TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[Manuchelsout]

a&o putting the grades in is a headache anyone else found it annoying putting all those grades in

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre and anyone else, I would appreciate your advice! I recently started an in-house paralegal role that has given me a lot of amazing experience. Before this role, I was still very involved in extra-curriculars and some high-street law experience but of course my current daily responsibilities are most relevant to what a trainee might do at a commercial law firm. I am just wondering if, in an application with multiple written questions about my experience / my interest in commercial law / how I have displayed the firm's values etc. I focused solely on my current paralegal experience, is this too much? Should I still try and balance my answers with non-legal work experience in questions that ask how I have displayed the firm's values (as opposed to sticking to examples from the same workplace)? Hope this makes sense, thanks

Where you are saying solely, I would suggest more balance and using the occasional experience from outside of your paralegal role. Your examples don’t have to come from work experience either though - they can come from extra curriculars, academics - really any experiences.

I think it’s important to show variety in your experiences and how you have developed your skill set, and solely using one role can be risky in the firm thinking there isn’t anything else to you but your current role.

Sometimes people also use the examples that they think most closely align with the firm’s work (as you have suggested is the case) rather than the example that truly is the best example of the competency or skill they are looking for - so keep this in mind too especially if your examples are all from one role.

You also say the role is recent too - so you have to be mindful to show how you have developed your skills over a period of time.

 

[LegallyBrown]

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

I had a quick question I was hoping either of you, or anyone else in the forum could help with.

It it a bad sign that neither of my interviewers asked me about why commercial law or why this firm in the interviews?

It’s happened to me twice now, and I don’t know if I’m overthinking it - but if they’re conducting a wash-up and are assessing for motivation - how am I supposed to score high if these questions weren’t asked.

I would say, neither of these interviews seemed pre-planned. Each question was specifically tailored to my application - so perhaps there isn’t a hardcore mark scheme for the wash-up?

(Sorry I think my one year stint in graduate recruitment has traumatised me)

FYI - I did a law degree, all of my experiences have been in a law firm and I’m currently doing the LPC whilst working as a paralegal in a city law firm.

 

[jenniferrrrrrr]

Hi, does anyone know if DLA sends WG in batches or immediately after you submit an application - thanks in advance!

 

[Manuchelsout]

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

I had a quick question I was hoping either of you, or anyone else in the forum could help with.

It it a bad sign that neither of my interviewers asked me about why commercial law or why this firm in the interviews?

It’s happened to me twice now, and I don’t know if I’m overthinking it - but if they’re conducting a wash-up and are assessing for motivation - how am I supposed to score high if these questions weren’t asked.

I would say, neither of these interviews seemed pre-planned. Each question was specifically tailored to my application - so perhaps there isn’t a hardcore mark scheme for the wash-up?

(Sorry I think my one year stint in graduate recruitment has traumatised me)

FYI - I did a law degree, all of my experiences have been in a law firm and I’m currently doing the LPC whilst working as a paralegal in a city law firm.

Think its normal as lawyers will know you have prepared answers so want to challenge you (Just my view from experience)

 

[Tintin06]

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

I had a quick question I was hoping either of you, or anyone else in the forum could help with.

It it a bad sign that neither of my interviewers asked me about why commercial law or why this firm in the interviews?

It’s happened to me twice now, and I don’t know if I’m overthinking it - but if they’re conducting a wash-up and are assessing for motivation - how am I supposed to score high if these questions weren’t asked.

I would say, neither of these interviews seemed pre-planned. Each question was specifically tailored to my application - so perhaps there isn’t a hardcore mark scheme for the wash-up?

(Sorry I think my one year stint in graduate recruitment has traumatised me)

FYI - I did a law degree, all of my experiences have been in a law firm and I’m currently doing the LPC whilst working as a paralegal in a city law firm.

I wouldn't stress about it. I did the same TS interview as you (albeit in 2020) and they didn't spend much time on that. Some interviews follow a set format where that is a question. Others don't. You gave it your all, I'm sure. Focus on the future.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

I had a quick question I was hoping either of you, or anyone else in the forum could help with.

It it a bad sign that neither of my interviewers asked me about why commercial law or why this firm in the interviews?

