TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[AlarmedBookkeeper448]

HSF IP and Linklaters Open Days!

Congratulations on both open days! 🎉
Would it be okay to ask if m the Linklaters open day for the 13th or the 27th?

 

[Deleted member 37508]

My strengths were resilience and excellence, weakness leadership preference (having hated being a manager I wasn’t too surprised by that lol!)

I think leadership is an attribute that can be lowest as it’s something that can be developed. Now you have to show you can be a at the AC to balance it all out ha.

 

[Lopez2017]

Hey @Lopez2017

This is actually such a cute question!!!

I've never answered anything like this before in an application, but the question seems to be clearly geared towards gauging your creativity/personality - I think it's fine to have a playful, yet introspective response, giving them an indication of your values. It might also be worth looking at the firm's values to see if you can say something that might potentially align with it. Given the word count restriction (60!?), you also want ensure the advice is something that you can express in a concise way. I've taken a stab at this question below, though I'd be curious what @Jessica Booker and the other community assistants @Andrei Radu and @Amma Usman would say too.

"Unstructured time can actually be a good thing! Growing up as a child in the countryside, I learned to clean stables, cook, take spontaneous bike rides, and balance freedom with control. These are some of my happiest memories—a reminder of how essential it is to have time set aside for exploration, trying new things, and simple enjoyment."

No doubt it’s an odd one, as @Jessica Booker pointed out, and one that has taken me by surprise.

All jokes aside, I wonder if it is getting at two fundamental aspects of life as a lawyer at Withers:

- the strong personal connections private client lawyers build with their clients and guiding them through often emotional issues (hence the childhood toy?)
- Withers is full-service: although the firm leans to private client, they are prepped to navigate their clients through the full spectrum of life’s challenges.

Still, not sure how that feeds into any answer. Maybe it is just a slightly silly question and they just want to see some personality!

 

[KBanana]

@Andrei Radu @Jessica Booker @Ram Sabaratnam

Can magic circle firms have lean teams in their practice area subgroups?

Thank you!

 

[needatccccc]

does anybody know if I can apply to Bird&Bird summer vac scheme if I've already applied to WVS? got a rejection today post WG

 

[Amehta1]

When would it be appropriate to ask the grad team for an update post AC considering it’s been one and a half weeks and most people from the AC have heard back with an offer or rejection? Would it even be worth it to email them at all?

 

[splash17]

Congratulations on both open days! 🎉
Would it be okay to ask if m the Linklaters open day for the 13th or the 27th?

Thank you!! and its for the 13th )

 

[Andrei Radu]

@Andrei Radu @Jessica Booker @Ram Sabaratnam

Can magic circle firms have lean teams in their practice area subgroups?

Thank you!

I do not see any reason why they could not, and I very much suspect that sometimes they do. Even if not intentionally, lawyers at all levels at MC firms leave every year. When top partners are poached, it is not uncommon for them to bring over to the new firm entire teams of associates in their subgroup. As such, sometimes teams become 'lean' simply by necessity before the firm can reform their ranks.

However, to focus on the central aspect of your question, it is important to analyze what is meant by 'lean' teams in the context of big law in the City. The term is generally used when referring to US firms in contrast to MC firms. Essentially, a lean team is one that has fewer members and where consequently each team member has a higher degree of responsibility. However, when saying that 'lean' teams are smaller or have fewer people, this raises the question of smaller and fewer relative to what reference framework? As I see it, since the MC firms are both the largest and traditionally the pinnacle of the UK legal market, the reference framework for a 'normal-sized' big law team in the City consists of none other than the MC firms themselves.

That said, of course the MC firms can have some teams that are leaner than their average team size, and even just as lean or leaner than the average teams of their US competitors. Nonetheless, I would be surprised to see evidence to the effect that a particular MC firm generally has lean teams.

 

[OrangeCherry1800]

When would it be appropriate to ask the grad team for an update post AC considering it’s been one and a half weeks and most people from the AC have heard back with an offer or rejection? Would it even be worth it to email them at all?

What firm is this for?

 

[Amehta1]

What firm is this for?

HSF

 

[Andrei Radu]

When would it be appropriate to ask the grad team for an update post AC considering it’s been one and a half weeks and most people from the AC have heard back with an offer or rejection? Would it even be worth it to email them at all?

@Jessica Booker will be able to tell you more but from what I know it is common for firms to take 1-2 weeks to get back to you post-AC. For one of the firms I was interviewing with it took around a month and I actually ended up getting an offer (although I had been notified before by the graduate recruitment team that it may be a long wait). As such, while I can completely empathize and while I understand how difficult it is to cope with the uncertainty, I would advise you to at least wait for 2 weeks to have passed before reaching out. In the meanwhile, try to get your mind off things by doing university or applications work - this helped me a lot !

