TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[hanz123]

Is there no longer a VI?

there is after the critical thinking if your successful

 

[jojo23]

For the languages section of an application, what language level (i.e. A2, B2) correlates to basic and intermediate?

a1- beginner, a2 pre-intermediate (so still beginner i guess) B1 & B2 are both classed as intermediate but B2 is perhaps pre-advanced, Advanced is C1 & 2 but most would consider C2 and beyond as fluent/native

 

[Gday33]

For the languages section of an application, what language level (i.e. A2, B2) correlates to basic and intermediate?

If they’re following CEFR then A1 and A 2 are basic, B is intermediate, C is advanced

 

[Andrei Radu]

@Jessica Booker

For the Debevoise & Plimpton application, they ask: 'Please indicate if there are any preferred practice areas that interest you.' (250 words). Is there any chance you could clarify whether you think they're asking for a 200-250 word answer about my preferred practice areas and why and how I've shown this interest, or if they're just wanting me to write down three practice areas?

Thank you for your time!

Hi @VMS. I completely agree with @Jessica Booker's response that there is no set number of practice areas you have to choose and that what is important is how well can you demonstrate your interest. If you have a strong interest in one single area and you feel you can go into a lot of depth about it, you can use the entire 250 words for it. If your interests are more varied, there's no issue with speaking about three or four practice areas either, as long as you are content with the depth of your explanation.

I also agree with another member's response, which was to focus on the firm's international disputes practice - Debevoise is particularly well known for it and it is the biggest team in the office. It also really distinguishes the firm from the more transactional-focused US rivals.

As to how you can demonstrate such an interest, I would try to focus on the contentious nature of the proceedings and/or an enjoyment of working with black letter law. Thus, I would maybe link it with any debating/mooting/other advocacy experiences I had for the contentious element, and any legal work experience or academic experience for the black letter law element. Furthermore, I would perhaps try to speak about my interest in the specific areas of disputes Debevoise' London office is particularly well-recognized in: so anything from international normal commercial and corporate litigation to arbitration covering construction, investor-state and commercial arbitration.

However, as said before, you can also discuss other practice areas. Besides disputes, I know Debevoise also focuses on fund formation and leverage finance mandates, so perhaps those could also be good choices.

 

[GV]

How did you take the test? I haven’t received a link to take it. I was only told that after the 4th my app from last cycle would roll on to this one meaning I’m eligible to take the CRT.

If you log in it should be there. They give you a log in to a website to practice too

 

[GV]

there is after the critical thinking if your successful

I thought it was automatic after submitted the application. After the test is it the AC?

 

[bangarangbass39]

If you log in it should be there. They give you a log in to a website to practice too

I haven’t received that. When I log in to my app it just says it’s been submitted.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Is it worth it to relate my work experience to stephenson and harwood as part of my application if there is also motivational question where I can talk about the firm.

I would say probably not, unless there is a very clear and direct link between some aspect of your work experiences and a unique selling point of the firm. I think many candidates make mistakes here in trying to create such links where none exist, so I think it is completely fine if none of your work experience section answers make any references to the firm.

 

[JNeerks98]

HSF AC!

Congrats, did they e-mail you today? I presume it is for the Winter VS.

 

[hanz123]

I thought it was automatic after submitted the application. After the test is it the AC?

if your successful with the critical thinking test, you'll get sent a voice interview to complete and if your successful with that then you get invited to AC

 

[Andrei Radu]

Do we need to maximise the word count for the work experience section for HL?

I do not think you need to unnecessarily try to maximize work experience sections. Generally, the only places where firms expect you to utilize all the available word count is the motivational/competency/commercial awareness questions. Graduate recruiters know that student work experiences can significantly vary in the nature of the relevant tasks and responsibilities and will probably not expect you to write 250 words to describe a short volunteering or virtual internship experience.

That said, I do think you should analyze your past work experiences from all sides. You will find that they have many more valuable aspects than you previously thought.

 

[Andrei Radu]

For the Taylor Wessing CL, I wanted to talk about their Venture Capital practice and mention a deal. I found a deal that I'm interested in but it's from 2019 :/ It's highlighted to be the largest-ever fundraising in the digital health sector and of course that stood out to me. Should I still write about it?

I would try to find something more recent if possible - besides the firm's website, you might search for deals in the general legal press (particularly The Lawyer and Law.com may be useful) and on the firm's LinkedIn page. However, if you do not find a deal which is similarly unique/interests you to a similar extent/fits similarly well with your motivations, I would keep the current one. I believe the quality of your explanation of your interest in a deal is more important than the recency of a deal from a recruiter's perspective.

 

[Shah74k]

What would you guys say White & Case's key practice area is? They were ranked highly in the league table for M&A but the Chambers/Legal500 rankings don't really reflect this. Their Projects/Infrastructure are ranked highly though.

 

[TrainingContract2024]

If you have an overall ranging around 64ish (2:1, undergrad LLB), is it worth applying to firms like HSF, HL etc. ? Thank you in advance.

 

[jojo23]

What would you guys say White & Case's key practice area is? They were ranked highly in the league table for M&A but the Chambers/Legal500 rankings don't really reflect this. Their Projects/Infrastructure are ranked highly though.

Debt capital finance and equity capital finance- these were the two areas they emphasised the most when i went to an open day. They market themselves as full service though.

 

[gazdgazd11]

Do HSF, Sidley, Ashurst send rejections or just no email back?

 

[AS24]

@Andrei Radu and @Ram Sabaratnam,

I trust you are well.

I am currently applying to Reed Smith and I am struggling with one specific question 'Focusing on one of Reed Smith`s sectors, what current issues do you think will impact this sector? What opportunities or challenges could this present Reed Smith or our clients?'

I have identified the industry and two issues, however, I feel that they present many opportunities to Reed Smith and their clients. Do I need to identify a challenge too?

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[jojo23]

What are the best methods to research a law firm (for both specific and general info) or get a general perspective?
2bird and HL don't have a chambers student page sadly..

 

[Andrei Radu]

What would you guys say White & Case's key practice area is? They were ranked highly in the league table for M&A but the Chambers/Legal500 rankings don't really reflect this. Their Projects/Infrastructure are ranked highly though.

So while M&A and PE are big teams within the firm, White & Case is not particularly known for this, especially when compared to rivals like Latham and Kirkland. I think the biggest team teams of the firm which are also considered to be among the market leaders in their field in the City are for capital markets - W&C is one of the very few firms that gets band 1 Chambers rankings for both equity and debt capital markets work.

Also, W&C has a very strong banking practice - not quite as well known as their capital markets one, but it is sufficiently well regarded to motivate you to discuss it in an application.

Besides that, the firm is also leading in projects and international arbitration, but those practices aren't as large as the aforementioned ones.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker ,

If you mention a deal in your application, would you be expected to mention it again during an assessment center interview e.g. in a 'why this firm' question and expand on why it caught your attention?

I was also wondering if, in such an interview, you could mention a deal that you didn't mention in your application.

Thank you

No - you don’t necessarily need to repeat these type of details in interviews unless you feel it is appropriate to do so. I would encourage anyone interviewing to maybe consider other examples of client work that interests them so it doesn’t sound like you only have done research into one matter though.