TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker or anyone else who might know: I’ve heard it said that firms can be reluctant to take on paralegals for vac schemes because of potential conflict issues. If a firm is progressing my application for a vac scheme, does that mean they’ve done conflict checks and would definitely be able to take me on if successful, or is there a chance that I could get an offer and then have to pull out because a conflict issue is revealed?

This can be an issue. It isn’t always the case, and it will depend on the firm in question and also who you are working for as a paralegal. The more the firms are direct competitors, then the more this can be an issue.

I have seen enough paralegals do vacation schemes for it to be okay though. But have seen enough paralegals not get approval from either their current employer or the vacation scheme firm due to their “you can’t work for another employer at the same time” policies or because a conflict check has made it too risky.

The firm won’t do a conflict check until you start an onboarding process though, and so you can be progressed and then find out you cannot proceed. You’d also need to declare it to the firm you are paralegalling with too, which means they could also block it.

 

[aphelion]

I suspect the CV wasn’t compulsory.

This can be an issue. It isn’t always the case, and it will depend on the firm in question and also who you are working for as a paralegal. The more the firms are direct competitors, then the more this can be an issue.

I have seen enough paralegals do vacation schemes for it to be okay though. But have seen enough paralegals not get approval from either their current employer or the vacation scheme firm due to their “you can’t work for another employer at the same time” policies or because a conflict check has made it too risky.

Thanks so much! I guess I'll have to cross that bridge when (if) I get to it...

 

[Jessica Booker]

For the Ropes & Gray question "Describe three characteristics that you believe make an outstanding Ropes & Gray lawyer and how that lawyer would drive our business. (500 words)" , should we be relating this to us and times we've demonstrated the characteristic?

No - the answer does not require you to evidence these skills from your experiences. It is asking you to show your understanding of a lawyers job rather than your ability to do that job.

 

[pleasepleaseplease]

No - the answer does not require you to evidence these skills from your experiences. It is asking you to show your understanding of a lawyers job rather than your ability to do that job.

Would you recommend not linking the skills to us then?

 

[AveragePoster]

Does

I didn’t apply to Skadden but I remember at one of their events the grad rec manager said they have a limit on the number of people who make it to each stage:

250 written exercise, 120 partner interview and 70 for vacation scheme (15-20 per VS).

I imagine they would wait until everyone had done their interview before making all of their VS offers, especially as they have 4 VS’s (two in spring and two in summer).

Best of luck for the interview!!

Those stats are super helpful, thank you! I was wondering if at the event they said how many of the (approx) 70 students across the Vac Schemes are made TC offers?

I can't seem to find anything online re how many trainees Skadden take on each year.

 

[baj5]

Anyone heard from debevoise?

 

[Tclarocks123]

Is anyone doing Paul Weiss at the last minute?

 

[AdiKhurana]

Just had a Q about VI prep - is it a bad idea to have any notes/points pulled up alongside to refer to if stuck at points? Obviously not planning on reading off them the whole time but is a quick glance to check or something going to look bad?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Would you recommend not linking the skills to us then?

There is no need to do this - it is not what the question is asking of you.

 

[AlegalA]

How do people answer the questions "why us" and "why law" in an interview? I feel like the reason I choose a firm is so intertwined with my "why law", and that if I talk about it in the "why us" section I won't have that much to say in "why law". Do people only focus on firm facts? Also- how do you talk about firm facts without sounding like a robot 😂 I want to show that I've researched the firm but it just feels a little like I'm just giving bullet point facts.
Finally - how different does your verbal answer actually have to be to your written answer? Again- I feel that the reasons why law and why a firm are spoken about in the initial app and I don't want to repeat myself but I kinda have to? Do law firms often have the application in front of them that they refer to?

Any help would be really really appreciated!!

 

[Shandy101]

Does


Those stats are super helpful, thank you! I was wondering if at the event they said how many of the (approx) 70 students across the Vac Schemes are made TC offers?

I can't seem to find anything online re how many trainees Skadden take on each year.

It's 20

 

[member7830]

When did you hear back?

yesterday!

 

[CG_101]

Does


Those stats are super helpful, thank you! I was wondering if at the event they said how many of the (approx) 70 students across the Vac Schemes are made TC offers?

I can't seem to find anything online re how many trainees Skadden take on each year.

based on a recent picture I saw it seems to be around 30

 

[lawyeringitout]

Just had a Q about VI prep - is it a bad idea to have any notes/points pulled up alongside to refer to if stuck at points? Obviously not planning on reading off them the whole time but is a quick glance to check or something going to look bad?

same question @Jessica Booker 🙏

 

[Miss Chocolate]

Assessment centres for direct TCs!!

Should I email GR to ask when their assessment centre are being planned for if nothing has been shared on their website? Around early May I want to go travel for a bit 😭 but i don't want to make plans now and cancel them if I get invited to an AC or something.

 

[VMS]

Anyone heard from debevoise?

Pretty sure someone on here said that last year they didn't respond until end of Jan/early Feb.

 

[Chris Brown]

Does


Those stats are super helpful, thank you! I was wondering if at the event they said how many of the (approx) 70 students across the Vac Schemes are made TC offers?

I can't seem to find anything online re how many trainees Skadden take on each year.

Yeah they mentioned they take on up to 20 trainees a year but that number can fluctuate slightly depending on the calibre of candidates. 🙂

They don’t have a direct TC route so it’s solely from the VS.

 

[ThelawgraduateX]

Hi @Jessica Booker I was wondering when citing cases that a law firm has worked on, is it okay to mention cases that they have worked on in the US (for an American firm) or would you advise that any cases that you cite in an application should be UK specific? Thank you!

 

[mariistm]

What are everyone's strategies to research how a firm is different from its competitors? struggling with this ahead of interviews!

 

[Lizzie_Sullivan]

How does it work being a Scottish law student applying for any english law firm VSs? Is it feasible or would you be majorly disadvantaged?