TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Szofi66]

Does anyone have any insights on how reliable Ziplaw as an application boosting/commercial awareness site is? Especially their previously successful application answers per firm.

 

[saminoriya]

Does anyone have any insights on how reliable Ziplaw as an application boosting/commercial awareness site is? Especially their previously successful application answers per firm.

I think they are quite good, however not sure if all of their guides for applications are from previous years, because, for example, Ashurst changed their application questions this year, but Ziplaw has a guide on their application questions kinda submitted previously, but it couldn't be as those questions weren't there.

 

[User5678]

Does anyone know what jones day exactly asks the academic referee? Thanks

 

[BonanzaBih_]

Is NRF rolling or not? Wasn’t really clear on thier FAQ’s

 

[bollingdale]

Hello, I am trying to polish up my answer for the first video question (I can give an example of how I approached the experience section if anyone asks)
The question is basically "Why do you want to be a commercial lawyer at x, and what qualities and skills do you require to be successful at this?"

ITS ONLY 2 MINUTES!
My approach to the question is to break down the question into three sections

why commercial law?
why x firm?
what skills and how do i demonstrate them?
The problem is that I only have time to go through this twice based on my script

eg GLOBAL SCOPE -> x's GLOBAL SCOPE -> SKILLS REQUIRED AND HOW I DEMONSTRATE RE. INNOVATION
INNOVATION -> x's INNOVATION -> SKILLS REQUIRED AND HOW I DEMONSTRATE THEM RE. INNOVATION

I would just appreciate some pointers on the video section. I'm going to finish drafting the script tonight and then record it tomorrow; then repeat the process for the second question

 

[NJS]

Those who have heard back from Jones Day, what scheme did you put as first preference?

Did you hear back?

 

[User5678]

Does anyone know what jones day exactly asks the academic referee? Thanks

@Jessica Booker please could you help with this query? If they ask for grades I will put my tutor but if it’s a generic reference I would like to put my module leader as reference

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker please could you help with this query? If they ask for grades I will put my tutor but if it’s a generic reference I would like to put my module leader as reference

I don’t know the specifics of what they ask, but what they ask for and what they receive from the university may be very different anyway.

 

[bollingdale]

hi everyone,

does anyone have any tips for 'telling a story' ? I'm applying for A&O Shearman's winter vac scheme, and I'm lost writing the work experience sections. I went to one of the application masterclass things, and the grad recruitment people kept emphasising they wanted us to tell a story in our work exp section.

i'm not even sure what i'm doing, it's my first vac scheme application. I've got a few retail and hospitality jobs, some volunteering in a hospital, a few insight days, and I'm a campus ambassador, I'm not sure how to craft that into a story, or how to tell that story in a work exp section.

any help is much appreciated!!!!

it helps telling the story if you communicate the skills they are looking for in a problem->solution->result framework. This lets them see all the skills that are relevant while talking about your experiences

 

[NMA]

Can't believe I can actually say this, but got the offer for Hogan Lovells' TC! Thank you to everyone on here for all the support and advice. I've been on this platform since 2020 and faced sooooo many rejections post-interview and post-VS. Never give up trying guys.

If anyone is applying to the firm, I'm more than happy to answer Qs and help where I can

 

[lawyersum]

Can't believe I can actually say this, but got the offer for Hogan Lovells' TC! Thank you to everyone on here for all the support and advice. I've been on this platform since 2020 and faced sooooo many rejections post-interview and post-VS. Never give up trying guys.

If anyone is applying to the firm, I'm more than happy to answer Qs and help where I can

Congrats!!!! This just gave me that extra bit of inspiration I've been needing lately

 

[Jessica Booker]

Can't believe I can actually say this, but got the offer for Hogan Lovells' TC! Thank you to everyone on here for all the support and advice. I've been on this platform since 2020 and faced sooooo many rejections post-interview and post-VS. Never give up trying guys.

If anyone is applying to the firm, I'm more than happy to answer Qs and help where I can

This is amazing news!! Congratulations!

 

[Kay Aston]

Can't believe I can actually say this, but got the offer for Hogan Lovells' TC! Thank you to everyone on here for all the support and advice. I've been on this platform since 2020 and faced sooooo many rejections post-interview and post-VS. Never give up trying guys.

