TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[bangarangbass39]

Okay I am completely lost with the SJTs. Just finished my final one for the season which was with Womble Bond. Does anyone know how Grad Rec decides which report goes forward and which one does not? I assume that everyone is going to have weak points and strengths so how do they decide? Especially firms that don't have a V.I. at the end

 

[ayiiii05]

Has anyone heard from Mayer Brown post-test, NRF post-ArticS and K&L Gates post-app?

 

[jas1502]

Is this for spring or summer? I applied for the summer vs on the deadline and im trying to figure out when I'll hear back

This is for spring Hope you hear back soon!

 

[Legalstalker]

If a partner brings up your commercial topic on your application form in an interview and you didn’t have the answers/hadn’t looked at the story again since applying 3 months ago is this a bad thing? Would this affect the outcome?

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre Any insight?

 

[weihanlow]

Has anyone heard back from CC post-WG for their SPARK scheme? The email said they’d get back on or before 16th Feb

Yea same situation here - I haven't heard back. But I know someone who did 2 days ago

 

[axelbeugre]

If a partner brings up your commercial topic on your application form in an interview and you didn’t have the answers/hadn’t looked at the story again since applying 3 months ago is this a bad thing? Would this affect the outcome?

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre Any insight?

I think it might have a negative impact to a certain degree but it is difficult to say without having been in the interview since you might have redeemed yourself with all the other answers.

I think there is no point in dwelling over an answer at this point, you have sat the interview and you have done the best that you could. Chances are you thought it went bad and in reality the partner did not even remember this episode.

 

[whambamshamalam]

Anyone heard from Clyde & Co Middle East TC post VI?

Nothing yet! Best of luck!!

 

[pombo]

Anyone’s attending PwC legal’s assessment running from 19 Feb - 4 March? Wondering how many candidates there were in the prep meeting

 

[Jessica Booker]

If a partner brings up your commercial topic on your application form in an interview and you didn’t have the answers/hadn’t looked at the story again since applying 3 months ago is this a bad thing? Would this affect the outcome?

@Jessica Booker @axelbeugre Any insight?

Agree with @axelbeugre - it is a possibility. This is quite a common thing to happen in interviews, which is why it is really important to pick a topic you are confident about or will keep up to date on when writing an application.

However, similarly to what Axel has said, you maybe over critical of what actually happened in the interview, so I don’t think you can assume this will affect the outcome. Plus there would have been a whole load of other answers that also made up your performance. This was just one question.

 

[J53]

It was mainly I’m really keen to become involved in international arbitration and I’d say they’re (along with W&C) the best in the City for it.

The emphasis placed on pro bono was also a pretty big factor.

AG also has a lot of positives to it though and I wouldn’t have applied otherwise so trying to refocus the energy on that

Don’t forget that law is a 30-40 year career, just because you’re not at your dream firm now doesn’t mean that you can’t go to Skadden later. Almost no one stays at the same firm their entire career. Get the TC, then once you qualify, see if you can move, either to Skadden or another firm that’s a stepping stone. Or you never know, my brief research tells me that AG has a Singapore office devoted to int arbitration(secondment opportunity). Everything happens for a reason…

 

[Aga123+]

I would call them tomorrow morning then and ask whether you can postpone.

Thanks @Jessica Booker - I'll do that today

 

[J53]

It was mainly I’m really keen to become involved in international arbitration and I’d say they’re (along with W&C) the best in the City for it.

The emphasis placed on pro bono was also a pretty big factor.

AG also has a lot of positives to it though and I wouldn’t have applied otherwise so trying to refocus the energy on that

Also in terms of salary, the net difference over 10 years before you hopefully start being considered for partnership, although of course that’s not a given is according to my math about 70k a year. After tax that’s roughly 40k and works out to about an extra £16 an hour. If you became a partner at Skadden, no mean feat I know, you would make the difference back over someone who had been at Skadden their entire career but had not yet achieved partnership in 1 year. Probably something like 90% of your career earnings will come as a partner, that’s where the real salary disparities lie. Don’t worry. 90k starting will still get you a house.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you to everyone for all your comments and advice - this is a really amazing community and a great one to be a part of

My AC was with Skadden, which was my dream firm, so when they rejected me, it sucked. I now have the VS offer from Addleshaw, which I am, of course, grateful for, but it's still tinged with disappointment. I want to shake that feeling as everyone around me is very positive, especially when I've been working towards this for years now.

Knowing I could have had the opportunity to work for a firm like Skadden though and missed that opportunity is still getting to me. I know it shouldn't and you all make such good points (and I know I will be able to transfer later in my career). I'm sure doing the VS will be a great experience and one I'll learn a lot from, especially when I know there are many out there who would do a lot to be in my position.

I wondered if you had any wisdom to impart @Jessica Booker? Is there a way to still feel proud and upbeat about a VS from a firm that doesn't motivate you as much as one you got rejected from/its practice area strengths don't align with your main goals? I want to try and adopt a more positive mindset about it all

This is a great step forward in your career no matter where you eventually end up.

Whether your initial career is with a firm like AG or another firm like Skadden, securing a vacation scheme is a strong way of developing your candidacy further for any firm. You should consider it as a positive step forward to develop your skills and knowledge.

