TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[holz567]

I had an interview today and the final question was "do you have anything more you'd like us to consider."

I replied no and had the chance to move onto my own questions. Was this is a mistake? I don't feel I had anything more to add and had covered everything in my interview but am now worried it shows disinterest or a lack of quick thinking.

Is it fine to answer that @Jessica Booker or would it count against me?

 

[Deleted member 32324]

I had an interview today and the final question was "do you have anything more you'd like us to consider."

I replied no and had the chance to move onto my own questions. Was this is a mistake? I don't feel I had anything more to add and had covered everything in my interview but am now worried it shows disinterest or a lack of quick thinking.

Is it fine to answer that @Jessica Booker or would it count against me?

I got asked this for White and Case and got a PFO for their winter scheme my feedback literally said I didn't take advantage of showing all my skills and really exposing my personality and that I lacked confidence. I don't think this is a PFO but it would depend on the firm you got the AC for and how they value your input

 

[Jessica Booker]

I had an interview today and the final question was "do you have anything more you'd like us to consider."

I replied no and had the chance to move onto my own questions. Was this is a mistake? I don't feel I had anything more to add and had covered everything in my interview but am now worried it shows disinterest or a lack of quick thinking.

Is it fine to answer that @Jessica Booker or would it count against me?

no - this is not necessarily an issue - it is just an opportunity to provide information you feel you haven’t had the opportunity to highlight. But plenty of candidates may not have anything else they want to highlight, and so they wouldn’t need to use this opportunity.

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

Genuinely heart goes out to those who will get their TC offered taken away due to failing an exam that is already an absolute mess, pursuing a career in law is mentally draining, practicing a career in law is mentally draining, and for a firm to just completely disregard future trainees over failing an exam that is well known to be extremely tuff is disgusting.

I wonder if any support is given to these student, I can’t imagine what they’ll be going through, and it doesn’t do anything to help the stigma around this career.

Shame on Clifford chance, and shame on those who follow suit.

Quite. You'd also think considering recent events law firms would be more cautious when it came to endangering individuals' mental health but evidently not. Not a good look and honestly not even a good call because they could be missing out on exceptional candidates because they ticked A instead of B a couple of times on a multiple choice test.

 

[Seven]

In response to Clifford Chance’s recent decision to withdraw training contract offers from students who failed the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) on their first attempt, I propose creating a publicly accessible list of SQE resit policies by different firms. This information is crucial for aspiring solicitors when choosing where to apply strategically!

Please see this thread if you have any information: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/sqe-resit-policies-by-firm.8655/

After much thought, I don't want to encourage anyone to breach their terms of their offer by sharing information which may or may not be confidential provisions regarding the SQE. So I will delete the thread. However, I believe we should all definitely take these SQE resit policies into consideration when applying to firms, as they could adversely affect our futures. Best of luck!!

 

[Lola333]

I think that it should be no more than 1,5/2 pages and based on the information you are giving. It is important to focus on the relevant facts of the matter, without losing yourself in the irrelevant details.

Make sure your grammar and structure are impeccable as those are things that the assessors will look into. There is a a LinkedIn post that explains how to write on which I will leave here which is really good: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-write-briefing-note-govconnex/

Thank you so much!

 

[trainee2025]

This isn't anything new though and they would have been aware from the terms of their offer. And many do allow resits as long as you have passed by the time the TC date starts. With Law Society Finals and LPC you would get results after the TC started and some people would be there one day and gone the next according to my parents.

SQE is a brand new exam which has been subject to a lot of chaos and which is universally acknowledged to be much harder than the LPC. The pass rate is much lower so far and those who have failed include people with excellent academic records who have put huge amounts of work in and failed by only a couple of marks in some cases, which is undoubtedly an unfair reflection of their legal/academic abilities.

What I think is quite damaging at the moment is people, largely from past generations, trying to compare this situation to the LPC. This was an exam which was conventionally assessed, had been around for a very long time, and which 90+ % of TC holders did pass (and indeed did better than pass, usually without issue). None of these things apply to the SQE1 cohort which have just received their results. Until the ins and outs of the SQE have really embedded themselves, I think this is a really harsh move by CC, particularly for people who might have held a TC with them since first year and are now left with nothing both employment-wise and financially. The fact that other MC and even US firms are being more lenient with resits as they acknowledge the challenges of the new exam will go to show this in the long run imo.

