TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Amma Usman]

Hi, I have two questions.

1) I'm applying for the Weil Open Day and the first question is 'Please tell us why you are interested in attending an insight day at Weil. What do you think you will gain from it? How will this help you with your long term career goals?' would it be okay to talk about their M&A practice? Is this big for them?

2) I have an Open Day coming up and part of the day includes an 'Interactive Private Equity Workshop'. Could anyone recommend any resources/how to prepare for this because I really know nothing about private equity.

Thank you

Hey @emma.d , thanks for your questions!

1. Yes, Weil has a very big corporate practice and has several Chambers rankings for this - definitely worth including. As a general tip for open day applications, you should really touch on the last part of that question. Show less about what you know, and more of what you will love to know.

2. That sounds very exciting! I have made a thread on the basics of PE, which I have linked HERE. For a more detailed dive on PE, feel free to check out TCLA’s PE course linked at the end of that thread.

Hope this helps

 

[Amma Usman]

are we allowed to enquire about our results from the Hogan's WG test?

Hey @bangarangbass39 , I haven’t encountered the specifics of HL’s application process, but I presume there isn’t an issue with going ahead and inquiring. Most firms will be happy to share general information on your test outcome, whereas some may be more hesitant to go into specifics. Regardless, there’s never any harm in asking.

 

[Amma Usman]

What questions should I ask the partner at the end of a case study/scenario based interview?

Hey @Giorgos , you could always ask them their own thoughts about the case study. This shows initiative and curiosity - having an open mind to learn from their own experiences would do so much in building your own knowledge for years to come! You could also ask them more about their practice as this gives you another opportunity to learn more about the field.

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi all, I made it to the Q/finals of the commercial awareness competition. I'd be grateful to get any tips from anyone who's participated before, to get a broad feel of what to expect.

Hey @TC Chaser . In my experience, the CA competitions test commercial awareness live. This means you’ll need to keep abreast of upcoming and current industry/global trends. For example, just a few days back, talks on a new employment rights bill have been on the rise.

Listening to the FT daily news briefing, reading Finimise, Watson Daily, etc, are great information builders on the topic of commercial awareness. I will also be posting short daily (excluding weekends) updates on the TCLA forum HERE.

Hope this helps, and feel free to post any more questions

 

[Amma Usman]

Hey @TC Chaser . In my experience, the CA competitions test commercial awareness live. This means you’ll need to keep abreast of upcoming and current industry/global trends. For example, just a few days back, talks on a new employment rights bill have been on the rise.

Listening to the FT daily news briefing, reading Finimise, Watson Daily, etc, are great information builders on the topic of commercial awareness. I will also be posting short daily (excluding weekends) updates on the TCLA forum HERE.

Hope this helps, and feel free to post any more questions

@TC Chaser , this is another great starting point - https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....awareness-recommended-reading-start-here.697/

 

[Amma Usman]

I tried! I only sent around 12 messages this week but received no response. Trainees and associates are busy, so I understand!

Hey @AS24 , I completely understand the feeling of reaching out and never getting a response back. It’s totally understandable that lawyers are busy. One thing I did was to reach out to future trainees instead. They will likely have more time to get back to you and will be relatively newer in the firms application process.

 

[Amma Usman]

are you meant to also mention relevant skills under experience, or just what you did at various roles?

Hey @tarty23, @⁨Jessica Booker⁩ would have more thoughts on this, but generally I recommend mentioning the skills gained with demonstrated interest - however, this will be dependent on the firms policy as some firms set strict limits of about 50 words per experience. This means you’ll need to focus on responsibilities at the expense of skills and other extra points. You would otherwise cover them in the cover letter/application questions anyway, so nothing to worry about.

There’s also a way to cover a skill without explicitly stating it, whilst describing your experience. For example, “collaborated on a group project aimed at retaining young talent in banking”, naturally shows good teamwork.

 

[Apple]

"Given the firm's focus on cross-jurisdictional work, how does that impact your day-to-day work?"

Is this a reasonable question to ask at the end of an interview? I'm worried it might be a dumb question/provoke a very short response.

 

[Amma Usman]

"Given the firm's focus on cross-jurisdictional work, how does that impact your day-to-day work?"

Is this a reasonable question to ask at the end of an interview? I'm worried it might be a dumb question/provoke a very short response.

Hey @Apple !

Your question is definitely reasonable and shows that you're thinking about how the firm's work impacts employees on a practical level. However, to avoid the risk of a short or generic response, you could refine it slightly to invite a more thoughtful, detailed answer.

