aware or reflective

    They would have just been wanting you to provide some kind of thoughts as to why the one grade stood out very differently from the rest of your results.
    I literally just said that I do not really have an excuse, I did not like the topic as much but I know this is not an excuse as I did well in other ones I did not like. I also said I think it just came down to not doing as well as I would have liked on the day, I did also say that I think its worth noting that it is not a terrible grade just a random outlier, would this have come across badly?
     

    Harrison.jm

    Star Member
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    Aug 25, 2022
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    How do you balance application work and uni work? I have 3 upcoming ACs to prepare for (2 in the same week) and I just feel like there's not enough hours in the day
    I had the same scenario this week. First of all huge congrats on getting multiple ACs; you should be proud! The best advice I can give is to put non-essential academics on the back burner. The only real differences between ACS that you need to account for are the differences between firms, so if you prepare your commercial awareness etc, that will be valuable across all of your assessments! You will also find the nerves dissipate after the first one! Good luck
     

    Jessica Booker

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    I literally just said that I do not really have an excuse, I did not like the topic as much but I know this is not an excuse as I did well in other ones I did not like. I also said I think it just came down to not doing as well as I would have liked on the day, I did also say that I think its worth noting that it is not a terrible grade just a random outlier, would this have come across badly?
    I think this is fine.
     
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    mdoeslaw

    Distinguished Member
  • Jan 9, 2023
    61
    63
    Quick question, how much do you think I would need to know about trends such as IP and AI or ESG etc, as in how much depth. I'm preparing for a Slaughters VI and I'd love to know if anyone could provide me with a v quick insight since my knowledge is pretty limited for IP and AI but I know tech is a big thing rn with law firms. Any and every advice would be appreciated greatly!!
     

    Abii

    Legendary Member
    Junior Lawyer
    Feb 1, 2021
    280
    871
    How do you balance application work and uni work? I have 3 upcoming ACs to prepare for (2 in the same week) and I just feel like there's not enough hours in the day
    I remember being in a very similar situation last year. I had 4 ACs over two weeks alongside a full time job, a part time job and the LPC. This was also during the two week LPC assessment period!

    The reality is you do as much as you can -prioritise what really needs doing and everything else can wait. My flat was a mess those two weeks! It is possible though one of those ACs was with the firm I know have a TC with and another resulted in a VS then TC offer.

    Some of the prep is the same for all so it’s only really the firm specific research and prep that differs, a lot of which was done to complete the app so it’s refreshing that knowledge.

    I wouldn’t skip eating or resting though, good food and and enough sleep will make it seem less stressful! And the relief you feel when it’s all over and you have that offer makes it all worth it.
     

    law23

    Distinguished Member
  • Jan 23, 2022
    67
    145
    I always find that if I give myself a very specific set time to complete something, I am so much more efficient! For example, if you give yourself an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening for AC prep, and you know that those are your only times for it, you'll be so much more efficient. If you give a task a day, when it should take an hour, you'll find it still spreads itself out over the whole day!
    I second @HopefulFutureTrainee123. Don't fall for Parkinson's Law (allowing work to expand into the time you have to do it). Although you have 3 ACs (congratulations btw!), lots of the prep will be the same, so don't let the number scare you. Allocate a small amount of time each day and be consistent with it.

    I remember being in a very similar situation last year. I had 4 ACs over two weeks alongside a full time job, a part time job and the LPC. This was also during the two week LPC assessment period!

    The reality is you do as much as you can -prioritise what really needs doing and everything else can wait. My flat was a mess those two weeks! It is possible though one of those ACs was with the firm I know have a TC with and another resulted in a VS then TC offer.

    Some of the prep is the same for all so it’s only really the firm specific research and prep that differs, a lot of which was done to complete the app so it’s refreshing that knowledge.

    I wouldn’t skip eating or resting though, good food and and enough sleep will make it seem less stressful! And the relief you feel when it’s all over and you have that offer makes it all worth it.
    Thank you all so much, this has made me feel a lot better!!
     
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