TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Andrei Radu]

Quick question , hope someone can help x . So basically , I applied for a winter vac scheme at a firm and they are pleased to progress me to the next stage . However , the spaces for the winter vac scheme interviews and assessment centers are full as the application process has been rolling , and they offered to push me onto the spring or summer scheme . But I start my graduate job ( not in law) in January and we are advised not to take annual leave in the first 3-6 months ( which would be 10 whole days!) . They gave me 2 options , to either transfer the application to the spring/summer scheme or close my application. I really really like the firm but don't know what to do . Should I beg ( obviously exaggerating lol) for the winter and honestly explain that i cant do summer or spring OR should I still progress to the next stage ( knowing I cant attend) or should I just call it a day . Thanks !! Sorry its kinda long ...

So as @Jessica Booker suggested, you can try doing the summer scheme as your employer might be fine with you taking leave at that point. If for some reason you do not think this will be possible, I would try to get the firm's graduate recruitment team and explain the situation. They may be able to either be flexible and assess you for the winter scheme, or potentially assess you for a TC contract directly. I would advise you not to tell them that you 100% can't make it to the summer scheme, but just that it may be very difficult for you to do so. Should the answer still be no, you should still have a choice to make on whether to attend the TC or not.

If you choose to attend and they decide to make you a VS offer, this could still lead to a number of positive outcomes for you:

• You might impress the partners at the interview to such an extent that they will tell the graduate recruitment team to either accommodate you on the winter scheme or to arrange a direct TC assessment.
• You could do a good job for your current employer over the next few months and form a good enough relationship that you are able to convince them to give you leave for the summer vacation scheme.
• Even if neither works, the firm could still shortlist you for a direct AC assessment for vacation schemes in the next application cycle.

 

[Izzy1026]

Anyone has insights on the Dechert written exercise?

Happy to share info on White&Case VI, Willkie VI, Cleary AC, Slaughters AC, and Jones Day interview

 

[VMS]

Anyone has insights on the Dechert written exercise?

Happy to share info on White&Case VI, Willkie VI, Cleary AC, Slaughters AC, and Jones Day interview

Congrats! Did you hear back from Dechert today?

 

[Izzy1026]

Congrats! Did you hear back from Dechert today?

Yes! About 3 hrs ago

 

[ashwright]

I thought A&O Shearman would get back to Winter VS apps by today - I think they usually email in the mornings, but has anyone ever heard from them in the afternoon/evening?

 

[big hot man]

Hey when did you apply?

Submitted app Aug 30th!

 

[lawyersum]

Does anybody know any good resources/websites to practice legal situational judgment scenarios? A lot of resources I am finding are not in a legal environment...I know you can't really predict the answers to these types of questions as it is dependent on the firm's values, but I am quite useless on SJTs and would like some practice.

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

Yes! About 3 hrs ago

When did you apply?

 

[BonanzaBih_]

If an application question asks 'Why are you attracted to the firm' should you not mention your interest in commercial law at all? or just jumpy straight to why the firm alone?
@Andrei Radu @Jessica Booker

 

[ashwright]

Thank you! I applied on 6th August.

Sorry for jumping on this reply but did you hear back from A&O Shearman?

 

[KBanana]

Help please! (Not sure what decision to make) @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu

My main goal is to secure a TC at a top law firm.

I recently graduated from my LLM, and my plan for this year was to secure a short-term paralegal position whilst applying for VSs/TCs. (I wanted a short term role so that I could attend VSs without any issues).

Today I received an email from a recruiter who read my CV for a paralegal position at a top US law firm (where I am also applying for a VS). They want to discuss the role over a call, and the job description they provided states that I need to be free for at least 12 months to be considered. If I am successful with this paralegal role, I am not sure how I will be able to attend any VSs (if I secure any)... Most of the law firms I am interested in training with recruit trainees exclusively through their VSs. Should I go ahead with this call?

I am also worried that if I do not proceed with the call, the recruitment agency will not consider me for any future opportunities, and that I may not be given an opportunity like this again given that I have 0 paralegal work experience. I am scared I might end up in the worst case scenario: no VS/TC offers and no paralegal position offers.

Additionally, I thought it would be important to add that the job description sent to me by the recruiter states that the paralegal role should not be viewed as a route to a TC at the firm but that the firm is happy to accept candidates actively (and openly) seeking TCs elsewhere and will proactively offer coaching and assistance in application drafting and interview techniques.

