TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[RonRod13]

Anyone else just received the automated email again from A&O Shearman saying that they're reviewing your application?
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[Tom smith]

Would 89th percentile on the Linklaters Watson Glaser typically be high enough to get to the AC?

 

[NJS]

Anyone know if A&O Sherman's GCSE requirements are a must, wondering if its worth applying if an exam I sat 6 years, depsite having AAA, and a first class, would set me back lol...

 

[A2025]

Anyone interested in starting in application support group with me where we review each other apps. But there will be confidential in not copying each other application. PM me if interested.

 

[Amma Usman]

this might be a really stupid question ahah, but if a law firm has a graduate open day, is this for graduates only or can I attend if I'm in my final year of uni?

Hey @member7830 , thanks for your question! I presume that if the open day falls after your graduation you may be eligible to attend. However, it’s worth carefully checking the eligibility requirements set on the website, as well as emailing graduate recruitment if you have any doubts.

 

[Mentally and Physically Exhausted Applicant]

will they actually reach out to say if we've not been successful?

 

[Mentally and Physically Exhausted Applicant]

Hi guys, does anyone know whether Latham Watkins summer vac scheme is rolling or not?

 

[EzeLaylor]

Hi guys, does anyone know whether Latham Watkins summer vac scheme is rolling or not?

In the last few cycles it has been non rolling - not sure if it’s changed this cycle

 

[lawyerdreams]

Im having a very difficult time not talking about the same experiences again in the Ashurst application, it asks so many things!

What are the questions this year?

 

[Tintin06]

Hi guys, does anyone know whether Latham Watkins summer vac scheme is rolling or not?

Latham & Watkins are essentially non-rolling. They prioritise their open days first. I'd strongly suggest applying for one. I got the AC following one. They seemingly prioritise Open Day attendees. Doubt I'd have reached AC otherwise.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Would 89th percentile on the Linklaters Watson Glaser typically be high enough to get to the AC?

It wouldn't be a barrier to not being considered, but I would expect a lot more goes into the decision to secure an AC than just the assessment score.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Anyone know if A&O Sherman's GCSE requirements are a must, wondering if its worth applying if an exam I sat 6 years, depsite having AAA, and a first class, would set me back lol...

I would contact the firm to check.

 

[crt1s]

Would 89th percentile on the Linklaters Watson Glaser typically be high enough to get to the AC?

I scored in the 93rd percentile last year for Linklaters and did not progress. I have been told there is a greater importance placed on the SJT. I've also heard of people progressing with lower than 89 in the WG as their SJT was strong, so providing your SJT is good then yes.

 

[kokoprep]

anyone know if Latham&watkins is rolling?

yes please share info!

 

[Trying4aJob]

For White and Case, do you have to apply for the Open Day and Vacation Scheme separately? The website will not let me select both

 

[Andrei Radu]

Would 89th percentile on the Linklaters Watson Glaser typically be high enough to get to the AC?

89th percentile is a very good score, and this will definitely not hold back your application. While different firms have different policies for assessing WG scores, anecdotally the highest cut off points do not seem to ever go beyond the 70-75th percentile. However, while your score sits at a comfortable distance to that, it does not necessarily mean you will be progressed to the AC. A great WG result does help set you apart, but the firm will likely asses you application holistically. As such, whether you progress or not will also depend on the quality of your written answers, your work experience and extracurriculars, grades, and how you perform in the firms' Capp Online assessment.

 

[Andrei Radu]

For White and Case, do you have to apply for the Open Day and Vacation Scheme separately? The website will not let me select both

This is most likely so - whenever I was applying for both open days and FYS/VS at firms, I had to make two different applications. This is because the open day and VS/TC application forms will generally have different questions and a different application process. Since VS/TC applications are significantly more competitive, they tend to have a higher number of questions which require longer written answers on your part. For the same reason, they also tend to have an application process with more steps, such as WG tests, video interviews, and ACs. However, there is sometimes overlap between the questions on the Open Day and VS forms - for instance, it is common for both to include a variant of the 'Why the firm?' question. Thus, while you might have to complete two different application forms, you will not necessarily have to write answers to completely different application questions.

 

[DenninDisguise]

For Work History in applications do I need to go into a really detailed explanation of what I did and aim to fill the word count e.g. 250 words? Or would a few lines do with a brief explanation, and then go into more detail in the cover letter?

 

[SoonToBeTrainee]

I’ve seen a few things recently about an LLM AI model that reviews law firm applications.
Of course, I haven’t seen the T&Cs, so don’t want to make assumptions. But, I have no idea what the model is trained on + how they use our data/applications.
I’d say to be cautious.

 

[Andrei Radu]

For Work History in applications do I need to go into a really detailed explanation of what I did and aim to fill the word count e.g. 250 words? Or would a few lines do with a brief explanation, and then go into more detail in the cover letter?

I think it depends on the specific of the work experiences you have and on what you have included in the cover letter. My strategy was to start by focusing on writing the best possible cover letter, and then write my work experience section while taking into account the information I had already written in the cover letter to avoid repetition.

When writing the work experience section, I did not focus on always reaching the 250 word limit. Instead, I tried to write in the same concise and structured style as I did in the cover letter. For work experiences which included many responsibilities and tasks, I would therefore generally end up writing around 200 words. However, for simpler roles, I would sometimes write less than 100. I think the best strategy is to try to include all substantive information which adds value to the application, instead of adding extra information for the sake of reaching the word limit - recruiters will likely notice that and will not appreciate it. Also, the more you write and the more information the recruiter has to sift through, the more difficult will it be for the points of key importance to stick with them after they finish reading - so sometimes, being concise is more helpful to make a lasting impression.