It’s happened to me twice now, and I don’t know if I’m overthinking it - but if they’re conducting a wash-up and are assessing for motivation - how am I supposed to score high if these questions weren’t asked.

I would say, neither of these interviews seemed pre-planned. Each question was specifically tailored to my application - so perhaps there isn’t a hardcore mark scheme for the wash-up?

(Sorry I think my one year stint in graduate recruitment has traumatised me)

FYI - I did a law degree, all of my experiences have been in a law firm and I’m currently doing the LPC whilst working as a paralegal in a city law firm.

Not a bad sign - there could be a multitude of reasons for this. Maybe the firm doesn’t care to ask at this stage. Maybe they think there is enough logic/evidence from other parts of the recruitment process, eapexially given what you have said about what else you have done. Maybe they want to test out th things they can’t see from your application rather than what they can.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t a scoring system though. I very much expect there are set frameworks they are assessing against for consistency (even if the questions seem random or tailored).

 

[Claristered]

Hi guys! I am finishing my application to Eversheds Insight Evening and the website says the deadline is tomorrow. Does that mean that I have to submit it today or do I still have tomorrow to make final adjustments? They were not clear if they meant it closes at midnight tomorrow or monday. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 27336]

for Taylor Wessing's app, should the answers be 1024 characters inclusive of spaces or not?

 

[zizszhplum]

Where you are saying solely, I would suggest more balance and using the occasional experience from outside of your paralegal role. Your examples don’t have to come from work experience either though - they can come from extra curriculars, academics - really any experiences.

I think it’s important to show variety in your experiences and how you have developed your skill set, and solely using one role can be risky in the firm thinking there isn’t anything else to you but your current role.

Sometimes people also use the examples that they think most closely align with the firm’s work (as you have suggested is the case) rather than the example that truly is the best example of the competency or skill they are looking for - so keep this in mind too especially if your examples are all from one role.

You also say the role is recent too - so you have to be mindful to show how you have developed your skills over a period of time.

Thank you so much, Jessica. This all makes so much sense, appreciate it.

 

[dms21]

Hi, does anyone know if Gowling is recruiting on a rolling basis? I saw a post saying they recruit on a non-rolling basis but this was for last year's application cycle. Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi guys! I am finishing my application to Eversheds Insight Evening and the website says the deadline is tomorrow. Does that mean that I have to submit it today or do I still have tomorrow to make final adjustments? They were not clear if they meant it closes at midnight tomorrow or monday. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Deadlines will include the day of the deadline. Given it’s the weekend, I would expect it closed as 23.59 on the date mentioned.

 

[DKLaw]

If you studied a different A-level equivalent course like computing before doing the law A-level equivalent or at a similar level, can/should you discuss that in the why law questions? I am asking because I went through that experience and realized that legal aspects of computing like patents and cyberlaw was what interested me more than the coding/web development part, and that was one of the major reasons that I decided to shift to a law course and pursue a career.

Hi @Jessica Booker . @axelbeugre, could you please share your opinions on this.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker . @axelbeugre, could you please share your opinions on this.

Yes - that sounds like an appropriate approach to take as your interest in law stems from another subject.

 

[Manuchelsout]

@Jessica Booker can 2 people get 82nd percentile on wg if they both get 32/40 would it be possible they both get the same percentile. I know percentile takes into account other things like time and norm groups.

 

[Claristered]

Deadlines will include the day of the deadline. Given it’s the weekend, I would expect it closed as 23.59 on the date mentioned.

Thank you so much Jessica! Greatly appreciated!

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker can 2 people get 82nd percentile on wg if they both get 32/40 would it be possible they both get the same percentile. I know percentile takes into account other things like time and norm groups.

Yes, that is very possible.

 

[jomar]

Do people still use forage virtual experience? Is it a useful tool? Can you like this message if you have used forage in the last 6 months to use it to get to know a firm/apply for a scheme?

 

[jplaw1010]

@Jessica Booker

Do firms consider A-level/university grades as a lateral hire post-qualification? For example, if a firm requests AAB at a VS/TC level, will this requirement still be applicable as an NQ or 1/2/3 PQE level, and if so, does this tend to be a strict requirement? Thanks

 

[Manuchelsout]

Yes, that is very possible.

Thank you this is helpful