TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

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bangarangbass39

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Sep 13, 2023
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Hey guys, I need some insight/advice.

I've just been offered an interview for an internship in-house. It also offers a secondment to law firms Gowling WLG, Baker McKenzie, Mayer Brown, etc. I've only just been invited to interview today and I'll be meeting them for 30 mins. they said I don't need to do major preparation but I'm unsure of what to expect.

Should I just pretend that this will be an interview for a vacation scheme? Minus the intricacies of an assessment centre. Or just do general research on the programme and have some competency responses prepared?

I've attached the programme below as I've found it very hard to find people who have completed it or any history of the scheme.

 
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hungry_for_TC

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Dec 2, 2021
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Long shot but anyone doing/that's done the 2nd stage Morgan Lewis interview -- is it really competency Qs only??? seems too chill for a second stage... I am scared the partner will ask technical questions/commercial law q's and I'll have foolishly just prepped how to sell myself/my experience o_O o_O o_O
 

Jaysen

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  • Feb 17, 2018
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    Hey guys, I need some insight/advice.

    I've just been offered an interview for an internship in-house. It also offers a secondment to law firms Gowling WLG, Baker McKenzie, Mayer Brown, etc. I've only just been invited to interview today and I'll be meeting them for 30 mins. they said I don't need to do major preparation but I'm unsure of what to expect.

    Should I just pretend that this will be an interview for a vacation scheme? Minus the intricacies of an assessment centre. Or just do general research on the programme and have some competency responses prepared?

    I've attached the programme below as I've found it very hard to find people who have completed it or any history of the scheme.


    This is great news - well done on the interview. I appreciate it's harder to know what to expect when there is less information, but I'd take comfort in the fact that it's a short interview and designed to provide insight into the perspective of a lawyer.

    I think you're right. I'd typically prepare for:
    • Questions about your motivations (Why are you applying for this role? Tell me more about your journey so far? Why work in-house? Where do you see yourself in five years?)
    • A couple of questions about your understanding of the role (What makes in-house different to private practice? What do you know about Cummins?)
    • Competency questions (Tell me about a time you worked in a team? Tell me about a time you demonstrated resilience under pressure?)
    I don't think I'd expect much more than that - and I'd have a few questions prepared.
     

    dw11cfc

    Active Member
  • Dec 30, 2023
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    Hi guys, I just posted a thread in the applications discussion about possibly organising some sort of mock ACs in London for people (like me) who haven't done an AC before and have them coming up. I think it would help work off some nerves and maybe help the actual day feel less daunting. I've posted the link below if anyone is interested.


    Thank you!
     

    Jaysen

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  • Feb 17, 2018
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    Hi all,

    I’ve followed this thread for a while but have made a profile today as I have a situation I am really struggling with, and I don’t know what to do.

    I graduated from university in 2022 and this is my third cycle of applications. In my first cycle, I sent off about 15 applications and ended up getting 1 AC, which I was unsuccessful at. Second cycle, I sent off about 8 applications and got 4 assessments centres, which I was, again, unsuccessful with. This year, I sent off 12 applications and reached 7 assessment centres. I heard back on Friday that I’d been rejected from my final one. This cycle has now completed.

    So to summarise, I’ve had 12 AC rejections in 3 years.

    Today, I just broke down about it and couldn’t stop crying. I always prepare really well for my ACs but no matter what I do, I get rejected. I ask for feedback but each firm’s feedback seems to contradict another, so it’s really unhelpful.

    I just don’t know what to do now. This has been my dream for a long time, but I can’t go through this again and have more rejections because it’s become so detrimental to my mental health.

    I currently paralegal at a high street firm and am considering just trying to stay there now and qualify that way if I train. It’s not what I wanted, but I feel maybe I’m just not cut out for City law. I look good on paper and can write well, but no matter how hard I’ve worked, firms just don’t take to me.

    Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
    I'm really sorry to hear this and I admire you for being open about this in the forum. I think it's really hard to get your hopes up when you get an assessment centre, only to be rejected - and to do this for three cycles must feel devastating.

    Now, I would be concerned if you had been through three cycles and had never received an assessment centre. But the fact that you have - and most recently received seven assessment centres from 12 applications is an incredibly high hit rate. One thing I get to see through running TCLA is the variety of candidates, and while most people online will share their successes, I know so many trainees and associates who took multiple cycles to get their training contract offer after back to back rejections. Many of them felt like this at their lowest, just before they got their offer.

    I think @LawBrah gave good advice regarding just how competitive the cycle is. If you are willing to carry on, you now have so much knowledge and experience to go into the next cycle. I would consider writing more applications, if there are enough firms you are interested in, to increase your chances. I would also take an honest reflection of the feedback. I've no doubt that the feedback can be unhelpful at times (one firm might say you're too confident, while another might say you're too quiet, but I would try to see if there is any running theme that you can action.

    I wish you the best of luck.
     

    bangarangbass39

    Legendary Member
    Sep 13, 2023
    203
    301
    This is great news - well done on the interview. I appreciate it's harder to know what to expect when there is less information, but I'd take comfort in the fact that it's a short interview and designed to provide insight into the perspective of a lawyer.

    I think you're right. I'd typically prepare for:
    • Questions about your motivations (Why are you applying for this role? Tell me more about your journey so far? Why work in-house? Where do you see yourself in five years?)
    • A couple of questions about your understanding of the role (What makes in-house different to private practice? What do you know about Cummins?)
    • Competency questions (Tell me about a time you worked in a team? Tell me about a time you demonstrated resilience under pressure?)
    I don't think I'd expect much more than that - and I'd have a few questions prepared.
    Thank you so much! This is reassuring! I had an interview today so I feel it's gonna be a chance to refine my performance. I think it went okay, I just got my tongue twisted explaining some of my experiences.

    My Dad is a mechanic so he's been teaching me a lot about the firm because they manufacture engines he works on. If anyone wants to know about the new X15 Diesel Engines to highlight their commercial awareness in the engineering sector, just drop me a message.
     
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    axelbeugre

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    Sep 14, 2023
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    Hey guys, I need some insight/advice.

    I've just been offered an interview for an internship in-house. It also offers a secondment to law firms Gowling WLG, Baker McKenzie, Mayer Brown, etc. I've only just been invited to interview today and I'll be meeting them for 30 mins. they said I don't need to do major preparation but I'm unsure of what to expect.

    Should I just pretend that this will be an interview for a vacation scheme? Minus the intricacies of an assessment centre. Or just do general research on the programme and have some competency responses prepared?

    I've attached the programme below as I've found it very hard to find people who have completed it or any history of the scheme.

    I would probably treat it as a normal law firm interview but I would try to be prepared on the programme and being very structured in your answer.

    I think it would be also beneficial to emphasise the main differences between this programme and private practice, being very specific about your goals and aspirations working in-house.
     
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    hopefulforatc

    Distinguished Member
    Mar 3, 2024
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    I am a recent graduate and this was my first application cycle for vacation schemes. I applied to 15 firms and some of my applications made it past the application stage however, I did not secure any AC. I am still waiting for three decisions however, I am not very hopeful.

    I an international student and only have one more try left then my visa ends. What should I do to reach the AC stage and to make my application better.

    Any advice would be helpful! @Jessica Booker @axelbeugre
     
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