TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[James Wakefield]

I see Eversheds Sutherland have the same application questions as last year (and I think going back a few years before too).

Is there any advice anywhere on how to approach these and what they are looking for? Given they’ve been the same for a few years I haven’t found much, and the firm doesn’t have a Chamber Students profile, for instance.

Thank you!

 

[legalxp2]

CMS VI was something lmaoo

Hi how much prep time is it? also how long after the WG did you receive the VI?

 

[jojo23]

Is it affecting submissions?

It doesn't let me on at all 😅

 

[abhuzaifa]

For people that done the DLA Piper VI, did you guys receive a confirmation email after submitting the VI ? And if so, how long after submitting the VI did you get a confirmation email ?

 

[A worried graduate]

Mine was issued electronically in my student portal for me to download. Also the university will email one once free of charge with a charge should I need it resent.

I got a regular certificate but never a full one.

Interesting

 

[James Wakefield]

Hi - does anyone else only have the option to input one work experience example in the Osborne Clarke application? It won't let me add any.

I didn’t have this problem and could enter all my work experiences.

 

[tcla888]

Hey, has anyone completed the critical thinking test for Addleshaw Goddard? Is it a Watson Glaser?

 

[Andrei Radu]

I see Eversheds Sutherland have the same application questions as last year (and I think going back a few years before too).

Is there any advice anywhere on how to approach these and what they are looking for? Given they’ve been the same for a few years I haven’t found much, and the firm doesn’t have a Chamber Students profile, for instance.

Thank you!

Hi @James Wakefield while you may know about some of them already, here are resources I recommend:

• TCLA Eversheds Law Firm Profile
• A useful thread discussing Eversheds' application questions
• A thread on one of Eversheds' situational judgement questions
• An older thread on how to generally approach Eversheds' questions

 

[arando]

For the Farrer & Co application question where its asking about our legal work exposure, should we list all of the experiences that apply or pick a few to discuss in detail?

 

[g.cl.2020344]

I’m final year non- law and have applied for a mixture of vac schemes and TCs. Should I apply to ULaw to get a sport for the PGDL just in case I don’t get a TC this cycle?

 

[BillSikes]

Yess it's been appearing for me since Sunday 17th

use browser on incognito

But yeah TW need to fix up as that application portal is 20 years out of date (DLA and AO also)

 

[Pola123]

Hi how much prep time is it? also how long after the WG did you receive the VI?

1 minute prep 1 minute to answer. Did WG on the 20 of October and got VI on the 19 of November Took them a month haha

 

[001hussa]

What are the benefits of a six-seat training contract? Compared to the typical 4 seat structure.!

 

[Andrei Radu]

@Andrei Radu
Describe how you think the innovative developments taking place in the legal industry will change the role of a commercial lawyer at Dentons. Please outline your research and reference the sources you used to inform your opinion.

This is one of the application questions from the Dentons Application. How would you recommend structuring this answer? How many developments should we talk about and how should we reference the sources?

Hi @a1024 so to separate the questions:

A. For structuring, as in other cases you can make a number of different approaches work, but I would go for something like:

1. Explain a development taking place in the legal industry, and take care to focus on showing why this has been innovative - how is it different from the previous status quo.
2. Explain how the development has generally impacted the work of commercial solicitors: are there any type of mandates that are more or less in demand as a result, processes that have been automize, particular skills that have become more or less useful as a result etc.
3. Explain how the development impacts the work of Dentons lawyers specifically - impact to specific practice areas the firm focuses on, on its key sectors, impact to the needs of particular important classes of clients, etc.

B. As for what number of developments, there is no specific figure I can quote you. Somewhat unhelpfully, I think it depends on (i) the subject matter of the development itself - how much information do you have to convey for your answer to make sense; (ii) whether a given development can be connected with other developments you are considering writing about; and (iii) the level of depth you want to go into.

For the depth vs breath issue, the general rule is that depth takes priority. However, do not feel the need to show off your knowledge unnecessarily. For instance, say you have already covered everything central as to the explanation of a development and its impacts in one paragraph. In this case, instead of writing another paragraph covering more tangential points, I think it is better to choose a new development to write about.