The benefits of attending the vacation scheme will not just be about the chance to convert with AG, but it will undoubtedly support your career both in the short term and long term, whether that results in you reapplying to Skadden in the summer or next year, or whether it’s later in your career as a qualified lawyer.

Very few people’s careers are direct - many require multiple steps to get where they want to get to. And securing your VS with AG is a key step in that journey.

 

[SolicitorHopeful]

Anyone not had a response form Dechert post VI/written exercise? My app was for spring

 

[sxw517]

I don't suppose either of you have been given a date/time? "Shortly" seems like a very vague (and subjective) measure of time but I don't want to harass grad rec if they haven't sent that info out to anyone yet!

Haven't had a time either, guessing we will get one at some point today, maybe?

 

[sxw517]

Anyone not had a response form Dechert post VI/written exercise? My app was for spring

I did one on 08/02 for summer and waiting to hear back, I figure it could take weeks as someone has to mark the VI and written task.

 

[axelbeugre]

HOW TO DEAL WITH REJECTIONS?

Rejections seem to be an inevitable part of the process that everybody, at some point, will experience. Although they are very difficult to face, especially as many applicants are high-achievers in the legal industry, they can teach us so much. They contribute to making us understand if the legal industry is a sector we are genuinely passionate about or not, as so many quit after their first two/three rejections. However, if being a lawyer is really what you want to be, quitting is not an option. It certainly was not an option for me. After 15+ rejections, some of which came back to back the same day sometimes, I knew I could not give up as being a lawyer has always been my goal in life. One thing that I always pushed myself to think whilst receiving many rejections is that rejection does not determine your potential or value, although it might be difficult to comprehend that in the moment. Keep in mind that each "no" you receive today will get you one step closer to the appropriate "yes." This setback is merely a stepping stone towards something even better. Your value and abilities remain unaltered. It is fundamental that you maintain your resilience, believe in your own abilities, and have faith that better days are ahead and your dreams will become true. I want to share some tips that helped me dealing with rejections when I was applying:

Acknowledging your feeling is key

After being rejected, it's common to experience hurt, disappointment, or even rage. You invest so much time, effort and energy in the applications so it is totally understandable to feel this way. Instead of repressing these feelings, let yourself to experience them. It shows that you do care about your dream and it is something that you should be proud of. This rejection is merely a diversion, not the end of the road; you are capable of accomplishing great things. Spend some time taking care of yourself, regain your strength, and continue along. You can succeed at this! I think it is also important to put everything into perspective. When I was receiving rejections, my friends and family had to remind me that rejection does not, in and of itself, indicate your personal worth. Keep this in mind. Most of the time, it's the outcome of particular situations, tastes, or standards that might not match your own.

Pay attention to what the rejection has taught you

With every rejection, I felt like I was learning how to write better answers to application questions. As a matter of fact, by my 16th application onward, I witnessed so many positive results. This made me feel better and it made all those rejections worth it in the end. Consider rejection a chance for personal development and introspection. Consider how you can get better going forward and what you can learn from the experience. Rejection also taught me that it is not a temporary thing. You will not experience rejection all the time and this is important to remember!

Take time to understand what went wrong

More often than not this is going to be very difficult to do especially if you were rejected at application stage as feedback is not provided. What I mean by this is to try to reach to someone who was successful in the process and try to compare your application and your style of writing and putting things down to them. Chances are you will understand why the application was not successful this cycle and you can work to improve it for the next.

Stay consistent with improving your weaknesses

One of my main issues when I first started applying was improving my writing. Many struggle with commercial awareness, video interview, case studies or partner interviews. I think it is important to stay consistent with preparation regardless of the rejections you face and stay persistent. Working on your weaknesses calls for some help most of the time. When I received a rejection, I used to contact a friend and have them read my answers and tell me what they thought was missing or did not sound right or correct. That exercise in itself allowed me to ameliorate my writing so much. Never hesitate to ask for help and encouragement from friends and family. You can process easily what you did wrong and get perspective by talking about them with someone. If you got rejected after an assessment centre, chances are you will be able to receive a piece of feedback. That would be invaluable as it will serve as a starting point for your improvement.

Keep your eyes on the prize

Remember that it is important for you to keep going regardless of the amount of rejections. You really need to keep your eyes on the prize if becoming a commercial solicitor is what you really want to do. Whilst facing my rejections, I did not have a plan B I could fall back on. I was determined to get a training contract. Strive to maintain your positive attitude and concentrate on the areas of your application journey that you can ameliorate easily. If you know you struggle with commercial awareness, staying up to date with commercial awareness even when you are not applying to law firms will allow you to be very confident and knowledgeable when it comes to technical interview/ case study/ commercial interviews. It is also important to remind yourself of your accomplishments and strong points outside of this process, that will make you realise the strengths of your application and distance yourself from the rejections. This is something that really helped me to stay focused and seeing results later down my application cycle.

 

[kcr]

Weil PFO. That one hit hard as they encouraged me to re-apply after last year’s AC and I felt that my application was much stronger this year.

 

[user184794]

Weil PFO. That one hit hard as they encouraged me to re-apply after last year’s AC and I felt that my application was much stronger this year.

Hey so sorry to hear this. Can I please ask if this was post-Ac

 

[legallybrunette8]

just emailed irwin mitchell for updates and got the fastest reply ever:

"We will let all candidates know the outcome of their application within the next few weeks."

hope that helps anyone! 😬