For example:

1. "Given the firm's focus on cross-jurisdictional work, how does that shape your day-to-day responsibilities, particularly in terms of collaboration with international teams or managing clients across different legal systems?"

2. "How do you find cross-jurisdictional work impacts the complexity or variety of your daily tasks, and what skills have you found most useful in navigating this aspect?"

This refinement can prompt a more engaging discussion, showing your interest in the firm's international scope and its practical implications.

 

[sammm10101]

For anyone else whose applied to Jones Day, did you sign off at the end of your cover letter? With only 300 words, it seems like a major waste, but I also want it to look proper...

 

[-legal-]

Hey @Giorgos , you could always ask them their own thoughts about the case study. This shows initiative and curiosity - having an open mind to learn from their own experiences would do so much in building your own knowledge for years to come! You could also ask them more about their practice as this gives you another opportunity to learn more about the field.

Thank you, Amma!

 

[Jessica Booker]

For VSs recruited on a rolling basis, when is realistically 'too late' before the final deadline for applications to be worth sending off?

Thinking about applying to Dechert WVS today (deadline 25th oct, rolling) but if its already a futile effort then I'll save it for spring.

Thanks

It is ultimately never too late all the time applications are open.

If you can apply in the first two thirds of an application window you will be very safe. If you apply 2-3 weeks before a deadline you’ll most likely be safe too.

 

[AS24]

Hey @AS24 , I completely understand the feeling of reaching out and never getting a response back. It’s totally understandable that lawyers are busy. One thing I did was to reach out to future trainees instead. They will likely have more time to get back to you and will be relatively newer in the firms application process.

Wow thank you, I never thought about it. I will make sure to follow your suggestion.

 

[Apple]

For anyone else whose applied to Jones Day, did you sign off at the end of your cover letter? With only 300 words, it seems like a major waste, but I also want it to look proper..

Hi, I didn't and they gave me an interview. The word count is so short so I just jumped straight into my answer.

 

[Apple]

Hey @Apple !

Your question is definitely reasonable and shows that you're thinking about how the firm's work impacts employees on a practical level. However, to avoid the risk of a short or generic response, you could refine it slightly to invite a more thoughtful, detailed answer.

For example:

1. "Given the firm's focus on cross-jurisdictional work, how does that shape your day-to-day responsibilities, particularly in terms of collaboration with international teams or managing clients across different legal systems?"

2. "How do you find cross-jurisdictional work impacts the complexity or variety of your daily tasks, and what skills have you found most useful in navigating this aspect?"

This refinement can prompt a more engaging discussion, showing your interest in the firm's international scope and its practical implications.

Thank you so much, this is so helpful! I'm always worried about asking something dumb at the end haha.

 

[BillSikes]

are we allowed to enquire about our results from the Hogan's WG test?

They give you the results yes.

 

[yeezyee]

How should I go about reapplying to firms I've applied to in the past semi-successfully? i.e. reached the video interview/test stage for them. I feel hesitant about fundamentally changing elements of my application because they were successful with the firm previously, but at the same time fear that repetition would mean = not showing growth and would lead to a rejection. any tips?

 

[0livia.pope]

are we allowed to enquire about our results from the Hogan's WG test?

On the WG invite they wrote: “Your results will remain strictly confidential and will only be seen by our recruitment team. All results will be stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act. We will not be able to inform you of your score following your completion of the test. All candidates will be provided with an update on the status of their application through the course of October-November.”

 

[Amma Usman]

How should I go about reapplying to firms I've applied to in the past semi-successfully? i.e. reached the video interview/test stage for them. I feel hesitant about fundamentally changing elements of my application because they were successful with the firm previously, but at the same time fear that repetition would mean = not showing growth and would lead to a rejection. any tips?

Hey @yeezyee , yes you are right! Definitely change a few elements to show how much you’ve grown in the past year. It is unlikely that firms will check back to your old application to check for growth, but it is still a possibility at interview/AC stage. I believe it is fine if certain elements remain the same, such as your initial drivers to the firm (core practice areas, for example), but generally always switch things up a bit

 

[Uch21]

Hi @Jessica Booker. I am currently a third-year law student and I had a high 2:1 in first year (69%) and a 2:2 in second year (55%) with mitigating circumstances (bereavement). I was wondering whether I should wait till I graduate to apply as I want to apply to mostly silver circle firms or if they will consider my experiences more than my grades (I have several transferrable experiences). I am also an international student so I am worried about the time limit I have left in the country. Thanks