TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Andrei Radu]

I applied to Slaughter and May last month (Oct 19) for the direct TC and still haven't heard back. Do I take that as a PFO since they recruit on a rolling basis and I don't believe they wouldn't have seen my application by now...

While I have only applied to Slaughter and May's VS, I think you should not assume a rejection just because of the long wait time. I applied earlier in October and only received an AC invite around the middle of December.

 

[Apyw]

hi @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman

how would you go about answering this in an interview/app question?

"Imagine you have a lot of conflicting deadlines coming up, how would you prioritse and manage your time?"

 

[Andrei Radu]

Is being a campus ambassador for a law firm considered a position of responsibility or work experience? Or can it be both, allowing me to be flexible in my answers? Thanks!

I think it can qualify as both. It is a position of responsibility because you get to represent a firm on campus and assist them with their recruitment and marketing efforts - your name is thus associated with the firm's brand. It is also a work experience, as you are providing services to a business and in many cases are paid for it.

 

[Soprano]

Hello, I was just sent a telephone interview invite too. Did you manage to get an insight or give the interview yet?

Hey, my interview is on the 25th. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[andrecsaa]

Holding myself accountable again (another app).

CC* ✅
HSF ✅📝❌
NRF ✅📝❌
Weil ✅❌
Akin ✅
Sidley ✅❌
Orrick ✅
Willkie ✅🎥❌
Cooley ✅
Latham ✅
Milbank ✅
Kirkland ✅
Dechert ✅❌
Skadden ✅
Goodwin ✅
Covington ✅❌
Linklaters* ✅📝❌
Paul, Weiss ✅
Slaughters* ✅❌
Gibson Dunn ✅
Macfarlanes* ✅📝
White & Case ✅
Morgan Lewis ✅
Hogan Lovells* ✅
Cleary Gottlieb ✅❌
A&O Shearman ✅📝❌
Vinson & Elkins ✅
Arnold & Porter ✅
Baker McKenzie ✅
King & Spalding* ✅
Winston & Strawn ✅
Morrison Foerster ✅
Sullivan & Cromwell ✅

Key: ✅ = application submitted; 📝 = test received; 🎥 = video interview; ❌ = rejection.

*Training Contract applications

What did you think about the difficult of the NRF and Linklaters tests? Similar to CC WG practice?

 

[Tintin06]

What did you think about the difficult of the NRF and Linklaters tests? Similar to CC WG practice?

NRF pretty much felt impossible, honestly. Linklaters uses Cappfinity. I quite like that test actually. Akin and Macfarlanes also use it. I've never passed a single test since I started applying in 2017, I don't think. Although I did get passed Latham's VI. All my interviews have been at firms that don't use tests. That may change this year.

 

[Andrei Radu]

hi @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman

how would you go about answering this in an interview/app question?

"Imagine you have a lot of conflicting deadlines coming up, how would you prioritse and manage your time?"

Hi @Apyw I think you have a range of options in terms of the strategies that you can mention, but I would personally focus on some of the following:

• Estimating capacity: firstly, in order to assess whether you can deliver a high-quality work product for all of your deadlines, and to come up with a concrete plan to do so, you need to be able to estimate how long each relevant task will take you. To do that, you can ask the person who assigned you the work how long they expect it to take you to complete, but you can also use your own knowledge and the support of your supervisor or trainees who have worked on similar tasks before.
• Prioritization and flexibility: once you have a list with all the tasks, with the deadlines and the associated time it will take to complete them, you can start imputing time slots into your calendar. In doing so, you will prioritize (i) tasks which have a closer upcoming deadline; and (ii) tasks which should be prioritized for other reasons, such as importance to the client and impact on other workstreams, availability of others to work on it, and ability of firm to push back on the deadline. Should you have any doubts about (ii) or if you believe you will have to push back some deadlines or get other people to help on your work with them, you should communicate about this with your supervisor and possibly the person who assigned you the work.
• Improving efficiency: once you are ready to start working on the tasks, you want to be as efficient as you can with your time. You want to first of all not waste precious time with figuring out initial steps, so to the extent possible try to get as detailed of a list of step by step instructions from the person who assigned you the work at the moment at which they first approached you. Secondly, while you want to deliver a great work product, you do not want to waste time by being unnecessarily perfectionistic. Consider taking a look at firm resources or asking someone for a model work product for the assigned task. You can then look at it and have a broad idea of when your own work product has become 'good enough'. Finally, if you are struggling with any part of the work and cannot figure out a solution on your own in a time-efficient manner, consider approaching your supervisor or a trainee/junior associate who has done the same seat to ask for some advice.

