TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Jessica Booker]

hey all,

i wanted to get your thoughts on using a news story in a TC application. the question is “tell me about a news story and why it interests you?”

the story i want to pick doesn’t link to the firm because it doesn’t have an office there, but it does link to US investment banks due to potential geopolitical concerns.

what are your general thoughts?

thanks in advance

I think this is fine. Not everything has to have a direct link to the firm’s work.

 

[lawyergirl2903]

Has anyone heard anything post Ashurst's AC interview?

 

[B101]

Anyone who applied to Paul, Weiss for spring & summer still waiting to hear back?

 

[BuddyingLawyer744]

Does anybody have any information on how GDL applications work in London? If I do not get a TC, I want to start the GDL in September. (currently 3rd year non-law), but I want to wait till I get my results back from my uni in July or atleast post exams. Is this too late? Do spots fill up for the popular uni choices like city?

 

[Chris Brown]

Oh nooo! What's their benchmark?

Not entirely sure tbh. It could be around 50%. 🤷🏾‍♂️​

 

[ysr567]

I just completed my WBD assessment. i got the mid tier for verbal intellect, top tier for numerical, 7/9, 7/9, 9/9/ and 7/9 for the traits. Are these good enough scores for AC or meh? I just have no clue how to interpret amberjack assessments 😭

 

[Mathlaw432]

Got my paul weiss AC - first stage interview on friday. Does anyone know if its JUST a competency/motivational or will there be SJT and maybe case study ?

 

[Jessica Booker]

I just completed my WBD assessment. i got the mid tier for verbal intellect, top tier for numerical, 7/9, 7/9, 9/9/ and 7/9 for the traits. Are these good enough scores for AC or meh? I just have no clue how to interpret amberjack assessments 😭

Just to stress, the 7s are not "mid tier"

 

[SamiyaJ]

I just completed my WBD assessment. i got the mid tier for verbal intellect, top tier for numerical, 7/9, 7/9, 9/9/ and 7/9 for the traits. Are these good enough scores for AC or meh? I just have no clue how to interpret amberjack assessments 😭

Wow, that's brilliant!! I’d be surprised if you don’t get an AC. Best of luck!

 

[FoxStella]

Does anyone know what to expect from the Debevoise open day? It sounds like the interview is solely based on the article, does that mean they don't ask any competency/motivation qs?

 

[SamiyaJ]

I can’t deal with PW anymore, please just end the suffering 😭

 

[Chris Brown]

Got my paul weiss AC - first stage interview on friday. Does anyone know if its JUST a competency/motivational or will there be SJT and maybe case study ?

Huge congrats. 🥳

I imagine this first-stage interview will focus on competency and motivational questions but then if there were any further assessments they would probably be commercial case studies and situational judgement/scenario-based interviews. I don’t know for sure though so prepare for anything and everything just in case!

Best of luck to everyone with Paul, Weiss interviews. I’m nervous asf for mine. First ever proper interview. 🥲​

 

[ysr567]

Just to stress, the 7s are not "mid tier"

My apologies! I should have clarified but the mid tier was for the bar with the arrow for applied verbal intellect. the arrow was pointing to the middle

 

[gazdgazd11]

im trying to write about tariffs in an app commercial question - how do I structure my answer? The topic is so broad. I know how to speak about its effect on law firms but I’m not sure how to structure it cause it’s just so incredibly broad.

@Amma Usman @Ram Sabaratnam could
You please help me? Thank you!

 

[legallady123]

I just completed my WBD assessment. i got the mid tier for verbal intellect, top tier for numerical, 7/9, 7/9, 9/9/ and 7/9 for the traits. Are these good enough scores for AC or meh? I just have no clue how to interpret amberjack assessments 😭

Congrats! How did you prep for it? I’m going to do it tomorrow but haven’t prepped yet

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

I just completed my WBD assessment. i got the mid tier for verbal intellect, top tier for numerical, 7/9, 7/9, 9/9/ and 7/9 for the traits. Are these good enough scores for AC or meh? I just have no clue how to interpret amberjack assessments 😭

30/36 - that's the highest I've seen on this forum! How did you manage to score so high on applied intellect? It's consistently my lowest score lol.

 

[simplyfaith]

Question for anyone who has been to an AC/VS who is not a second year uni student:
Have you ever been questioned by fellow applicants about your age/the fact that you're 'older'/'later in progress' than they are?
My reason for asking is that I had an experience where my peers (all in their second year of uni + i was passed that) were bewildered by my age etc. It was quite tricky fending off questions about why I was 'still' applying/hadn't had any success. It was obviously quite demoralising for myself to handle but I pulled through.
Perhaps it was just that they happened to be young and innocent - unaware of the reality that many people don't get VS/TCs in their second year. However, I'm worried that since I'll be adding yet another year on by next cycle, such experiences will only get worse.
Hoping for some reassurance/anecdotes about how my bad experience was an anomaly 😅
Thanks guys

Some younger people straight from school can be surprised when meeting someone of a different age alongside them for the first time. Most know it's to be expected at this stage and might just be making conversation, but a few might not know how to react and end up being awkward about it. I've never met anyone who was malicious about it, though! I'm sorry you had an unpleasant time. By a strange turn of events, I started undergrad several years 'late' and am still in the application trenches, so get what you're talking about. I can still hear it now... "oh my god, you're 90s kid"... yes, Sienna 💀

Try to not let it get to you. You already know trainee ages vary, particularly at firms with lean teams or industry expertise. If anything, I think it gets easier, in the sense that you're a distinctly wiser person alongside other applicants and when speaking with senior lawyers. That's worth a lot. Gotta get that fully developed prefrontal cortex, right

 

[Mathlaw432]

Huge congrats. 🥳

I imagine this first-stage interview will focus on competency and motivational questions but then further assessments would probably be commercial case studies and situational judgement/scenario-based interviews.​

I'm inclined to agree with you however the application process has been quite opaque ( i was told in the open day that the interview would likely be online)so i wonder if the further assessment is after this stage or during the vac scheme.

but let just get through this stage first

 

[ysr567]

Congrats! How did you prep for it? I’m going to do it tomorrow but haven’t prepped yet

Honestly, the only thing I changed was thinking about whether or not I was choosing choices that were more collaborative. I always used to pick choices that leaned more towards working independently but that's not always the best since law is collaborative. With that being said do pick what feels right for you!

 

[legal18]

Willkie partner interview just now!!!!!!! Going to cry lol