TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Amakaa]

just got Willkie's Written exercise invite

 

[g.cl.2020344]

anyone apply to latham and not get that email…??

What does this mean for us lol

 

[Amakaa]

I didn’t get an email. Applied for summer. Did you?

Didnt get an email too

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Didnt get an email too

I applied for spring and have done the assessment but nothing since. Should I email?

 

[SonghaivAngel]

Just received additional info + booking for Willkie's Written Assessment for anyone still waiting!!

 

[Amakaa]

What does this mean for us lol

They don't care about our feelings 😔

 

[shays]

I applied for spring and have done the assessment but nothing since. Should I email?

if you mean AC I havent done that either, just the test that was sent right after

 

[EA95]

I’ve applied for the summer vs for Latham and completed the test, but no email was sent to me since.

 

[manifestingthetc]

Anything from Weil?

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

Thank you for your application to the vacation scheme at Latham & Watkins. Due to the volume of applications we received we are still working through reviewing these. We are therefore hoping to provide you with a further update on the status of your application within the end of February.

Has everyone who applied to L&W Summer - who did not get a response, get this email now?

I applied to summer and didn’t get this but haven’t heard anything else either?

 

[g.cl.2020344]

if you mean AC I havent done that either, just the test that was sent right after

Yeah me too just the initial app and the online test

 

[applicant457]

Anything from Travers or NRF?

How did everyone do on Arctic Shores?

 

[lawyer195]

Haven't heard from Latham post AC for 2 weeks... should I assume a rejection?

 

[FM302989]

This simply is not true. You are not restricted to paralegal roles.

Once you qualify as a solicitor, you will immediately become ineglible for TC and VS. Then your job options will be restricted to paralegal roles.

As an international student, the firms automatically consider you probably have little to zero knowledge of English law (undergrad level). Further, the odds are lower if you have no significant PQE practising law overseas (particularly in civil law countries).

The firms' job advertisements say they look for someone "trained in the UK". Unfortunately, except if you are a paralegal at an elite firm offering NQ roles for trainees, you would be at a disadvantage when competing against trainees from other firms in any lateral recruitment for the reasons mentioned by Jessica.

For example, my LLM colleagues struggled to find associate jobs after passing the SQE. They have been working as paralegals or locum solicitors for the past 2 years.

I know just two graduates qualified as solicitors via SQE with +10 PQE who received offers to work as associates (corporate at a US elite firm and financial services at a global firm).

Check this post where someone shared the hurdle after qualifying via SQE without a TC: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....lkie-farr-gallagher-anything.4439/post-190218

Agreed, this isn't true at all. I work in a firm with New Zealand, Australian qualified lawyers. I could potentially work in Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia if I wanted to

 

[Gday33]

has anyone heard from Mayer Brown post-job simulation?

They’ve done at least some PFOs so hopefully good news for you 🤞🏻

 

[YS391]

I‘m applying for their placement and I thought it was automatic invite… I’m acc confused 😭

Oh, I thought you were applying directly for their training contract.

 

[Cats688]

Anyone heard from DWF post app ?

 

[Andrei Radu]

Haven't heard from Latham post AC for 2 weeks... should I assume a rejection?

People with experience with Latham's process might tell you more, but I do not think you necessarily should. While I would say the average response time post AC is perhaps under 2 weeks, a longer wait time could be due to many factors. In my case, I waited for more than 4 weeks for a response from Slaughter and May and still received an offer. The reason was not that I had been waitlisted or that another candidate had dropped or anything of that sort, but simply that they were interviewing people over an extended period of time. As such, in absence of more information I see no reason to assume a rejection in your case.

 

[saminoriya]

Looking for insights for W&C VI. I can help with Macfarlanes, Slaughters, JD, Eversheds.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Does anyone know Winston & Strawn is known for / what the firm specialises in (London office specifically)? I read something on here that said it's quite a niche / specialised firm and it seems they may be most known for litigation but my research suggests they are also pretty strong in more transactional / advisory areas like finance, M&A, I&R etc?

Also, one of the questions on their application for is 'what motivates you?' Seems quite simple but also quite wide so any tips on how to approach this question would be much appreciated!

For the first question, while I do not have a lot of prior knowledge about the firm, I do believe Chambers and Legal 500 rankings are good indicators for a firm's practice area focus and strengths. Based on that, it seems like Winston & Strawn is not simply a litigation boutique, but that it covers a wider array of practices to service a wider client base. Looking at its Legal 500 rankings (as Chambers only ranks its finance department), we see the firm is recognized for:

• Transactional: for finance, particularly bank lending; for corporate, particularly mid market corporate M&A and PE;
• Disputes: general commercial litigation; particularly high rankings also in international arbitration and class action defence for product liability (the highest rankings of all its practices, which I think explains the firm's reputation for disputes)
• Advisory: competition law; also its aviation and sports practices;

For the second question my interpretation would partly depend on what other questions are asked in the application form. Nonetheless, all other things being equal, I would bring the scope down to something along the lines of 'What aspects of work/types of work/work environments motivate me to excel?'. Then, I would name and expand on two or three characteristics that I can link with an experience. Finally I would make a connection to the career of a commercial solicitor and try to explain how my motivations are aligned with it.