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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24
- Thread starter Jessica Booker
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If you click on the link to apply it says “applicants should be in a position to commence a training contract in September 2026”
On this though... do people know if that means they will be considering the Autumn/Winter scheme applications? I'm not quite sure from their website whether they only open applications if they still have space or whether they always open them and only consider them if they have space
Hey! Thanks for emailing! Did they get back to you this week or last? Hoping we get some answers by the end of next week.
Hi, do firms rescind training contract offers based on second-year grades? I have a vac scheme lined up this summer, but having just sat my exams, I am pretty sure my performance in most of my exams is in 2:2 territory. My first-year grades were high 2:1s/1sts. Will this affect my chance of getting a training contract offer/ in the event that I get one before my grades are released, will my offer be rescinded? I am extremely nervous about this and would appreciate any insight/ if others have had a similar experience at law school!
Offer will very likely be conditional on achieving 2:1 overall. So if you get a 2:2 this year you'd have a chance to bring your average back up in final year
Jessica Booker
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Unlikely to be on the basis of second year grades alone, but could be if you overall degree classification was a 2.2 or lower.
No for Mayer Brown and Orrick.
I know someone with a summer SH VS. She received her offer prob a month ago.
WBD Vac Scheme offer 😭 (not their London office)
WBD PFO post AC🤣I’m not surprised, it went terribly🫡
Hi everyone! I recently did a VS and unfortunately was unsuccessful in converting it to a TC (US firm).
To be better prepared for future schemes (and out of curiosity), I wanted to ask: if you were unsuccessful in converting a VS to TC (and willing to share), what mistakes did you make that caused you to be unsuccessful?
I am asking this because, in hindsight, I realised that I only sought advice for the scheme from individuals from that specific firm that were successful in converting the VS. Thus, I think this approach introduced survivorship bias into the advice I received.
I followed their advice on the scheme, but when I got my feedback, it related to things that the advice did not cover. For instance, during the scheme, I was given a task on short notice and on the busiest day of the scheme for me (I had mandatory presentations to attend, a scheme-related assessment, and my TC interview all on the same day) and I was worried that I would not be able to finish the task by the short deadline. I explained this to my supervisor and asked if I could complete it later in the day but they said that this was not possible (it was a hard deadline) and that they will complete the task themselves. In my feedback, I was told that I should have come in earlier into the office to complete the task since this was a very competitive VS.
To be better prepared for future schemes (and out of curiosity), I wanted to ask: if you were unsuccessful in converting a VS to TC (and willing to share), what mistakes did you make that caused you to be unsuccessful?
I am asking this because, in hindsight, I realised that I only sought advice for the scheme from individuals from that specific firm that were successful in converting the VS. Thus, I think this approach introduced survivorship bias into the advice I received.
I followed their advice on the scheme, but when I got my feedback, it related to things that the advice did not cover. For instance, during the scheme, I was given a task on short notice and on the busiest day of the scheme for me (I had mandatory presentations to attend, a scheme-related assessment, and my TC interview all on the same day) and I was worried that I would not be able to finish the task by the short deadline. I explained this to my supervisor and asked if I could complete it later in the day but they said that this was not possible (it was a hard deadline) and that they will complete the task themselves. In my feedback, I was told that I should have come in earlier into the office to complete the task since this was a very competitive VS.
In my case a couple of years ago, I was told that my written task could be better and that my commercial awareness in the final interview was not good enough. However, I received excellent feedback from my supervisor and he told grad rec that he’d give me the TC.
My particular case was with a MC firm with a high-conversion rate (upwards of 70%). However, I believe that sometimes there is no such thing as mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, not everyone is able to do everything all at once. I literally know of associates complaining about partners not being able to convert a word file into PDF or partners sending emails plagued with grammatical mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, you learn from your mistakes.
Because the standard of TCs is so high these days and there are thousands of candidates applying, firms just need one reason to reject you post VS. Moreover, with US firms, the conversion rate is around 20-30%.
You did your best and you stayed honest by informing your supervisor about your situation. The firm clearly didn’t appreciate your honesty. Also who even gives strict deadline “real work” tasks to vac schemers lol
Keep in mind the feedback for future vacation schemes and stay positive. Not converting a VS is disappointing but it’s not the end of the world.
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