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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
- Thread starter Jessica Booker
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- vacation scheme
@Jessica Booker I have booked a TC call with you for tomorrow. Are we allowed to send over an application to discuss? 
Hey @Tclarocks123
I’d recommend writing your work experience section in prose rather than bullet points. Prose gives you the space to reflect on and explain your work responsibilities and achievements in more depth. This means you can go beyond listing tasks and really showcase how your responsibilities and achievements helped you develop key skills, particularly those relevant to the role of a trainee solicitor.
Many applicants tend to focus most of their energy on the application questions or cover letters and sometimes overlook this section. But I remember Paul Gascoyne once mentioning to me that this is usually one of the first sections that graduate recruitment reads. It offers you a great opportunity to stand out, particularly for a firm like Clifford Chance where you may not have had the chance to do a vacation scheme or legal work experience. I’d definitely encourage you to take the time to make this section thoughtful and reflective. It can really make a difference! Best of luck with your application!
Hiya @fffvfdsfv
I just wanted to add onto the excellent advice by @Jessica Booker. This actually happened to me during my first application cycle, so I completely understand the concern. In my experience, the fact that I didn’t convert a vacation scheme rarely came up in later applications or interviews with partners, but it did get mentioned a few times. When it did, I found that being honest and reflective worked best.
I’d usually bring up 1-2 key points from the feedback I’d received and explain how I had taken specific steps to address them. Approaching it this way can actually be a great opportunity to show that you’re able to handle constructive criticism with maturity and use it as a chance to take concrete steps for your own professional growth. Firms value candidates who can reflect on their experiences, learn from them, and demonstrate progress. So don’t stress too much about ‘changing significantly’ in just a few months. Instead, focus on what you’ve learned, the steps you’ve taken, and how those lessons have helped you prepare for the demands of being a trainee solicitor at the firm you're interviewing with. Best of luck with the AC!!!
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hey @hitherelaw , I recommend doing two things;
- Putting your anticipated end date in the section (based on your employment contract).
- If this doesn’t work, you could input in the description box something like ‘June 2023 - Current’, then begin on the next line with explaining your roles and responsibilities.
Best of luck
Thanks. I tend to research using The Lawyer which covers lateral hires. I also use Chambers & Partners for practice area details. I then try to link my own experience with clients or sectors to what the firm does.
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hey @bsh ,
Sector focus is certainly a strong angle to take. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that this can sometimes come across as a bit generic, as many top law firms excel in similar sectors. To make your application stand out, it’s helpful to identify a niche within the sector that truly appeals to you and demonstrates genuine interest. For instance, White & Case is well-regarded for its project finance team, but so are other firms. What sets White & Case apart is its Africa practice within the energy and infrastructure sector, which is not as commonly found among other firms. Highlighting something like this not only shows that you’ve done your research but also positions you as someone who is keen to explore specific areas further, perhaps by asking insightful questions during the open day.
In addition to sector focus, it’s equally important to discuss what the open day involves and how it aligns with your goals. For example, if the day includes an M&A case study workshop, you could explain why this activity excites you. Is it because of a prior interest or exposure, such as a webinar you attended or a conversation you had with a professional in the field? Linking this back to how it will deepen your understanding of the practice area or enhance your commercial awareness can make your application more compelling.
You’re on the right track, and with these additional points, I’m confident your application will shine. Best of luck!
Hiya @LawLawLawLawLaw
Just to add a few ideas here before @Jessica Booker jumps in. I think the depth of your answer and the number of challenges you can feasibly discuss will depend on the word count you’re given. Broadly speaking, I think it’s better to focus on one or two challenges and explore them in greater depth, explaining how the firm is particularly well-positioned to assist clients with the challenges you identify. I generally find this approach better than trying to superficially cover too many challenges.
Some candidates might prefer to focus on broader “macro” issues covering economic, financial, or commercial trends, including things like inflation, supply chain disruptions, or far-reaching legal changes. They then might discuss how these would specifically affect the firm’s client base and what it is about the firm that makes it well-placed to handle these broader trends and their impact on its clients.
My own preferred approach is to focus specifically on industry/sectoral developments that the firm is well-known for advising on. The trick here would be to start by researching the firm’s key industries, sectors, or practice areas. For example, a firm specialising in technology or life sciences might have clients facing very discrete or particular challenges that vary considerably from firms with a finance or energy focus. I'd then try to connect these challenges to the firm’s strengths. For instance, you can highlight their experience with handling similar challenges for clients in the past. You might also point to specific things about their business structure or blend of practice area capabilities that makes them well-equipped to advise clients on the challenges you identify. Taking this structured approach should allow you to hit the various prompts this question contains.
As for video interviews, I think the key is to practice answering typical video interview questions as often as possible. You can do this by creating skeleton outlines for the standard motivational, commercial, and competency questions, and then practising your answers to these with friends or family members. In my case, I also tried to practice by recording myself to ensure that my delivery was impactful and that my points could be made in a structured manner within the typical 1-2 minute time frame. It’s not a natural thing to do, so can require take some practice to get used to. Hope this helps and best of luck with your applications!
CMS Video interview invite.
