TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[klazza]

Hi did you receive a general email about this or did you personally email them to find out?

personally emailed as I knew they originally planned on starting ACs this week, so assumed it was a PFO and asked for confirmation

 

[adrk1234]

personally emailed as I knew they originally planned on starting ACs this week, so assumed it was a PFO and asked for confirmation

Is this for spring VS following a VI, or summer VS ?

 

[amieclark]

When did you get your email! And what office? I’m still waiting should I assume PFO?

I got it today at 13:05 for the Bristol office spring/summer VS

 

[j.thelu]

No they called me yesterday to offer me the VS, and said they would send over an email with the offer in writing in the next 5 days but I haven't received anything yet. I've had no other communication from them since yesterday! My AC was the first one I think (?) so they may be waiting a bit longer to make all their decisions.

mean before the AC!

No they called me yesterday to offer me the VS, and said they would send over an email with the offer in writing in the next 5 days but I haven't received anything yet. I've had no other communication from them since yesterday! My AC was the first one I think (?) so it's very possible they're waiting a bit longer to make all their decisions.

I mean before the AC after completing the WG! I completed mine monday and got sent an email a few days ago saying they are reviewing them all and to hear back by the end of feb but im just worried this is a preemptive PFO haha. Huge congrats btw!

 

[l789]

Anyone heard from aspiring solicitors Amazon scheme yet since completing stage 2 of the online form

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Need a bit of advice
For everyone that has been successful with AC's this year, what would be the key economic developments that could come up in a case study?

 

[crt1s]

Has anyone interviewed with Fieldfisher in the last two weeks and heard back? Direct TC

 

[Amma Usman]

would stating that the firm has band 1 rankings in xyz, and then naming any firm which also has a band 1 rankings in those areas as competitors be a good way of structuring an answering? so for example, if a firm has a band 1 ranking in infrastructure, and so do 5 other firms, would it be correct to say those firms are competitors because they all have band 1 rankings in infrastructure?

@Jessica Booker @Amma Usman @Andrei Radu

Hey @murm and @AnAnonymousDuck ,

I have actually made a thread on this which I have linked below.

Looking at the thread also, I now see the need to expand on certain areas to enable candidates to be more specific with the question on a law firm’s respective competitors.

I’ve included a more detailed analysis below:

If you’re trying to figure out if firms are competitors, I wouldn’t rely on Band 1 rankings alone. It’s a good starting point, but there’s more to it. For example, just because a firm is Band 1 in infrastructure and five other firms are too, doesn’t mean they’re all direct competitors. You’ve got to dig deeper into what they actually do within that area. Are they working on the same type of projects? One firm might specialise in financing infrastructure deals, while another focuses on disputes or PPP projects, so they might not be directly competing.

You also need to look at where they’re operating. If one firm’s focus is primarily in the UK and the others are big in Asia or Africa, they’re not really clashing for the same clients. Cross-border work is another factor. If two firms have a strong global reach, they’re more likely to compete than if one only works regionally.

Another thing to check is their client base. Are they going after the same kinds of clients, like government bodies or private equity investors? If you notice they’re working for completely different sectors, they might not even be on each other’s radar. Rankings won’t tell you that, but their deal announcements or case studies might.

Then there’s reputation, beyond just being ranked Band 1, are these firms seen as leaders in the field? Do they publish thought pieces, host events, or push innovation like new ESG approaches? Sometimes a firm might technically rank the same but not have the same level of influence in the market.

Volume and size of deals also matter. A firm doing smaller or mid-sized infrastructure work won’t really be competing with a firm that handles billion-pound projects. It’s about scale, not just rankings.

One thing that really gives it away is lateral hires. If two firms are always poaching talent from each other in a certain area, it’s a big sign they see each other as competitors. And finally, you’ve got to think about strategy. If a firm has publicly said it’s focusing on growing its infrastructure practice and targeting the same regions as another Band 1 firm, that’s a clear overlap.

So yeah, Band 1 rankings are helpful, but they’re just scratching the surface. You’ve got to think about clients, geography, deal size, and strategy to really figure out if firms are competing. It’s all about the bigger picture.