If anyone is applying to the firm, I'm more than happy to answer Qs and help where I can

Congratulations @NMA - fantastic news 🚀

 

[Kay Aston]

in the application to A&O Shearman should I connect each of my work experiences to A&O? Like saying how it would benefit me as a trainee in A&O or just how it would help me as a lawyer generally?

Hi @saminoriya ! It is not necessary to directly spell out in each of your experiences how they would relate to A&O, but I would definitely be mindful of the qualities and values that A&O advertise that they are looking for in future trainees, and have these in mind while writing out your roles and responsibilities for each employment. Similarly, it is not necessary to say 'I do x and therefore this would make me a great lawyer because x', in the application form, the qualities that will make you a great lawyer will shine through from a well-drafted and thoughtfully written work experience section ✨

 

[MCL]

Hey, has anyone applied for the Freshfields winter scheme? I started researching and preparing my apps for this cycle today and saw that apparently Freshfields' winter deadline was yesterday? I thought the first deadline was Sidley Austin (tomorrow, 13th September).

 

[Zi48]

Hey, has anyone applied for the Freshfields winter scheme? I started researching and preparing my apps for this cycle today and saw that apparently Freshfields' winter deadline was yesterday? I thought the first deadline was Sidley Austin (tomorrow, 13th September).


View attachment 6241

That’s launching next year, it’s December 2025

 

[MCL]

Oh right- haha I didn't even notice. I was too fixated on the 11th September, thanks.

That’s launching next year, it’s December 2025

 

[Kay Aston]

Hello, I am trying to polish up my answer for the first video question (I can give an example of how I approached the experience section if anyone asks)
The question is basically "Why do you want to be a commercial lawyer at x, and what qualities and skills do you require to be successful at this?"

ITS ONLY 2 MINUTES!
My approach to the question is to break down the question into three sections

why commercial law?
why x firm?
what skills and how do i demonstrate them?
The problem is that I only have time to go through this twice based on my script

eg GLOBAL SCOPE -> x's GLOBAL SCOPE -> SKILLS REQUIRED AND HOW I DEMONSTRATE RE. INNOVATION
INNOVATION -> x's INNOVATION -> SKILLS REQUIRED AND HOW I DEMONSTRATE THEM RE. INNOVATION

I would just appreciate some pointers on the video section. I'm going to finish drafting the script tonight and then record it tomorrow; then repeat the process for the second question

Hi @bollingdale ! I completed my fair share of video interviews, and found the hardest bit by a mile to be the time pressure! My advice would be (and it's easier said than done) to try not to say too much. In video interviews, you are being assessed on the content, but importantly you're also being assessed on your communication skills, how you speak and your non-verbal communications. If you try and make a million points and say it all really fast, it won't come across particularly well. So consider reducing your content, 2 minutes is enough time to make a compelling point about the 3 things you have outlined as long as you don't go into much detail. If you like, I am happy to take a look at your script if you DM it to me, and I can give you my thoughts about the level of detail?

 

[bollingdale]

Hi @bollingdale ! I completed my fair share of video interviews, and found the hardest bit by a mile to be the time pressure! My advice would be (and it's easier said than done) to try not to say too much. In video interviews, you are being assessed on the content, but importantly you're also being assessed on your communication skills, how you speak and your non-verbal communications. If you try and make a million points and say it all really fast, it won't come across particularly well. So consider reducing your content, 2 minutes is enough time to make a compelling point about the 3 things you have outlined as long as you don't go into much detail. If you like, I am happy to take a look at your script if you DM it to me, and I can give you my thoughts about the level of detail?

Thanks I’ll polish up what I have and send it through .you might be right, might only be able to focus on one of the points I run through. I’ll send it you later thanks so much.

I was wondering about sharing my experience section here. It might be helpful but I’m in an exam mindset where I’m paranoid recruiters won’t like to see “cheating”

 

[User5678]

@Kay Aston
I have recently just completed a placement scheme (1 year in my third year) at BCLP. I sat in their core real estate team for the year which is one of the strong sector of the firm. I am on track to receive a 2:1 at university.

I am looking to apply to more finance and private equity/m&a firms this year and I think my knowledge is limited in these sectors as compared to real estate and tax sectors.

Do you have any suggestions for me and are their any specific firms which you think I will have an upper hand applying to considering I have one year of legal experience and also a part time job at flex legal considering I am still facing rejections

Thank you in advance for helping