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hey @LawLawLawLawLaw , @Ram Sabaratnam has perfectly covered both questions. With regards your second question, @Andrei Radu has also made a guide on navigating VIs which I’ve linked below;
A complete guide for competency interview preparation
This is a guide for the purposes of preparing for competency interviews, be they in a VI, another intermediary step or an AC/final stage interview. The advice here is based on my personal approach, as I received VS offers from top US/MC firms 4/4 times I implemented it. This will include: A...
www.thecorporatelawacademy.com
Best of luck with the apps!!!
- Sep 7, 2024
- 456
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Hey @IneedaTCASAP , well done! I’ve linked two pieces of advice from the team below;
@Ram Sabaratnam : “As for video interviews, I think the key is to practice answering typical video interview questions as often as possible. You can do this by creating skeleton outlines for the standard motivational, commercial, and competency questions, and then practising your answers to these with friends or family members. In my case, I also tried to practice by recording myself to ensure that my delivery was impactful and that my points could be made in a structured manner within the typical 1-2 minute time frame. It’s not a natural thing to do, so can require take some practice to get used to. Hope this helps and best of luck with your applications!”
@Andrei Radu : https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....de-for-competency-interview-preparation.9380/
I dont’ have much to add to the above. I’ll just say be confident and dress appropriately - as if you were going for a real in-person interview
Curious to hear what @Jessica Booker has to say on this as well!
Goodluck with the VI…!!!
Hi! @Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman @Jessica Booker
Is it ok to cover three practice areas in one paragraph in my answer to the 'why our firm' question for a firm with a transactional focus? They are all transactional areas, and my interest in these areas is a genuine reason why I am applying to the firm. In my answer, I provide a brief explanation of my interest in each of these practice areas.
My overall answer structure is:
- Para 1: I am drawn to firm's transactional focus (this is where I explain my interest in the 3 practice areas)
- Para 2: I discuss a training-related point
For context, the word count is only 200 words.
Is this okay? Thanks!
Is it ok to cover three practice areas in one paragraph in my answer to the 'why our firm' question for a firm with a transactional focus? They are all transactional areas, and my interest in these areas is a genuine reason why I am applying to the firm. In my answer, I provide a brief explanation of my interest in each of these practice areas.
My overall answer structure is:
- Para 1: I am drawn to firm's transactional focus (this is where I explain my interest in the 3 practice areas)
- Para 2: I discuss a training-related point
For context, the word count is only 200 words.
Is this okay? Thanks!
Heya @James Wakefield
You’re absolutely right that the key here is to ensure your answers are complementary rather than repetitive. Whenever I came across applications that required both a cover letter and a separate “Why do you want to join us and what skills do you have?” question, I tried to approach them in the following way.
In the cover letter, I tried to focus on broader reasons for joining the firm. This included explaining my initial encounter with the firm (perhaps at an event or law fair), and how this initial encounter sparked my interest in them. I also highlighted the firm’s general strengths, such as its expertise in EC/VC work or its focus on the tech sector, and explained why these areas resonated with me personally given my interests. The cover letter was also where I addressed broader topics like why I was drawn to commercial law and any key experiences, events, or schemes that I'd attended that helped me develop this interest. Additionally, I used this space to highlight standout achievements or academic accomplishments that didn’t quite fit into the more targeted questions relating to "why us and what skills can you bring."
For the application question, this is where I think you can get into the details. Given the character count, I recommend focusing on two to three specific aspects of Taylor Wessing that genuinely resonate with you. Given that this question lends itself better to detail (unlike in a cover letter), this is also where could include discussions of particular deals, cases, or client matters that align with your interests. When discussing your skills, use this section to delve deeper into specific work experiences and explain how they’ve prepared you to excel as a trainee at a firm like Taylor Wessing.
Overall, I think it's by using the cover letter to set the stage and the application question to dive into specifics that you can create a well-rounded and cohesive application without sounding repetitive.
Hope this helps, and best of luck with your application!
Hey @LawLawLawLawLaw , @Ram Sabaratnam has perfectly covered both questions. With regards your second question, @Andrei Radu has also made a guide on navigating VIs which I’ve linked below;
A complete guide for competency interview preparation
This is a guide for the purposes of preparing for competency interviews, be they in a VI, another intermediary step or an AC/final stage interview. The advice here is based on my personal approach, as I received VS offers from top US/MC firms 4/4 times I implemented it. This will include: A...
Best of luck with the apps!!!
Go @Andrei Radu!!! Go @Amma Usman!!!
Hiya @KBanana 👀
I think including a training-related point in paragraph 2 sounds like a solid idea. It shows you’re also considering a range of factors for joining the firm.
As for paragraph 1, discussing three practice areas in one paragraph could work. My main worry is that it might end up sounding a bit rushed, especially given the 200-word limit. Transactional practice areas can vary significantly, and without enough detail, there’s a risk of your answer coming across as too broad or superficial. For instance, restructuring, banking and finance, and corporate M&A all involve different kinds of challenges and client needs, so it’s worth being careful not to paper over those distinctions.
Personally, I’ve found it more effective to focus on one or two practice areas and really connect them to my experiences or interests. By providing a specific example (e.g. a project I worked on, research I conducted, or previous work experience), I was able to demonstrate my interest in those areas in a way that felt personal and genuine.
That being said, I’d be curious to hear what @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu and @Amma Usman think too. They'll likely have a different perspective on this in terms of both style and content. Good luck with your application!
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congrats all!! when did you guys do your WG and for which office did you apply to?CMS VI!! If anyone has any tips it would be great, I can help with Bird & Bird and Mishcon from last year
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