TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Andrei Radu]

Hi, I submitted my Latham Watkins Vac scheme application last night and received an email with an online assessment link today. Can anyone explain what it’s like?

From what I am told, its first part is a situational judgement test while the second is basically a short video interview.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Has anyone heard back from Slaughter and May for their London Summer vac scheme, I applied end of october and haven't heard anything?
Thanks

I would not worry too much. I also applied around the end of October last year and only heard back with an AC invite around the end of December.

 

[Andrei Radu]

If you get and accept a VS offer from a firm, is it advisable to continue applying to other firms, even if the dates of the schemes clash, or withdraw applications from other firms / stop applying?

Is there any merit in continuing to apply, ie. if I don't get the TC following the VS, would it be possible to leverage VS offers from other firms to support subsequent TC applications?

Not sure if this makes sense, but hopefully you get the gist!

To add to @Amma Usman 's great response, I definitely agree that you should continue to apply to other firms. Mentioning a previous vacation scheme experience as part of an application/interview with another firm will definitely boost your chances. Not only will it give you substantive experiences that you can reference, but I believe it boosts your profile in the eyes of firms generally. It essentially communicates to them that you were considered to be good enough as a candidate that you were specifically selected from a very high number of applicants. While they will still assess you on your VS performance, in a game of small margins this will definitely improve your odds. Furthermore, if you end up getting a VS offer from another firm before you actually commence the first VS, for the same reason this will increase your conversion chances with the current firm as well. From my experience in competitive vacation schemes at US firms, it tended to be people with multiple VS offers that got the TC offers.

 

[Miss Chocolate]

I think being restrictive on using AI is absurd though. I suspect it feels like when firms wouldn’t let people write typed answers to applications and made them still submit handwritten application forms 😂

I was thinking that too 😂 like I am sure the firm has loads of AI tools the trainees use. One of the firms (CMS I think?) even has a 'time when you used AI to help with a project' type question in their form. Surely it's a good thing to be using AI as long as you aren't like getting it to completely write it for you (which wouldn't be good anyway).

 

[AlegalA]

For fieldfisher's app- the academics sections is a bit weird. "Qualification name" and "qualification type" is pretty straightforward for uni (Title of degree for name and BA or other for type), but for School grades I'm a bit confused?
Are we meant to put every subject? (Eg, English, A levels) - or is the qualification name and type the same for that section?

Any advice would be appreciated!! thank you!

 

[Shah74k]

Completed Linklaters Cappfinity and WG yesterday - when do they usually send their report?

 

[0livia.pope]

Has anyone heard from Bird & Bird regarding the Spring VS?

 

[legal18]

Where could I find more info about ALSPs for a question on challenges to law firms?

 

[addy2004]

If White & Case asks for a cover letter but where you submit it on the portal it has a word count of 1000 (which is more than one side of A4), do I still need to stick to writing a traditional cover letter with an address and use less words, or fill the 1000 word count?

 

[legally.brown]

Has anyone heard from Bird & Bird regarding the Spring VS?

Still waiting after WG

 

[pax]

Completed Linklaters Cappfinity and WG yesterday - when do they usually send their report?

Do you know if you have to complete the Linklaters WG before the deadline on the 12th as well?

 

[unknownnn7372]

does anyone have any tips for the pwc ac?

 

[lawror]

Besides a few firms that are known to emphasize early submission as a really important criterion, if you can write a strong application I would say it is worth submitting even very close to the deadline. For instance, I progressed past the application stage with two firms who were recruiting on an a rolling basis despite the fact that I only submitted my application on the last day.

Moreover, you still have the opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd. Anecdotally, even for rolling applications the vast majority of submissions only happen in the last 2-3 days, so if you can send yours before that it's likely it will still be seriously considered.

Thanks for this! Which firms do you think really emphasise early applications?

 

[lookingforaTC]

Does Mayer Brown test contain WG?

 

[Miss Chocolate]

does anyone have any tips for the pwc ac?

Assuming this is for the legal vac scheme? Do you know when the deadline was btw? (sorry not very helpful to your question)

 

[thelawnet]

Do you think it's worth sending feedback about SJTs anywhere?

I just did one where I scored 4/9 for digital mindset, whereas I'd say I'm more of a 9/9 kinda guy. I think I know a key reason why - one of the questions had a digital option that just wouldn't work in reality, so I chose the non-digital option, given that there wasn't a 'try the digital option (which will fail), then do this option' - you had to choose ONE answer, and it seems like they want the superficial digital option over the actual knowledge that it wouldn't work.

Or is just a case of move on.

 

[andrecsaa]

Just received a pfo from eversheds, but I submitted my application on Saturday and I thought it was non-rolling. No idea how they could review my 2000 word application in that time? I used grammarly as a spellchecker - does any know if this counts as AI?

I got my pfo earlier and I didn't apply until Sunday night so I don't know how they got through it so quickly, I'm not sure what they class AI as or how they check for it

Their deadline has passed (11:59pm on Sunday, 8 December). I don't know if they started from the latest application received, which does not make sense.

I submitted the application on Thursday. The status is "completed", and no invite for the next stage or PFO.

Grammarly has a few tools; one is the text generated, which would be classified as the same as ChatGPT. The grammar check tool may also be an AI for them.

 

[KBanana]

Might be a bit of a silly question, but will other firms be aware of the fact that Paul, Weiss purposefully includes a comma in their name? I want to discuss my Paul, Weiss open day in my work experience section, but I am not sure whether it would be safer to write the firm name without the comma in case they think it's a mistake...

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu @Amma Usman

Thank you!

 

[a1024]

Are the ACs out for BCLP Spring VS?

 

[tosin4774]

Finally got my Paul Weiss PFO- the email was quite supportive though overall 👏🏽👏🏽 !

However they sent a link to register for an online open day- did anyone else receive this and those who were rejected from previous open days?

What does a PFO mean😅