TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[future_traineesolicitor]

I e-mailed RPC today btw asking if more ACs are to be held. whether they will reply - or give a proper answer - is to be seen.

They hold 5 ACs this cycle for 60 people. The first one was 21 Jan and also one on 29 Jan. Not sure about other dates.

 

[dolchii]

should i assume NRF pfo post-vi?🫠

Not necessarily; I just did my VI for nrf 2 days ago and they said to expect an answer by the end of Feb latest.

 

[badmintonflyinginsect]

is weil competitive? ik its a dumb q but just asked to calm my post AC nerves

 

[stacy2523]

Have Travers Smith given out all interview invites for the Summer Vac Scheme or do they give them across a few days?

 

[Chris Brown]

Have Travers Smith given out all interview invites for the Summer Vac Scheme or do they give them across a few days?​

From what I have seen, Travers smith seem to call everyone that has submitted a successful application to inform them that they have made it to the partner interview stage. I don’t think they hand them out in one go. 🙂

Based on last year’s forum, some people even received invites in early March. If it’s the same this year, then invites will be spread over a few weeks. So far only one person on the forum has been called for invitation to partner interview. 🙂​

 

[WillkieGemma]

LinkedIn is the most common one for sure. I have had partners view my profile and then later on send me a request and I’m sat there like wtf should I do or say, this is normally supposed to be the other way around or something lmao. It actually scares me every time because I’ve no idea what their first impression is of me at all. 🥲

I remember the one that caught me off guard the most was when an international arbitration partner from Willkie viewed my profile and then requested me. I felt like I had just won the lottery but I was equally stressed out at the same time. Similar story for a competition litigation partner at Willkie who did the same thing. I hope they liked what they saw. I also hope it gets me extra brownie points for Willkie. 🥲​

Hi @Chris Brown I just wanted to jump on here to clarify something, because it is really important to me. We run a completely fair and transparent process, which is based on each candidate's application and progress through the various stages. Having connections with partners/associates/trainees, whether on LinkedIn or personally/professionally, doesn't factor in to the process in any way as it is inherently unfair. We don't ask whether you have connections to the firm at any stage of our process. Please do bear in mind that everyone's LinkedIn profile is their own personal online space, and grad rec teams wouldn't monitor who partners/associates have as a connection etc. If a partner (from any firm) has requested a LinkedIn connection, that is their personal choice, and would not be linked to the grad rec process.

 

[Ricky]

Hi @Chris Brown I just wanted to jump on here to clarify something, because it is really important to me. We run a completely fair and transparent process, which is based on each candidate's application and progress through the various stages. Having connections with partners/associates/trainees, whether on LinkedIn or personally/professionally, doesn't factor in to the process in any way as it is inherently unfair. We don't ask whether you have connections to the firm at any stage of our process. Please do bear in mind that everyone's LinkedIn profile is their own personal online space, and grad rec teams wouldn't monitor who partners/associates have as a connection etc. If a partner (from any firm) has requested a LinkedIn connection, that is their personal choice, and would not be linked to the grad rec process.

Hi Gemma, I thought that firms ask if you have any connections to ensure that the person is not involved in the recruitment process.

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

Hi, has goodwin completed all ACs for vac schemes?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Gemma, I thought that firms ask if you have any connections to ensure that the person is not involved in the recruitment process.

Many firms do ask this at the application stage to try and help the scheduling process for interviews and assessment centres. However, many firms don't ask this in the early application/recruitment stages but manage this same process at the point of when they allocate candidates to assessors. In these instances they ask assessors to disclose connections to the candidates they are assessing (and then swap them out if there is one).

 

[Legallywhatever]

Hey Jesscia, thanks for this! Alternatively then, do you think it would make sense to talk about (again, taken from an article on FT) how discussions of 'the UK having less regulators' will impact clients across various sectors?

Also, should I be referencing specific clients?

@Jessica Booker sorry to tag you!! but would you be able to provide insight on this?

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Hi, has goodwin completed all ACs for vac schemes?

hey, I think they have only done a few. I emailed them last week I think and they said they were still looking at VI's for Acs

 

[Chris Brown]

Hi @Chris Brown I just wanted to jump on here to clarify something, because it is really important to me. We run a completely fair and transparent process, which is based on each candidate's application and progress through the various stages. Having connections with partners/associates/trainees, whether on LinkedIn or personally/professionally, doesn't factor in to the process in any way as it is inherently unfair. We don't ask whether you have connections to the firm at any stage of our process. Please do bear in mind that everyone's LinkedIn profile is their own personal online space, and grad rec teams wouldn't monitor who partners/associates have as a connection etc. If a partner (from any firm) has requested a LinkedIn connection, that is their personal choice, and would not be linked to the grad rec process.

Hi Gemma, thank you for clarifying this. It has been something on my mind for some time, from when I attended the in-person open evening to now being at the post written exercise stage. I don’t have any personal connections in the legal industry and I come from a socially mobile background. As a result, I was concerned that if partners of city law firms that I was interested in were viewing my LinkedIn profile, this would have an impact on my application to the firm. It’s reassuring to know that the grad rec process at Willkie is completely fair, transparent and independent of people having connections to the firm or legal profession more broadly. 🙂​

 

[AveragePoster]

Paul Weiss interview invite!

 

[Chris Brown]

I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now. I am in complete shock. 🥲

Paul, Weiss AC/interview invite. I’m so confused right now idk how this is happening. 😭​

 

[Chris Brown]

Paul Weiss interview invite!

Huge congrats. 🥳

 

[bsh]

I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now. I am in complete shock. 🥲

Paul, Weiss AC/interview invite. I’m so confused right now idk how this is happening. 😭​

Same! Congrats! I haven’t had the chance to check what dates are available. Have you checked?

 

[traineedreamer]

I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now. I am in complete shock. 🥲

Paul, Weiss AC/interview invite. I’m so confused right now idk how this is happening. 😭​

Congratulations! I've seen lots of your posts on here, you really deserve it!

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Congratulations! I've seen lots of your posts on here, you really deserve it!

exactly, no idea why your win feels so personal. all the best

 

[Chris Brown]

Same! Congrats! I haven’t had the chance to check what dates are available. Have you checked?

Not yet. I’m trying to mentally process this whole thing right now. One thing at a time for me. 🥲🥲​

 

[lawyersum]

Not yet I’m trying to mentally process this whole thing right now. One thing at a time for me. 🥲🥲​

Congrats!! Also, totally random question but is it your birthday? Asking because there is a cake under your profile name which I've never seen before on this forum hehe