TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[SemperParatus]

anything from linklaters for spring vs?

 

[lawapplicant]

Just an fyi for anyone looking to apply to BCLP, I went to their open day recently and according to current trainees the firm has gone downhill massively in the last few years. Profits per partner down significantly and only 2 NQ jobs offered for over 25 trainees… now I know why they’re not transparent about their retention rates.

Legal Cheek have just posted an article about this - predicted the retention rate to be under 40%

 

[tcla888]

I've seen advice about how in the work experience section you should put all of your insight days into one box, but when you talk about them in the 150 words are you meant to talk about them individually or just say going to insight days helped deepen your interest in law etc?

 

[Pennine Valley]

Anyone received Eversheds Video Interview invite?

 

[mfuturetrainee]

when thinking bout what challenges face our clients, how would you suggest going about answering this? @axelbeugre

 

[thelaborator]

Just an fyi for anyone looking to apply to BCLP, I went to their open day recently and according to current trainees the firm has gone downhill massively in the last few years. Profits per partner down significantly and only 2 NQ jobs offered for over 25 trainees… now I know why they’re not transparent about their retention rates.

Smart people who could work hard and make them money don't have time to write 2000 word essays.

Also coming to an AO Shearman near you.

 

[thelaborator]

There's a legal cheek article on this and the comments seem to imply the MC/SC and CMS are also struggling a little ( although CC and CMS's retention rates from last time kind of gave that away).

A little worrying, will this impact the amount of trainees firms take on in the future?

And yet they keep hiring non law teenagers 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[axelbeugre]

when thinking bout what challenges face our clients, how would you suggest going about answering this? @axelbeugre

I think that the best approach is analysing the challenges looking at the social, economic and political dimensions. For instance, things that affect law firms' clients across the board are ESG considerations (especially nowadays), AI and technology regulations. Looking at the relations between countries, US v China, EU v US (especially when it comes to fintech companies and green tech companies which prefer the US over EU for better funding initiatives and less stringent regulations), economic trends of a geographical region which might impose a challenge on clients with locations around the world. These are some of the considerations that I used to make when I was applying and I think that they really show commercial awareness, especially if you get asked a question in an interview and you can talk about them confidently.

Hope this helps!

 

[19.mfjones]

Irwin Mitchell PFO!!! Woo! If anyone is looking for a law firm that will speedily reject you, look at IM - applied on Tuesday, rejected Friday!

Love the fact my financial prospects for the pgdl are looking worse and worse :/

 

[Roisin]

Hello I received an invite for HSF’s assessment centre this week for the spring vac scheme. If anyone else is in a similar position, please feel free to contact me so we can discuss! AC is on the 9th of January.

 

[Aaj03]

Sidley’s summer vac interview invite!
Any tips would be greatly appreciated 😔
This would be my first in person interview too

 

[mfuturetrainee]

I think that the best approach is analysing the challenges looking at the social, economic and political dimensions. For instance, things that affect law firms' clients across the board are ESG considerations (especially nowadays), AI and technology regulations. Looking at the relations between countries, US v China, EU v US (especially when it comes to fintech companies and green tech companies which prefer the US over EU for better funding initiatives and less stringent regulations), economic trends of a geographical region which might impose a challenge on clients with locations around the world. These are some of the considerations that I used to make when I was applying and I think that they really show commercial awareness, especially if you get asked a question in an interview and you can talk about them confidently.

Hope this helps!

thank you thats so insightful! do you have to reference it back to the law firm as to how they can help in qs like these or is it more so about just considering the broader trends?

 

[h79]

If it specifically says that they are closed on the website, I would not bother applying (also confirmed by the fact that there are people with offers already). I would email them to confirm this and see, rather than wasting time on it (even though I know it is quite short).

They are open until the 31st December 2023, as per the website.

 

[axelbeugre]

Sidley’s summer vac interview invite!
Any tips would be greatly appreciated 😔
This would be my first in person interview too

Congratulations!!
Here are some tips for assessment centres that I shared: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2023-24.8037/post-151966

Huge achievement! You should be so proud!

 

[axelbeugre]

thank you thats so insightful! do you have to reference it back to the law firm as to how they can help in qs like these or is it more so about just considering the broader trends?

I think it is mostly considering the broader trend. I used to include a sentence or two regarding what the law firm could do but it was a very general consideration like increase lawyers knowledge about a specific issue I mentioned or invest in expanding a particular practice, but I would not say that you should go in depth into this, a very surface level consideration is okay. This is because the question does not ask to link it back to the law firm anyway so you would want to focus on what the question specifically asks!

 

[futuretrainee2025]

Anyone received Eversheds Video Interview invite?

I've seen a few PFO's so no news might be good news!

 

[SAlegal]

Eversheds PFO

 

[Pennine Valley]

Fieldfisher Diversity Scheme AC

 

[Pennine Valley]

I received the Eversheds VI the other day. If anyone else has received this then please message me.

 

[laby201]

Hello I received an invite for HSF’s assessment centre this week for the spring vac scheme. If anyone else is in a similar position, please feel free to contact me so we can discuss! AC is on the 9th of January.

Congratulations! 🎉 When did you apply/sit the test if you don’t mind me asking?