 

[Miss Chocolate]

If they have given you their email address or you were provided it as part of the recruitment process, then yes it’s not an issue doing this. If you have had to track down their email, then maybe less so (unless it’s in the public domain).

Thank you! I think I will drop them an email as the info is available on their website

 

[Miss Chocolate]

I did post AC and interview they all replied back.

When I followed up with one partner they were happy to speak to me and answered further questions I had about their experience and the firm culture. I was able to find out info that wasn’t even published and how the firm goes above and beyond for those who work there regardless of seniority.

I thought it was great to connect as I now have good information for a TC interview with the firm….all being well. 😬😅

Amazing <222 will do! Also, thank you so so much for replying to my PM last night, honestly reading it was so so reassuring. I went in without any expectations and kept in mind to just be social and normal (not easy in these situations lmao) and yeah, wanted to say you are so sincere and real and helpful and just a queen <3 thank you so much. I was overthinking it so much because I did not feel ready at all but I kept in mind what you said about just enjoying it and learning from it and it eased a lot of my anxiety.

 

[InvesmentBanker]

I passed SQE1 and let me just say DAMN that was hard. I had to work my socks off for that. Hate to say it but getting a TC now is just half the work. Passing the SQE is basically the other half. ​

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

SQE is a brand new exam which has been subject to a lot of chaos and which is universally acknowledged to be much harder than the LPC. The pass rate is much lower so far and those who have failed include people with excellent academic records who have put huge amounts of work in and failed by only a couple of marks in some cases, which is undoubtedly an unfair reflection of their legal/academic abilities.

What I think is quite damaging at the moment is people, largely from past generations, trying to compare this situation to the LPC. This was an exam which was conventionally assessed, had been around for a very long time, and which 90+ % of TC holders did pass (and indeed did better than pass, usually without issue). None of these things apply to the SQE1 cohort which have just received their results. Until the ins and outs of the SQE have really embedded themselves, I think this is a really harsh move by CC, particularly for people who might have held a TC with them since first year and are now left with nothing both employment-wise and financially. The fact that other MC and even US firms are being more lenient with resits as they acknowledge the challenges of the new exam will go to show this in the long run imo.

Whilst some of what you say is true you are actually not correct about the pass rates for LPC. It averaged at around 57-58% so whilst higher than SQE1 not significantly so.

Pandemic has little impact on LPC pass rates, stats show - Legal Cheek

Exam deferrals more than doubled

www.google.com

 

[O]

After much thought, I don't want to encourage anyone to breach their terms of their offer by sharing information which may or may not be confidential provisions regarding the SQE. So I will delete the thread. However, I believe we should all definitely take these SQE resit policies into consideration when applying to firms, as they could adversely affect our futures. Best of luck!!

Maybe a more general thread on firms that allow resits, don’t allow, assessed on a case by case basis, etc… rather than exact wording?

 

[InvesmentBanker]

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.

@Pheebs22 I was rejected after 9 ACs before I got my first VS. The truth is, I didn't perform well enough each of those times (despite thinking I did great everytime). There are two conclusions to draw from your situation. a) You have been unlucky: there may be some truth to this, but it is not the reason why you do not have a VS/AC (especially when you have attended 12 ACs). b) You are a poor AC performer: This is the hard truth, and I apologise if that is hurtful to posit. I know you say that you do everything to prepare well, but clearly, you need to change your approach. This is purely a matter about applying yourself (the fact that you have attended so many ACs demonstrates that you have the potential to get a TC).

As many have said before, please do not give up. I am rooting for you!

 

[mp2000]

Just out of curiosity, who else has applied specifically for the Hill Dickinson business services TC in London?

 

[trainee2025]

Whilst some of what you say is true you are actually not correct about the pass rates for LPC. It averaged at around 57-58% so whilst higher than SQE1 not significantly so.