I would really appreciate any insight on this - thank you!

 

[Izzy1026]

When did you apply?

I applied on 26 September

 

[Bread]

Perhaps a silly question, but if lawyers are involved in advising a client and the client ends up settling without going to court, is it properly called a "case"? or is "deal" better

 

[Andrei Radu]

if an open day accepted you, but u haven't heard back from a rolling vac scheme app u submitted, what does it mean? esp when people who applied before/after you have received an update.

have they purposely not viewed my applic or

I don't think there's much you can infer from it unfortunately. They might have different timelines and processes for reviewing open days and VS applications and thus have not reviewed it yet. They also could have reviewed it and reached an outcome, but not have communicated it yet - sometimes firms release results in batches.

 

[Jessica Booker]

If an application question asks 'Why are you attracted to the firm' should you not mention your interest in commercial law at all? or just jumpy straight to why the firm alone?
@Andrei Radu @Jessica Booker

I'd just jump straight to why the firm - it maybe that they don't feel they need to assess why law.

 

[Amma Usman]

I received an immediate rejection from Clifford Chance after the Watson Glaser test. It's disappointing, especially knowing how much effort I put into my application for the Open Day, and knowing they did not even look at it. Oh well!

Hey @gimmeavacschemepls , I’m sorry to hear about the rejection. Please keep powering through, you got this 💪

 

[Amma Usman]

Does anyone have experience with PwC's online tests? Is it game-based like Ashurst or is it a CRT and SJT?

Hey @AGRACHEL, last I took the test a while back, it was games-based!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Help please! (Not sure what decision to make) @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu

My main goal is to secure a TC at a top law firm.

I recently graduated from my LLM, and my plan for this year was to secure a short-term paralegal position whilst applying for VSs/TCs. (I wanted a short term role so that I could attend VSs without any issues).

Today I received an email from a recruiter who read my CV for a paralegal position at a top US law firm (where I am also applying for a VS). They want to discuss the role over a call, and the job description they provided states that I need to be free for at least 12 months to be considered. If I am successful with this paralegal role, I am not sure how I will be able to attend any VSs (if I secure any)... Most of the law firms I am interested in training with recruit trainees exclusively through their VSs. Should I go ahead with this call?

I am also worried that if I do not proceed with the call, the recruitment agency will not consider me for any future opportunities, and that I may not be given an opportunity like this again given that I have 0 paralegal work experience. I am scared I might end up in the worst case scenario: no VS/TC offers and no paralegal position offers.

Additionally, I thought it would be important to add that the job description sent to me by the recruiter states that the paralegal role should not be viewed as a route to a TC at the firm but that the firm is happy to accept candidates actively (and openly) seeking TCs elsewhere and will proactively offer coaching and assistance in application drafting and interview techniques.

I would really appreciate any insight on this - thank you!

I would go ahead with the call - this is not a job offer (yet) and so I would wait until you have had the initial call and potentially even gone through the recruitment process and see if you get an offer before assuming this may be an issue. The recruitment process itself may give you an indication as to whether you could balance this role with a VS too. In the call you could even ask whether there would be any flexibility.

 

[Amma Usman]

Mishcon Dey Reya Race Open Day

Amazing, huge congratulations @BonanzaBih_ …! I hope you have an amazing time at the Open Day and well done for securing it..! 😊

 

[Parsorandini]

Hi everyone. I am looking for some help as the information I can find online is not specific enough. I have a stammer that could be considered somewhere between mild and moderate (it shifts between severity levels depending on my mood/anxiety levels etc). I am 29 and have only addressed recently through self-reflection the huge impact it has on my life; I avoid phone calls and conversations sometimes, and have dropped out of university and work exsperience partly because of it. I am going to start speech therapy in the coming months and I am making strong steps towards not letting it run my life anymore.

My actual question is whether I can/should disclose this as a disability on an application form? I genuinely believe it fits the criteria that I have read online, and it does make applying for law firms much more difficult as the stammer worsens in interview type scenarios, but would never want to 'use' it as an excuse or whatever. Up until now I have only mentioned it in mitigating circumstances and in the reasonable adjustments section for interviews. Just wondering if anybody in the know could help me please? @Jessica Booker I know you know a lot about legal recruitment! Thanks