C. As for referencing sources, I would likely do it as I am introducing a point - "As discussed in a recent FT article by ...". You do not think to provide full references, but just enough information to allow the reader to easily identify a resource on a google source. In practice this will likely only include the name of the publication and/or name of author and/or title.

 

[Andrei Radu]

What are the benefits of a six-seat training contract? Compared to the typical 4 seat structure.!

Three benefits I would consider writing about include:

• Better for qualification decision making: a six-seat TC gives you 50% more options of seats you can qualify in. Moreover, by trying more practice areas and assessing commonalities and differences, you will automatically be in a better position to consider your experiences and be more informed in your decision-making.
• Better for becoming a well-rounded lawyer: experiencing more seats will mean you learn more about a different types of work and relevant subject matters. Regardless of where you end up qualifying, this can arguably lead to you becoming a more well-rounded lawyer, as you will be able to consider the client's interest from more perspectives. Moreover, you could arguably take on more work yourself instead of having to rely on the support of your lawyers. For instance, if you end up becoming a corporate lawyer but have done a seat in disputes, you will be in a better position to negotiate the drafting of a dispute resolution clause without having to heavily rely on the support of colleagues in litigation.
• Intrinsic benefit of pursuing interests: if you are interested in a higher number of practice areas instead of just two or three, a six-seat TC will give you more of an opportunity to experience work and learn about them. Arguably, this is a benefit in itself.

 

[A worried graduate]

I did. had to create a new account.

That's bad

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi guys,

After seeing that a lot of US firms prefer students/graduates from Russell Group universities, i’ve been considering taking an LLM course at a Russell Group uni.

I was wondering if this could make a difference to my employability? For context, I have AAB equivalent at A-Level and a high 2:1 at a non-RG uni.

Thanks

Hi @studentdelaw786 there are indeed some US firms that are more oriented towards university prestige. I would assume that is likely a corollary of the so called 'campus interviews' recruitment system in the US, where firms go to the campuses of 'elite' laws schools and interview applicants there. However, I will specify that (i) not all US firms have this focus in the UK; and (ii) even the US firms that do have this focus end up having non-RG trainees - while it may be an important criteria, it is not an overriding consideration.

As for whether an LLM at an RG university would increase your chances with US firms, I think that is possible. However, I do not think the improvement in chances will be so significant to justify you doing an LLM only for this reason. An LLM is an important commitment of time, effort, and money. Moreover, in this period you could use your time to more effectively improve your chances in many other ways: submitting more high quality applications, to work experiences, networking, improving commercial awareness etc. I would only consider doing an LLM with a primary motivation to increase chances of getting a TC if you have already done your best to improve your chances in all these other ways.

Finally, although you have not asked this directly, I will say that even if your ultimate goal is to work at a US firm, you do not necessarily have to start your journey there. It is significantly easier to lateral at a US firm as an NQ than to get a TC there. Firstly, because as an NQ you are very profitable for a firm (in excess of 1 million/year at some firms), whereas as a trainee in many cases the firm is actually losing money in training you. Secondly, because the US firms commonly employ a model where they will take on substantially fewer people as trainees than they need NQs and then they will simply attract many NQs from other firms by offering higher salaries. As such, provided you are still interested in their work, I would not disregard the possibility of training at a different firm and then moving to a US one. In my vacation schemes at top US firms I have met plenty of people from a non-RG university who trained somewhere else and then could lateral without much difficulty.

 

[far]

I accidentally said the same thing twice when describing one of my work experiences in an application.. am I screwed?

 

[Uch21]

If you're asked in a video interview how you will respond to negative feedback, should you still give an example of how you have done so? If yes, how do you link it in your answer @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam

 

[Jessica Booker]

If you're asked in a video interview how you will respond to negative feedback, should you still give an example of how you have done so? If yes, how do you link it in your answer @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam

You can use previous examples of how you have responded to feedback in the past, but I think it is important to frame this and lead with how you would respond in the situation the firm is asking you about first. Assuming this is a scenario of being in a trainee in a law firm, I would focus on the practical ways you might respond within the law firm first. You can always then complement it with how you have taken similar approaches in previous examples but this approach ensures you answer the question first.