 

[bella98]

Don’t use your brain. 🧠
Read it aloud as if you’re saying it to someone then contradict with the statement it’ll either make sense or not. Writing mind maps also helps. I’m not a Watson Glaser pro but these helped me.

Don’t use your brain is such a good advice!

Last year I used to ace Watson Glaser tests without much practice, but now that I’ve started practicing more, I’m overthinking everything and messing them up. The more I practice, the worse I seem to get ahaha How is that even possible?

 

[Audric_T]

OMG I won't say the firm name but they said I have to do their test even though I have been by pass from that same test by other firms. I have a neurodiversity and it is really annoying some firms still won't accommodate to make it fair for everyone and considering I spent 6 days on their application. I am just really annoyed with this and bet others will be feeling the same as me in this situation.

I also have neurodiversity however I have to do the tests - I get extra time that is how they make it fair why would they bypass you? also which firms bypassed you? Let me apply seems like a easy pass 🤔 Joking aside - Personality I rather do the test just with accommodations - In finance you don't get a pass for tests but they will give you the interview questions 24 hours before the interview

 

[jjsjsjs]

Has anyone not heard anything at all on Hogan Lovells WVS post Watson Glaser? No rejection or AC. I asked at Legal cheek Virtual law fair and they said I should hear back by the end of this week (today) but nothing. It starts in 9 days!

 

[Hana ♥]

Covington Corporate Legal Horizons Programme Offer! I thought they ghosted us

 

[LawyerUpPal]

Does anyone know how many days HSF gives to do its SJT after submitting an application?

You will have 7 days to complete the test which roughly takes 30 – 40 minutes to complete.

 

[B2025]

For those who have been successful with open day would appreciate advice as have been rejected from a few open day applications this cycle.

Anyone feel free to message me or provide advice here for anyone who has been successful with open day applications.

 

[andrecsaa]

NRF pretty much felt impossible, honestly. Linklaters uses Cappfinity. I quite like that test actually. Akin and Macfarlanes also use it. I've never passed a single test since I started applying in 2017, I don't think. Although I did get passed Latham's VI. All my interviews have been at firms that don't use tests. That may change this year.

Sorry to hear that and thanks for replying, this is my first cycle. I prefer to start in 2028 start, but hoping to secure something at first.

I thought WG pretty hard, even having passed the CC test. Watching YouTube videos has been the most helpful resource before taking the mock tests. Someone posted one yesterday, look for it. Not pretty sure about the Cappfinity results since I haven't received invitations to the next stages of other two firms.

I have just completed the Linklaters application and have two assessments (SJT and WG). Let's see if I can meet Linklaters' Capp benchmark to take the WG test and have my application reviewed. Will do it on Monday.

I saw you are focusing on US/MC/SC firms. Unfortunately these firm require WG tests. My priority list has 3 firms (MC, SC, national) requiring a WG test, and I think I've already failed one. Why don't you include other firms with strong corporate teams? I think you are keen on transactional, right? Perhaps qualifying elsewhere and later moving to one of these firms could be an option.

 

[User5678]

Hey, my interview is on the 25th. I will let you know how it goes.

Best of luck, I hope it goes well and thank you very much, I appreciate it

 

[Zaraa.x]

Don’t use your brain. 🧠
Read it aloud as if you’re saying it to someone then contradict with the statement it’ll either make sense or not. Writing mind maps also helps. I’m not a Watson Glaser pro but these helped me.

Did you think the linklaters WG was harder/easier than the CMS one?

 

[User5678]

If anyone’s given the fieldfisher telephone interview, please can you pm me!!

Thanks

 

[tomsmitg]

Hi, what would be the best things to highlight if asked how I ensure that I don’t overcommit to a task?

 

[TheInevitableTCholder2024/25🙏]

These Watson Glaser tests be questioning your own feeling of common sense sometimes...😭

 

[s9111]

Has anyone been contacted by BCLP about booking their AC post first stage interview yet?