TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

[SAA]

Hi all,

I have a question in regards to the Simmons&Simmons Bristol summer vac scheme. Apps opened 1 oct and close 15 feb. They recruit on a rolling basis and their website said they may fill spaces up before the deadline, especially if u apply close to the deadline.

Is it advisable to still apply? I have emailed their recruitment team but I am doubtful that they will reply given the busy period right now.

If anybody has applied to the Simmons&Simmons Bristol summer vac scheme and is able to help with this, please respond to this!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Tattyasha]

Oh yikes. Akin WG came through last night at gone 6:30, to be completed by midnight tomorrow.
Only trouble is I was so convinced I’d never get past application stage, I’ve never practised 🤦‍♀️
Please help 🤣🍷

 

[Hskajab]

Anyone get an AC offer from Akin? Had my telephone interview a week and a half ago and anticipating a PFO

 

[zizszhplum]

Any news from Clyde & Co about summer VS?

 

[AI]

i did my WG on a Friday am and got the VI invite on the Mon pm. Good luck!

Hi, just wondering when you talking about BM, do you mean Baker McKenzie or Blake Morgan?

 

[Adrian_S]

Oh yikes. Akin WG came through last night at gone 6:30, to be completed by midnight tomorrow.
Only trouble is I was so convinced I’d never get past application stage, I’ve never practised 🤦‍♀️
Please help 🤣🍷

Amazing and congratulations! Here are some free resources that I'd recommend (other people on here have also posted resources on here):

1. A careers oxford page which discusses the test
2. Clifford Chance's WG Practice Test
3. More practice at the lawyer portal

TCLA also has a great resource by Joe Mallet on WG prep - I've known many people who've said this is useful to them. Best of luck

 

[Stasis]

Five months since I submitted my Shearman app and I've had no response. I have to be honest, it's really poor.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Five months since I submitted my Shearman app and I've had no response. I have to be honest, it's really poor.

One element to take into consideration is that they don't do rolling recruitment, so they will have only been reviewing applications in the last three weeks.

 

[Stasis]

One element to take into consideration is that they don't do rolling recruitment, so they will have only been reviewing applications in the last three weeks.

Absolutely fair enough, but wouldn't it make a lot more sense, and save them a lot more time, if they reviewed applications progressively whilst making sure that they are all in fact reviewed so as to not disadvantage anyone?

 

[lawperson123]

Any news from Clyde & Co about summer VS?

I heard about an AC for their summer VS on Friday in the late afternoon, hope you hear soon!

 

[Civ457]

Has anyone received interview invite for Withers summer scheme yet?

 

[TheBestSolicitorInTheWorld]

I have progressed plenty of people who have

Five months since I submitted my Shearman app and I've had no response. I have to be honest, it's really poor.

They review applications after the deadline and that deadline was 15/01/2023, not even 3 weeks ago. You just have to wait and be patient. Even if they responded to you immediately when you applied, you wouldn’t have been doing interviews/ ACs until this time anyways. Plus it’s a popular firm so it likely gets tons of candidates. Lastly, no news is not always bad news, if anything I’d use the quiet time to distract myself with something fun like a society x

 

[TheBestSolicitorInTheWorld]

Absolutely fair enough, but wouldn't it make a lot more sense, and save them a lot more time, if they reviewed applications progressively whilst making sure that they are all in fact reviewed so as to not disadvantage anyone?

No because they may end up saying yes to the first 30 applications they see from October- November but then miss out on people with amazing applications who submit in December- Deadline

 

[Turnthisstupidfatratyellow]

I heard about an AC for their summer VS on Friday in the late afternoon, hope you hear soon!

Do you think their ac invites are staggered

 

[EH96]

Hi,

Has anyone done the Osborne Clarke phase one AC and has got any tips, or know how many people you present to etc.? I've never done something like this before.

Thanks!

 

[Stasis]

No because they may end up saying yes to the first 30 applications they see from October- November but then miss out on people with amazing applications who submit in December- Deadline

True, but they could at least process the rejections, of which there will be hundreds.

 

[TheBestSolicitorInTheWorld]

True, but they could at least process the rejections, of which there will be hundreds.

That’s true but like you said there’s hundreds, it’s easier to do it in one go.

I did a first year scheme with Shearman and recruitment said that they reject 80% of applications due to bad grammar and spelling. I assume they probably have a computer software for that. So as long as you have good answers and made sure your spelling and grammar was perfect, I wouldn’t stress personally.

 

[lawperson123]

Do you think their ac invites are staggered

I don't know unfortunately, all I know is that spring ones went out a bit earlier so there is definitely a little bit of staging to it, but I just don't know beyond that. Sorry I'm not of more use!

 

[laby201]

First time posting here but becoming increasingly demoralised about securing even an AC this cycle, let alone a VS.

I must have done about 15 applications and many firms I'm yet to hear back from, even after applying months ago. Practical radio silence from DLA Piper, Hogan Lovells, Ashurst, White & Case, while others are getting ACs or even VS from them, which makes me wonder what the point is. Awaiting PFOs from them but it's the fact I've heard nothing which really hurts.

Had 3 VIs with Bakers, Watson Farley and Dentons, but bombed them all and yet to hear back, while I can never seem to pass assessments that aren't Watson Glasers (like Taylor Wessing's Games Based Assessments). The cumulative hours and effort I have spent this cycle is unparalleled but all I've mainly been hit with is failed VIs and radio silence.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Absolutely fair enough, but wouldn't it make a lot more sense, and save them a lot more time, if they reviewed applications progressively whilst making sure that they are all in fact reviewed so as to not disadvantage anyone?

I think their argument could be the opposite - that by reviewing everyone at the same time, those who applied earlier are not at an advantage.

By opening early and providing a long application window, it gives people the option to apply earlier so people can choose not to put themselves under significant pressure around deadline days when many other firm's deadlines are also looming.

It takes the same amount of time to review an application no matter what time it comes in, but some firms can easily carve out a block of time to do it on mass in a short period of time, rather than spreading that same amount of time across many weeks/months. However, other firms choose this approach because it works better for them.