TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[JLaw56]

Has anyone heard from Freshfields about the Winter Trainee Associate Programme?

 

[ayiiii05]

see, your positive thinking does pay off <333 I'd say make sure you have an understanding of law firms as businesses, how do they retain clients, also what tasks trainees do and their role, GOOD LUCK

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[RonRod13]

For those that got Sidley PFO, did you get this rejection message?

“Thank you for your application for a Vacation Scheme placement with Sidley Austin LLP.

As you are not eligible to apply for a Training Contract this year, we are unfortunately unable to consider your application for a vacation scheme.

However, your application impressed us and we would like to invite you to attend an Insight Day on 7 March at our London office from 2pm to 7pm.

We hope the day will give you a real insight into life at Sidley. During the Insight Day you will be given the chance to speak informally to Trainees, Associates and Partners. Our Graduate Recruitment team will also be available to offer advice on applying for training contracts.

Please respond to this email if you would like to attend.

Best regards”

 

[Lawyaa]

Anyway, this is so frustrating guys. My weakness in ACs has always been the case studies - feedback consistently highlights my strengths in motivation, competencies, and written tasks, but I falter when it comes to case study interviews.

Today, though, was a significant improvement with Hogan Lovells - it was the best I've ever performed in a case study interview, and I felt really proud of my progress. It wasn't flawless, but it was a huge step forward compared to my past attempts.

However, what’s frustrating is that I feel like I bombed the situational interview. 😭😭 I don't believe I answered the questions incorrectly (I did offer to assist a struggling trainee and so on), but I think my responses lacked structure and were a bit disjointed. I'm just venting about a tough moment - wishing I could do better. Sorry for the personal meltdown.
But when I finally make progress in one direction, I feel like I struggle in another.. like I finally mastered competencies and never had a situational interview until this one so I didn’t have that kind of practice. 😳

HOPE THEY LIKED ME

Do you have any advice for how you improved with the case studies?

 

[starbright]

Hi there - yes, you can definitely ask this and there is no harm in doing so. Just be prepared for them to say no and basically bat it back to you and state that it will be with you to decide whether you proceed with your VI and potentially renege on your existing Spring offer, or withdraw from the recruitment process. They might be able to transfer you across to a direct TC, but some firms will just tell you to reapply at the appropriate time if that is what you want to do.

Hi Jess, thank you so much for this! I’ll reach out and see what they say. Hopefully, it all works out!

 

[shortypie90]

haven't heard back from HL SVS post-WG...is it a pfo since they've already had some ACs 😭

 

[mfuturetrainee]

haven't heard back from HL SVS post-WG...is it a pfo since they've already had some ACs 😭

im scared too

 

[kmo20]

Is anyone still waiting on a response from Linklaters SVS post-app?

 

[mhs234]

Any shoosmiths placement offers/responses post-test yet?

 

[Legalstalker]

is a case from late 2022 into early 2023 too late too old to speak about when asked “Give us an example of a deal we worked on that interested you?”

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

 

[Jessica Booker]

is a case from late 2022 into early 2023 too late too old to speak about when asked “Give us an example of a deal we worked on that interested you?”

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

I think that is fine. Sometimes these things don’t happen very often (eg leading supermarket mergers don’t happen every year), and so as long as you are linking it to your interests and making the matter unique because of that, you should be fine where it’s less than 18-24 months.

 

[Cherikon]

When answering strength-based questions like "How would deal with an X situation", do you guys jump straight to your example or outline your general approach first then provide a specific example?

 

[Itsmelawgirl]

VWV VI - believe it's automatic. Has anyone done it? Please could you let me know how much time we have for responses or if it timed? Are there any questions about VWV? They haven't provided any information at all on how it will work so any help is much appreciated!

 

[Petallove1]

When answering strength-based questions like "How would deal with an X situation", do you guys jump straight to your example or outline your general approach first then provide a specific example?

I usually summarise my points and am like ‘I deal with this situation using communication, adaptability, and collaboration. An example of when I’ve shown this is…”

 

[Farhan65756]

I usually summarise my points and am like ‘I deal with this situation using communication, adaptability, and collaboration. An example of when I’ve shown this is…”

Yeah this is what I do as well and I did this for my SPB VI as they asked 2 strength Qs and I summarised what I would do then go straight to my example

 

[PlscanIhaveaTC]

this is how I feel rn

stay strong guys :’)

 

[aspiringlawyer47]

So no one wants to share the Squire Patton Boggs VI questions?

 

[futuretrainee2025]

this is how I feel rn

stay strong guys :’)

lmfao I love this forum

 

[Jessica Booker]

When answering strength-based questions like "How would deal with an X situation", do you guys jump straight to your example or outline your general approach first then provide a specific example?

I would avoid just jumping into examples - this isn't really what strengths based assessments are about. They want you to be forward looking rather than rely on past evidence.

Instead focus on what you would do, what factors you would need to consider, if needed explain any assumptions you are making about the scenario (e.g. "Assuming I had a strong working relationship with my supervisor, I would...."), and explain the key aspects that have influenced your thinking this is the right approach. With that last point, you can briefly reference previous times you have been put in similar situations, but if you do this you have to really explain the similarity in the circumstances, not just the similarity in the approach.

 

[Victor87]

this is how I feel rn

stay strong guys :’)

I'm screamiiiing 😆 literally me