TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Steakbake]

Any point emailing AG about application status if I did VI in late december, or do I just firm the likely PFO?

 

[aspiringlawstudent123]

Hiya @aspiringlawstudent123

This is definitely a tricky question, and has actually come up for me during interviews. It's also not just hypothetical - it's something that's come up a lot during discussions of professional ethics in my SQE course as well. The reality is that your moral/ethical/political/social views won’t always align with your clients’ (or your employer's for that matter). Part of being a professional is knowing where your own boundaries are. In your answer, you may want to really highlight 2-3 of the following themes or points:

• Show an awareness of professional limits. You may want to ensure that it's absolutely clear that you wouldn't do anything unlawful or anything that could jeopardise your ability to practise. You can also mention this by reference to the SRA Code of Conduct, which is clear on professional/ethical obligations.
• Being a lawyer isn’t the same as endorsing a client. If working only for clients you personally support is important to you, your options are limited (you may need to go freelance or find a company that aligns with your values).
• Law firm branding and reputation matter. Very often, the scenarios in which the question comes up will test your ability to weight the reputational risks associated with both advising the client, as well as refusing to do so. If I were ever asked to work on something ethically questionable, my biggest concern would be whether it could seriously damage the firm’s reputation. But in reality, the firm would have already made that judgment before taking on the work.

Beyond that, I think your answer will depend on whether they’re asking about your personal stance or what the firm should do. Again, depending on the scenario, you'll want to consider what ethical/regulatory obligations bind the firm.

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions! Good luck!

thank you so much, that's really helpful

 

[SamiyaJ]

Did everyone who hasn't heard back from Paul, Weiss choose summer and/or both summer and spring?

And did anyone with PFOs choose the summer intake?

Trying to find reasons to expect anything other than a rejection atp🥲🥲

I chose both summer/spring!

 

[0livia.pope]

Has anyone heard from Mishcon

 

[londonlawyer]

Did everyone who hasn't heard back from Paul, Weiss choose summer and/or both summer and spring?

And did anyone with PFOs choose the summer intake?

Trying to find reasons to expect anything other than a rejection atp🥲🥲

I chose summer

 

[TheLawStopsHere]

Has anyone heard from S&S post-AC?

 

[Joey green]

Two general questions for anyone that can help me:
1: what is a competency and CV based interview as opposed to just an interview...? What kind of questions are part of such an interview?
2: Are there any in-house (so no law firms) company's that I can apply to in general? Or just law firms?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Ruth A]

Did everyone who hasn't heard back from Paul, Weiss choose summer and/or both summer and spring?

And did anyone with PFOs choose the summer intake?

Trying to find reasons to expect anything other than a rejection atp🥲🥲

I would still stay super optimistic because people have received a pfo a week ago and since you haven’t heard that is still a good sign. Also, not a lot of people on here got invited so there is a big possibility that they are doing it in batches!! I would still be expecting good news since you haven’t heard back yet.

 

[fta2024]

I was rejected approx 1 week after I sat the WG, so I think no news is good news!

sorry to hear :/ thank you for the reassurance !!

 

[zq522]

Has anyone heard from Mishcon

Came here to ask the same question - they said for summer VS they would be getting back mid Feb so I reckon we should be hearing this week? Although thats what I thought last week too

 

[EA95]

Did everyone who hasn't heard back from Paul, Weiss choose summer and/or both summer and spring?

And did anyone with PFOs choose the summer intake?

Trying to find reasons to expect anything other than a rejection atp🥲🥲

I chose summer, and haven’t received a response. Expecting a PFO tbh.

 

[Amma Usman]

Is it essential to hit the 600 word count on SH answers? All of my answers are around 450 and I am wondering if that's too short...

I personally don’t think this is necessary, largely because if you truly don’t have more to say, you may end up waffling. This detracts from the quality answer you have already built. Another thing is to see whether your existing 450 word answer is actually fully developed…was there a part where a paragraph would have benefited from you explaining your experiences more deeply? Could your why SH answer be more specific? Critique your own work to the fullest and ask for the same of others through an extra set of eyes. On SH, I know of people who didn’t meet the word count and got past the next stage. In my opinion, since most firms have 250-300 words on their app questions and one can still be specific enough within that limit, then 450 is fine in your case.

 

[Toomanypfo]

Does anyone have insight into Clyde & Co AC?

 

[kuuks_]

I chose both summer/spring!

I chose summer

Have you guys heard back yet?

 

[Amma Usman]

Two general questions for anyone that can help me:
1: what is a competency and CV based interview as opposed to just an interview...? What kind of questions are part of such an interview?
2: Are there any in-house (so no law firms) company's that I can apply to in general? Or just law firms?

Thanks everyone!

Hey,

1. I believe they all fall under the remit of an interview. There will be other types, such as commercial awareness and situational judgement interviews, which test your commercial awareness and ability to react to different scenarios, respectively. Competency interviews are quite similar to situational interviews, though they test certain competencies - such as proactivity, juggling multiple commitments, resilience, and so on. These differ on the law firm and what they‘re looking for, but most law firms will look for similar traits in their trainees. Questions could include things like give me an example of how you showed integrity, or handled many tasks on demanding deadlines. You answer these well by linking to your experiences, highlighting what the problem was, your effort, the outcome, any feedback you got which could exemplify your effort - essentially, STAR.

In CV-based ones, they will literally take your CV and ask you questions on this or ask you to highlight or touch more on certain areas. It’s confusing because a competency based interview could involve the person having your CV with them and asking you to explain how you demonstrate those competencies. In any case, knowing your CV in and out helps.

2. Some companies I know offer TCs;

- BBC
- PwC
- Channel 4

Essentially, virtually every company will have an in-house legal team and there will be vacancies within them you can apply for. This will usually be legal analyst roles, or even paralegal roles too, etc.

 

[lawaspirant!]

I personally don’t think this is necessary, largely because if you truly don’t have more to say, you may end up waffling. This detracts from the quality answer you have already built. Another thing is to see whether your existing 450 word answer is actually fully developed…was there a part where a paragraph would have benefited from you explaining your experiences more deeply? Could your why SH answer be more specific? Critique your own work to the fullest and ask for the same of others through an extra set of eyes. On SH, I know of people who didn’t meet the word count and got past the next stage. In my opinion, since most firms have 250-300 words on their app questions and one can still be specific enough within that limit, then 450 is fine in your case.

Thank you so much, this is really helpful!

 

[ashwright]

Has anyone heard from Mishcon

Haven't heard from Mishcon but i've got to say.. i love your username - absolutely iconic!! 🫶

 

[Amma Usman]

Does anyone have insight into Clyde & Co AC?

You may find this useful - https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/clyde-co-vacation-scheme-interview-2021.3431/

 

[Amma Usman]

For those interviewing with PW, are we expecting just a motivational interview at this stage?

I’d say prepare for the full spectrum if a law firm has not specified - motivational, SJT, competency, commercial awareness, etc. Another thing is you can really weave in all types of traits. For example, in discussing motivational aspects like why X firm, you could show some commercial awareness my touching on recent developments in a sphere the firm is good at.. say private equity and other corporate work.

 

[TC129129]

Any point emailing AG about application status if I did VI in late december, or do I just firm the likely PFO?

I am the exact same. Ive just emailed them so will lyk what they say. I am 99% sure it won't be good news tho unfortunately haha