Pandemic has little impact on LPC pass rates, stats show - Legal Cheek

Exam deferrals more than doubled

www.google.com

Although the overall LPC/SQE1 pass rate is potentially comparable, SQE1 has thrown up unprecedented numbers of failures amongst;
a. candidates from traditional course providers (BPP, Ulaw etc.). Proper engagement with the LPC through one of these ‘trusted’ providers was usually enough to ensure a pass, especially amongst extremely able TC holders. In the article you mention, the pass rate from some providers was 100%. The SQE1 averages are vastly lower than that wherever you look.
b. ‘sponsored’ candidates. Even those who hold TCs and are aware of the SQE1 workload are still failing the exam. That is what I think has been shocking and is materialising in far greater numbers than ever did for the LPC.
As I said before I think that with this in mind it’s very harsh that CC (and others?) are taking such a draconian approach.

 

[dw11cfc]

Hi, just posting again about a mock AC in London a few of us have organised together.

Jaysen and the TCLA team have kindly offered to host us in their offices, provide resources and give feedback.

If anyone else is interested please PM me or reply to the thread, it would be great to get as many of us as we can.

Mock AC in London

Hi. Would anyone who hasn't done an AC before (or maybe those that have if they are interested) want to do some sort of mock ACs together in London? My proposal is that a few of us meet up and go through a mock AC (someone else will have to set it) while filming the whole thing. Then we could...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

 

[LehmanBrothersRiskManagementIntern]

Does anyone know what grade law firms expect in the PGDL? I recently did my mock assessments and scored between a 55 and 58 in all the four modules. I have to admit that I didn't focus enough, as I really struggled balancing the mock assessments with attending workshops and preparing for ACs. Moreover, the formula to get a distinction is badly explained by the lecturers. Does anyone have any advice on how to achieve a 60+ in problem question exams? Or any tips in general for the PGDL?

 

[axelbeugre]

Does anyone have a list of firms which DO allow SQE resits?
Just seen the Legal Cheek article re CC withdrawing TCs from future trainees who failed…

The news was very surprising to many but I feel like it is something that law firms with a huge intake will use as a way to cut down on trainees. It is so sad that students are basically sold a dream (some of them in their first year) to then be dropped as soon as they do not pass a test which has been introduced less than 2 years ago and that it is renowned to be difficult.

At the same time, I have so many friends who passed comfortably and worked really hard and are at US firms or city firms that were very understanding with people in their cohort who did not pass the test. I wish law firms in general understood the pressure that students are put under with this test and I would expect some leniency especially until more information on how to pass is spread which will happen in a few years time.

I think this news goes to show how the profession still needs to change and realise the importance of its people as the lawyers are what make or break the industry, and if you are not understanding of the new generation of lawyers' struggles, you risk losing them for good.

As someone who is meant to start the SQE in September I am scared of what can happen but at the same time I know that the only thing I can do is keep working really hard and focus on my objectives. Whatever happens, if I put effort into it, I will not have regrets. I think this is the mindset that we should all adopt.

 

[Aussielawyer]

Has anyone heard anything back from Stevens & Bolton re Spring VS?

 

[axelbeugre]

Does anyone know what grade law firms expect in the PGDL? I recently did my mock assessments and scored between a 55 and 58 in all the four modules. I have to admit that I didn't focus enough, as I really struggled balancing the mock assessments with attending workshops and preparing for ACs. Moreover, the formula to get a distinction is badly explained by the lecturers. Does anyone have any advice on how to achieve a 60+ in problem question exams? Or any tips in general for the PGDL?

I am currently doing the PGDL too and I totally agree with how badly the marking is explained. It is so difficult to understand what to do to achieve a good grade.

I think that what I gathered from my experience is, when it comes to problem questions, you want to be able to identify the relevant law, explain it and apply it to the facts. Many people just state the law thinking the it is sufficient but you lose marks on cognitive skills.

Additionally, it is important to identify the nuances in the law through the facts of the case. You might get information that seems to suggest different approaches; in this case, you go with the approach that allows you to show the most knowledge, and you also state that you could have used the other approach, explain the reason and you cite the law. With this approach, you are getting more points because not only you identified the relevant approach, but you show that you are able to recognise that based on the facts of the case, you are able to use another approach too.

These are some of the considerations that I understood from my experience.