Guide to Identifying a Law Firm’s Competitors

In this guide, I’ll be talking about how to identify a law firm’s competitors. This is a skill that’s not only useful for applications but also helps you get a much better understanding of the legal industry as a whole. Honestly, this was something I initially struggled with. I found it hard to...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

 

[wqueens8]

Bakers VI! Would love any insight at all, this is my first proper VI invite.

 

[OliverTwist]

Hiya @OliverTwist

Completely agree with @Jessica Booker here, and this is basically the approach I adopted when applying to Orrick. I tried to use the cover letter to discuss/address “why me” and use examples/points that didn't fit neatly into my "why Orrick"/ "why commercial law" answers. As Jess mentioned, the cover letter is a great place to highlight what interests you about Orrick’s culture or any experiences you might have had meeting people at the firm.

To avoid overlapping with the “why Orrick” question, I tried to focus my answer to that question on the firm's practice area strengths and sectoral expertise. Orrick's quite unusual combination of not only tech expertise, but also energy and finance expertise made it stand out to me compared to other firms that I'd applied to, including Cooley and Vinson & Elkins. They'd also worked on really interesting EC/VC matters that allowed me to distinguish them from the other US-headquartered firms in London whose client bases typically encompass key private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

By dedicating the cover letter to address why you and what it is about the culture/training at the firm that interests you, I think you can avoid repetition when answering the "why Orrick" question. You'll also be using the “why Orrick” question to focus directly on specific areas where the firm excels, like their strengths in technology, energy, or venture capital, etc.

Hope this helps and good luck with the application!

Hey thanks for the in-depth answer, no one does it quite like you Ram! ☺️

The firm's emerging companies/tech/VC practice areas are what has drawn me to the firm. Did you explicitly mention how the firm differs to Cooley, Brown Rudnick, Goodwin etc?

I have followed a similar approach for the why Orrick, mentioning my interest in VC/EC and where how this has developed through my current work. I then go on to talk about their unique qualities, but I haven't mentioned explicitly the other firms I am comparing and contrasting against.

I will be sure to hammer home the culture/small trainee intake etc in the covering letter.

 

[Misty Meanor]

Anyone heard from Weil post VI? Don't even care if it's an acceptance or rejection, just want to be able to move on with my life

 

[OliverTwist]

This should be part of TCLA's core curriculum

A part of a longer series on how to tailor every aspect of your life to law firm applications. 😅

 

[CG_101]

anyone got White and Case VI insights?

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hey thanks for the in-depth answer, no one does it quite like you Ram! ☺️

The firm's emerging companies/tech/VC practice areas are what has drawn me to the firm. Did you explicitly mention how the firm differs to Cooley, Brown Rudnick, Goodwin etc?

I have followed a similar approach for the why Orrick, mentioning my interest in VC/EC and where how this has developed through my current work. I then go on to talk about their unique qualities, but I haven't mentioned explicitly the other firms I am comparing and contrasting against.

I will be sure to hammer home the culture/small trainee intake etc in the covering letter.

Thank you, friend!

I didn’t directly compare Orrick with other firms in my answers. Unless the question specifically asks you to (like, “Who are our competitors, and how do we differ from them?”), I’d generally advise against drawing explicit comparisons in applications. Instead, I used those contrasts during the drafting/outline stage to think critically about what made Orrick unique and to ensure I wasn’t writing something that could just as easily apply to their competitors. It helped me clarify their USPs and focus my answers on what truly sets them apart. Hope this helps! Good luck!!!!

 

[OliverTwist]

Thank you, friend!

I didn’t directly compare Orrick with other firms in my answers. Unless the question specifically asks you to (like, “Who are our competitors, and how do we differ from them?”), I’d generally advise against drawing explicit comparisons in applications. Instead, I used those contrasts during the drafting/outline stage to think critically about what made Orrick unique and to ensure I wasn’t writing something that could just as easily apply to their competitors. It helped me clarify their USPs and focus my answers on what truly sets them apart. Hope this helps! Good luck!!!!

Nice one! Thanking you

Have a great weekend!

 

[jacksollaf]

Gibson Dunn VI invite this morning! Does anyone have any tips? Would truly be much appreciated; my interview is this Monday. Applied on the 11th of October, attended last year's first-year insight scheme.

 

[elizabethkate]

if i havent heard from cooley, do i assume pfo now?

