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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
- Thread starter Jessica Booker
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- vacation scheme
After one purely motivational question, Addleshaw Goddard has the additional question: "Use this space to tell us about any mitigating circumstances that you might have or any other information about you that might be relevant to your application.". Besides mitigating circumstances, is it common/does it make sense to use this section as a "Why me?" section, for example detailing skills and positions of responsibility? Or should I simply leave it blank if I don't have any mitigating circumstances? (If I had to guess, I would assume that it was intended to be only about information akin to mitigating circumstances, but I can't be sure.)
Last year I used this section to mention some of my extracurriculars/ interests and I passed the app review stage. I also confirmed whether this was ok with GR and they agreed.
- Sep 9, 2024
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So for headings, I would just put the name of the event and that of the organizer as the 'Employer' and 'Attendee/Participant' as 'Job Title'. For the main bit, I think you should just employ the normal STAR structure, with some tweaks to try to show the experience in the best light:
- Situation: Explain in one or two sentences what was the context in which you did this workshop/case study/other event. You can consider discussing any steps in an application process, the reasons which prompted you to apply for it, how that fitted in your schedule with your other responsibilities etc.
- Tasks: here, I would just lay out the main activity you had to do (eg describe the scenario of teh case study) with a focus on what you had to do individually even if it was part of a team effort.
- Actions: here, you should explain what particular actions you undertook to make sure you did a good job. If you ever did anything different from what would have normally been the expectation, or went above and beyond your normal responsibilities, or showed initiative, you should focus on that.
- Results: Explain any type of positive impacts/consequences of your role. You could include examples of high scores, commendation and praise from organizers, praise from your teammates and overall increases success. Also, this is the point where you want to make any links with your skills/why commercial law/why the firm motivations.
Add White & Case rejection just now 🤪
I would definitely not use that as an opportunity to sell yourself. Among other things, it could demonstrate that you don't read and follow instructions. I also had no MC's, but I used this section to say that because my A'Levels are from Cambridge, A is the equivalent of A* in their grading system. I also noted that I did a 4-year degree with one year abroad at a US university. I included a link to the marks scored 1-5 and an explanation of the ranking. You can explain things in your application that might need clarifying, like those who went to secondary school in other countries and did other exams. For example, in the Caribbean, they don't do GCSC's; they do O'Levels or CSEC. Or if you did an access course vs A'Levels, etc.
Just received the CMS WG invite, I applied on Saturday morning.
@Andrei Radu and @Ram Sabaratnam do you have any tips on how to succeed with this devil test?
I recently completed the Linklaters WG and although I answered more than half of the questions correctly, I still got 45 percentile.
It is so frustrating!
@Andrei Radu and @Ram Sabaratnam do you have any tips on how to succeed with this devil test?
I recently completed the Linklaters WG and although I answered more than half of the questions correctly, I still got 45 percentile.
It is so frustrating!
Is it okay if I haven't sent any applications yet? I've written answers for 2-3 applications, been researching firms and writing up my CV. I do part-time work and have law school classes as well. I do plan to send 2 applications this week as they are almost there. I have a legal internship starting next week full-time and will not be able to work on apps for 15 days and I'm already scared if that's going to delay/ make things super busy later.
I'm an international student so can mostly apply for TCs but I am applying for a few VS' that close early as well. I'm just feeling overwhelmed and wanted advice on how I could go further from here. Considering I have not also not started practising WG tests (which I am not the best at).
I'm an international student so can mostly apply for TCs but I am applying for a few VS' that close early as well. I'm just feeling overwhelmed and wanted advice on how I could go further from here. Considering I have not also not started practising WG tests (which I am not the best at).
had 4 x rejections in 48 hours last week! Happens to everyone
Hiya @wowcha
This sort of question is frequently asked in various application forms, and you can absolutely draw on any challenge from your personal or professional life. You definitely don't need to limit yourself to just law-related examples.
When answering questions like this, I’ve found it really useful to pick an example that showcases my personality and highlights what makes me stand out as a candidate. For instance, I once talked about the challenge of doing volunteer work internationally, where I had to navigate significant communication and cultural barriers in a rural part of the country I was living in at the time. This example allowed me to demonstrate my interest in other countries and culture, whilst also highlighting the skills I used to overcome the particular challenge I faced at the time.
I've read examples of people describing interesting challenges they faced at work, volunteering at a student society, or even a personal struggle - I once reviewed an excellent application where the candidate answered a very similar question and discussed overcoming a speech impediment. It was a powerful example that showed resilience and maturity.
Using a challenge from your pursuit of a legal career could work well too, depending on the example. Just bear in mind that many candidates are applying to firms, and it could be harder for you to stand out when discussing challenges in this context. Whatever example you choose, the key is to show how you approached and overcame the challenge in a thoughtful, mature way.
Good luck!
Hiya @billyonthespeeddial
@Jessica Booker might have more to add here, but based on my understanding, these sort of questions are best used to explain any mitigating circumstances or anything that might be unusual or not immediately obvious in your application. It’s a space to provide context for any anomalies, such as gaps in your academic history or unexpected grades. I’ve used similar sections to explain that I didn’t have any standard Year 1 LLB assessments due to the impact of Covid-19, as well as certain health issues that led me to take a break from my studies during my first degree. Again, it seems that this question is designed to give you the chance to highlight any factors that might help the firm better understand your credentials in context.
Hope that helps, and best of luck with your application!
Heads up, keep applying - remember it requires one YES!
Has anyone been rejected yet from Sidley Austin? I applied in mid September and am yet to hear back.
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