TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

Zaraa.x

Esteemed Member
Oct 23, 2024
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107
In a (very small) nutshell, the US has DEI quotas to fill, whereas the UK simply takes candidates’ background into consideration during the hiring process. The former is illegal in the UK bc it is a form of discrimination

Pls correct me if I’m wrong, this is just my understanding :)

I’ve just seen K&L Gates recently come under fire for removing several references to D&I since Trump’s EO.


“Elitism” is defined by how exclusionary you can be
Thank you!! So basically in America the DEI targets are purely based on ethnicities so like if your black woman you’ll get the job because said organisation needs to meet its target. Whereas in the UK we have the Equality Act which prevents organisations hiring on the same basis… is that what it is?

So like with the example of K&L gates would clients will start to demand why the removal? Prospective clients would they ask for the firms DEI initiatives and targets (abit like clients who ask about sustainability)?
 

latome19

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Premium Member
Nov 13, 2023
29
40
Thank you!! So basically in America the DEI targets are purely based on ethnicities so like if your black woman you’ll get the job because said organisation needs to meet its target. Whereas in the UK we have the Equality Act which prevents organisations hiring on the same basis… is that what it is?

So like with the example of K&L gates would clients will start to demand why the removal? Prospective clients would they ask for the firms DEI initiatives and targets (abit like clients who ask about sustainability)?
guys I don't know if you've been reading the news at all but DEI has been banned in the US
 

FM302989

Legendary Member
Junior Lawyer
  • Oct 16, 2020
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    Can someone please provide a breakdown of the trump & DEI saga and how that might affect firms and its clients/why this won’t happen in UK. Would like to try to wrap my head around it. Thank you ✨
    Not sure I'd recommend this for a commercial awareness topic to discuss? Plenty going on in the UK commercial, property, corporate sphere to discuss that actually impacts our roles
     

    latome19

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    Nov 13, 2023
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    Thank you!! So basically in America the DEI targets are purely based on ethnicities so like if your black woman you’ll get the job because said organisation needs to meet its target. Whereas in the UK we have the Equality Act which prevents organisations hiring on the same basis… is that what it is?

    So like with the example of K&L gates would clients will start to demand why the removal? Prospective clients would they ask for the firms DEI initiatives and targets (abit like clients who ask about sustainability)?
    the main difference in my mind is that in the UK DEI is much more subtle and many more times takes the form of "we favoured hiring this person because otherwise none of our trainees/vac schemers would belong to an X category of people". Also in the UK, the majority of US firms don't act in the same way as they do in the US in regard to DEI because historically it's the MC that feel the need to be more socially mobile etc....
     
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    Legalstalker

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  • Oct 9, 2023
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    Bread

    Esteemed Member
    Jan 30, 2024
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    the main difference in my mind is that in the UK DEI is much more subtle and many more times takes the form of "we favoured hiring this person because otherwise none of our trainees/vac schemers would belong to an X category of people". Also in the UK, the majority of US firms don't act in the same way as they do in the US in regard to DEI because historically it's the MC that feel the need to be more socially mobile etc....
    I think in the UK it’s more something like “if X has A*AA from a state school and has been working part time during school to support their family, they might be more talented than Y, who got the same grades at an elite private school while doing nothing else.” At least for graduate entry jobs.

    Whether this happens in practice is another matter
     
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    Zaraa.x

    Esteemed Member
    Oct 23, 2024
    81
    107
    Not sure I'd recommend this for a commercial awareness topic to discuss? Plenty going on in the UK commercial, property, corporate sphere to discuss that actually impacts our roles
    I think it’s more so for forming opinions and how it will affect UK rather than commercial awareness topic to discuss..

    This could potentially be brought up in a commercial based interview. Just covering my bases.
     

    latome19

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    Nov 13, 2023
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    I think in the UK it’s more something like “if X has A*AA from a state school and has been working part time during school to support their family, they might be more talented than Y, who got the same grades at an elite private school while doing nothing else.” At least for graduate entry jobs.

    Whether this happens in practice is another matter
    yeah but it’s no secret that firms can see the number of people belonging to a certain diverse group to monitor their own DEI targets. They are just softer than what they had in the US but they still exist
    I feel like your example is a bit strange because if someone did nothing other than getting top grades in uni, 100% the candidate who did something in addition to securing a high 2.1 would be the preferred candidate at the screening stage.

    What used to be the case in the US is that, if recruiters saw a CV from the same law school, but one person identified as white and had 4.00 and the one person identified as something else and had like 3.75, the non-white person would receive the kind of boost almost comparable to 4.00. That’s basically the US affirmative action, and what you described would be very similar to that if the private school person also had part-time jobs during university
     

    latome19

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    Nov 13, 2023
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    I think in the UK it’s more something like “if X has A*AA from a state school and has been working part time during school to support their family, they might be more talented than Y, who got the same grades at an elite private school while doing nothing else.” At least for graduate entry jobs.

    Whether this happens in practice is another matter
    basically in my opinion what you described is more like social justice than DEI in its usual sense
     
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    lawstudent2

    Star Member
    Dec 9, 2024
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    Has anyone heard positively from HL recently, I applied nov did the test early dec and still haven't heard anything and the wait is getting hard now as its one of my last two apps that I am waiting to hear back from and feels like ages since anything has happened
     

    LawJourney101

    Star Member
    Premium Member
    Feb 26, 2024
    35
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    Has anyone heard positively from HL recently, I applied nov did the test early dec and still haven't heard anything and the wait is getting hard now as its one of my last two apps that I am waiting to hear back from and feels like ages since anything has happened
    I suspect there was one initial round of rejections and they are now looking through our applications before doing AC invites/further rejections.
     

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