 

[Jessica Booker]

When would it be appropriate to ask the grad team for an update post AC considering it’s been one and a half weeks and most people from the AC have heard back with an offer or rejection? Would it even be worth it to email them at all?

I'd wait until Tuesday morning now - no point contacting them over the weekend, and you might as well wait to see if they contact you on Monday.

If they don't, it would nearly be two weeks and that is a reasonable time to ask when you will hear back (rather than what the outcome is).

 

[bangarangbass39]

I'm so confused by this. I'm considering applying for one firm, DACB and as a non-law grad I'm not sure if I am in the position to apply. For context, I don't have the GDL and will not be planning to take it soon because of the SQE requirements and the additional cost. The firm says this:

"...DACB also provide a maintenance grant for those who need to complete the SQE to support you while studying full-time.

For non-law graduates this means you will need to have completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) prior to commencing the DACB funded LLM SQE 1 & 2 course in September 2026."

This statement confuses me as when completing the form and reading the info about the scheme, it does not stipulate that applicants need the GDL to apply.

Essentially, do they expect me to self-fund the GDL if I am offered the position?

 

[Jessica Booker]

I'm so confused by this. I'm considering applying for one firm, DACB and as a non-law grad I'm not sure if I am in the position to apply. For context, I don't have the GDL and will not be planning to take it soon because of the SQE requirements and the additional cost. The firm says this:

"...DACB also provide a maintenance grant for those who need to complete the SQE to support you while studying full-time.

For non-law graduates this means you will need to have completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) prior to commencing the DACB funded LLM SQE 1 & 2 course in September 2026."

This statement confuses me as when completing the form and reading the info about the scheme, it does not stipulate that applicants need the GDL to apply.

Essentially, do they expect me to self-fund the GDL if I am offered the position?

Yes - that is how I read it. It is not uncommon for firms of that size to not sponsor the GDL/PGDL but still require it.

It maybe that the structure of their LLM SQE course needs a level of legal knowledge to start it/be successful in it.

 

[AlegalA]

Hi @Jessica Booker !

I just wanted to know if you might have some clarification regarding this:
For Irwin Mitchell's app they ask "If you were made an offer and hadn’t completed the LPC before August 2026, you would complete the SQE alongside your training contract through a Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship.
To be eligible for the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship you must have 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English.
Do you have 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English?*"

It's a yes or no box with no "other" option.
I didn't do GCSEs as I'm an international student. I did do the equivalent of GCSEs (incl. Maths, and English IGCEs).
Can I assume it's GCSEs or equivalent or should I tick no?

 

[bangarangbass39]

Yes - that is how I read it. It is not uncommon for firms of that size to not sponsor the GDL/PGDL but still require it.

It maybe that the structure of their LLM SQE course needs a level of legal knowledge to start it/be successful in it.

Rats!

 

[Amehta1]

@Jessica Booker will be able to tell you more but from what I know it is common for firms to take 1-2 weeks to get back to you post-AC. For one of the firms I was interviewing with it took around a month and I actually ended up getting an offer (although I had been notified before by the graduate recruitment team that it may be a long wait). As such, while I can completely empathize and while I understand how difficult it is to cope with the uncertainty, I would advise you to at least wait for 2 weeks to have passed before reaching out. In the meanwhile, try to get your mind off things by doing university or applications work - this helped me a lot !

Really appreciate this and your reply as well @Jessica Booker. My only concern was that the vac scheme was starting on the 25th November so was wondering if it is common to let people know 2-3 weeks before the vac scheme starts or if they usually let everyone know much sooner.

 

[seferiades]

Which open day is this for?
Did they email
Or call

I got one for the 27th and they emailed

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker !

I just wanted to know if you might have some clarification regarding this:
For Irwin Mitchell's app they ask "If you were made an offer and hadn’t completed the LPC before August 2026, you would complete the SQE alongside your training contract through a Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship.
To be eligible for the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship you must have 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English.
Do you have 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including Maths and English?*"

It's a yes or no box with no "other" option.
I didn't do GCSEs as I'm an international student. I did do the equivalent of GCSEs (incl. Maths, and English IGCEs).
Can I assume it's GCSEs or equivalent or should I tick no?

Yes - GCSE equivalents are fine and you can select yes.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Really appreciate this and your reply as well @Jessica Booker. My only concern was that the vac scheme was starting on the 25th November so was wondering if it is common to let people know 2-3 weeks before the vac scheme starts or if they usually let everyone know much sooner.

Unfortunately that is quite common, especially with winter schemes. I think this is why I recommend contacting them on Tuesday morning if you haven't heard anything. That would be just under three weeks before the scheme starts.