 

[CHLTC]

After countless applications, I continue to be rejected.



I know rejection is something everything goes through, but honestly, and without sounding overly cocky, I’m quite shocked I’ve not had a single Vac Scheme offer, ever.



Quick summary:

• Corporate paralegal in London for 2 years
• 1st class degree at undergraduate from Russell group.
• Distinction in GDL
• fluent in multiple languages
• Multiple post grad degrees both from LSE in Corporate Law and in M&A. Bear in mind, these gave me the academic knowledge necessary to bridge the gap between theoretical academic law from the GDL to real work in a commercial law firm.
• pro bono advisor at a legal clinic for a year, and still do.
• Other legal roles including for trusts and for barristers

I sometimes wonder what else I can even do!



If they said bad grades, I would say fine, but I couldn’t have done better at undergraduate and GDL.



If they said, no work experience, I would say fine, but I have 3 different ongoing legal roles, including my paralegal role in a London city law firm, which clearly shows my experience - quite frankly, my paralegal role has given me some experience that even being a trainee would not.



I got to 2 AC’s last year. But got rejected after both.



This year, I still have a couple applications in the pipeline, but I’m honestly not hopeful at all. I will mention that an American firm which I attended their AC last year, this year failed me on the first round. Which, tbh, I don’t see how that makes any sense. With 1 year extra experience, suddenly I can’t get past the first stage, but last year I reached the last stage ? That to me makes no sense. I don’t mean to be rude, but I think that is BS!



What’s stopping me from giving up, after spending years studying and working in law?



If I did any other profession, I’d be so much further along, but I made the terrible mistake of wasting my time with law.

@Jessica Booker
@Jaysen

 

[AlegalA]

I mean before the AC after completing the WG! I completed mine monday and got sent an email a few days ago saying they are reviewing them all and to hear back by the end of feb but im just worried this is a preemptive PFO haha. Huge congrats btw!

They sent me this as a confirmation I'd completed the WG test?
"Thanks very much for completing the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal as part of your application for our 2025 London summer scheme.

We're currently in the process of reviewing all applications, so please bear with us while we assess them all. We can't give you an exact date, but you'll hear from us by the end of February at the latest on the next steps. If at any time you want to access your application, please visit our recruitment site."

But not another email ONLY saying they're reviewing them...

 

[VMS]

After countless applications, I continue to be rejected.



I know rejection is something everything goes through, but honestly, and without sounding overly cocky, I’m quite shocked I’ve not had a single Vac Scheme offer, ever.



Quick summary:

• Corporate paralegal in London for 2 years
• 1st class degree at undergraduate from Russell group.
• Distinction in GDL
• fluent in multiple languages
• Multiple post grad degrees both from LSE in Corporate Law and in M&A. Bear in mind, these gave me the academic knowledge necessary to bridge the gap between theoretical academic law from the GDL to real work in a commercial law firm.
• pro bono advisor at a legal clinic for a year, and still do.
• Other legal roles including for trusts and for barristers

I sometimes wonder what else I can even do!



If they said bad grades, I would say fine, but I couldn’t have done better at undergraduate and GDL.



If they said, no work experience, I would say fine, but I have 3 different ongoing legal roles, including my paralegal role in a London city law firm, which clearly shows my experience - quite frankly, my paralegal role has given me some experience that even being a trainee would not.



I got to 2 AC’s last year. But got rejected after both.



This year, I still have a couple applications in the pipeline, but I’m honestly not hopeful at all. I will mention that an American firm which I attended their AC last year, this year failed me on the first round. Which, tbh, I don’t see how that makes any sense. With 1 year extra experience, suddenly I can’t get past the first stage, but last year I reached the last stage ? That to me makes no sense. I don’t mean to be rude, but I think that is BS!



What’s stopping me from giving up, after spending years studying and working in law?



If I did any other profession, I’d be so much further along, but I made the terrible mistake of wasting my time with law.

@Jessica Booker
@Jaysen

Sorry you're going through this! A lot of us have felt/do feel the same.

Did you get feedback from the ACs? What did they say were your weaknesses? Perhaps by working on them you can ensure any AC you get in the future may be more successful.

EDIT: also, there are multiple firms where if you do an AC and are unsuccessful they won't interview you again. Was that firm one of them perhaps?