TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Any advice on how to improve commercial awareness in SJT?

 

[cjwx]

Do we need to submit a cover letter for DLA Piper?

No I was sent a Watson glaser test and I didn’t have one.

 

[Interested_In_Law]

Fingers crossed for you! When did you apply and when did they get back to you regarding you moving onto the interview stage? I haven't heard anything from them and applied first half of September :/

Thank you! I applied early August and interviewed on 25th September, they contacted me about a week before that.

Fingers crossed for you too!🤞

 

[member7830]

any jones day interview insights/ tips?

 

[BillSikes]

Oh that’s a shame, considering I just submitted my application on Friday and the deadline is the 25th of Oct

And you can do the test 10 days after the deadline as well. There will be more ACs.

 

[Brandon93]

Can anyone please tell me the second question for the video interview part of the A&O Sherman app and how long we have to prepare? I know the first one is why commercial law at the firm.

 

[Tintin06]

Hopefully one day these firms have Vacation Schemes and Training Contracts: Boies Schiller Flexner; Cahill, Gordon & Reindel; Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett; Quinn Emanuel; Wachtell, Rosen, Lipton & Katz.

 

[nodustollens]

passed the benchmark for DLA VI

 

[marisachr]

Has anyone heard from Hogan post-WG?

 

[TrainingContract2024]

has anyone heard from w&c today? thank u

 

[bella98]

I applied on 26/09, received WG on 10/10

Best of luck!! 🤞 I applied on 04/10 and I'm still waiting for their WG, I'm wondering if it's automatic but manually assigned or if they review our application first🤔

 

[BonanzaBih_]

Did you speak to Skadden by any chance?

I think I’ve absolutley given up with some US firms like Akin and also probably not going to bother with Davis Polk.

Neither firms have any grad rec events outside Davis polks VERY competitive open day and Akin who advertised open days in partnership with Aspiring solicitors and have yet to publish any information regarding applications for it on either website (even though Akins open day is literally next week)

Atleast with white&case they have a virtual series events on their practice areas and also Molly from grad rec posted of another virtual trainee insider event on LinkedIn today.

It just feels near impossible to apply to firms without knowledge beyond their website and legal info pages. Given how ridiculously competitive it’s now getting, I feel ridiculous sending anything other than an extremely tailored application- sprinkled with insights I’ve learned from interactions from those firms ( and then relating it back to me and why it’s important to me and any further personal links)

Idk after seeing all the advertised events with aspiring solicitors on Akins website which are next week and yet there’s no way to apply through AS website or Akins, I just feel the need to rant. Aspiring solicitors is supposedly a platform to help break the barriers to legal profession- so this Akin situation is a complete contradiction.

On second thoughts- I reckon the akin events are exclusively for those on an AS programme and not generally applicable to Aspiring solicitors members as a whole

I did a vacation scheme with Skadden last year, PM me and id be happy to help

 

[SamiyaJ]

Best of luck!! 🤞 I applied on 04/10 and I'm still waiting for their WG, I'm wondering if it's automatic but manually assigned or if they review our application first🤔

Thanks! WG is second stage so I think our applications are reviewed first

 

[TrainingContract2024]

is anyone still waiting for a&o Shearman post app? thanks.

 

[Roisin]

Hi, any ideas how long HSF take to get back to you after an AC for winter vac scheme?

 

[addy2004]

Hi, any ideas how long HSF take to get back to you after an AC for winter vac scheme?

Just had mine on Monday and still waiting - they said within a week, so just have to wait unfortunately

 

[Amma Usman]

Does anyone know, roughly, what the % conversion rate is for ACs -> VCs? Is it generally above or below 50%?

Hi @Tsitsipas10S , generally it depends on how many people are invited to the AC and how many spots there are on the vacation scheme. For example, if 50 people are invited to an AC for only 15 vacation scheme spots, then the conversation rate will be lower than 50%. However, these rates differ between firms so try to look less at the numbers.

 

[erderlylars]

Is anyone still waiting post arctic shores for NRF?

 

[georgejacob55]

Just had mine on Monday and still waiting - they said within a week, so just have to wait unfortunately

When did you get the AC invite?

 

[Amma Usman]

Any advice on how to improve commercial awareness in SJT?

Hey @AGRACHEL , SJTs will rarely focus on commercial awareness, but will try to test more of your competencies/how you react to different situations. That said, commercial awareness should still be a skill one constantly develops over a sustained period of time.