TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[jacksollaf]

K&E VI received

For the summer vs?

 

[dm_corporate]

For the summer vs?

I selected 'both' on the application

 

[m12]

K&E VI received

hey congrats! when did you apply and when did you hear back?

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi TCLA Team! Welcome back

I got an invite to the Kirkland VI (received it 2/01, applied on 31/12), and wanted to know what I can do to prepare for the motivational aspect of the question. I read through @Andrei Radu's guide for competency interview preparation already!

I understand it is 1 to 1.5 minutes long, and historically, all of my points have taken longer than that to articulate it. Furthermore, I find Kirkland attractive for 2 practice areas and its diversity, but the time limit suggests that 3 points would be difficult to articulate. My general structure is Point-CV Evidence-Analysis of Evidence-Firm specific interest-link. I am not sure if this being too long is the issue, but would love to know what I can do to ensure I get a cohesive answer to Kirkland!

Other than that, articulating and tone wise, is there anything I can do to make my answer better?

Thank you in advance!

Hi @svb risk management intern and first of all congrats for progressing to the VI stage! Considering the time limits, I think the safe choice is to limit your answer to two why the firm reasons - by far the biggest issue that has impacted my own VI performances has been trying to cramp down too much information in too small of a space. Since this is Kirkland, it is highly advisable for one of those to be a Private Equity-based point. For the other one, you should make a judgment call on which reason is more persuasive. You should consider both how unique the USP is to Kirkland and how well you can link it to your motivations and experiences.

The structure you mentioned also looks fine to me. The one way you can try to make the answer more concise is to limit the 'CV point-Analysis' part a bit, as I feel that is largely expected in video interviews. Say you mention an internship you did in a corporate seat as what sparked your interest in PE. Instead of going for a full STAR-structured overview of the work experience, you can state something simpler like 'Having completed an internship at X, I enjoyed assisting lawyers with DD and research tasks on a live deal, which confirmed my interest in learning about business from a variety of industries while working on transformative transactions. Thus, I became interested in joining a PE-focused firm.' While you could go on a much longer analysis of your experience and of what PE work involves generally, I do not think it is necessary. Given the time constraints, you simply need to communicate the essence of your motivations in a clear manner.

 

[Andrei Radu]

What questions should one ask themselves to know if they have written a strong application @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu?

In terms of generally applicable questions, a few I would list are:

1. Am I answering every question in such a complete, persuasive and clear manner that I would find no issues with it, even if I reviewed it with a purpose of finding as many inadequacies as possible?
2. Is my style of writing formal enough that it could be published in a Reuters or Financial Times article?
3. Is my structure and writing clear enough that a normal person would get every point I am making on a quick read/skim?
4. Is my use of language so concise that there is no possibility of expressing my ideas with a better word per added value ratio? Am I sure there aren't any phrases and words that I could cut while keeping the essential information there?
5. Am I linking my main motivations with examples of experiences?
6. Am I being very specific when describing the nature of my motivations and the activities in my experiences?
7. Am I using a STAR structure when describing my main experiences?
8. Am I demonstrating the relevance of my experiences and skills by making plausible connections to the role and responsibilities of a trainee at the firm I am applying at?

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Yep even the grad rec website doesnt mention a VI, just an interview

Does anyone have insight (maybe someone attended an open day) on the app process?

Was quite confused when I got the email for the Goodwin VI. Attended their events throughout the milkround applications period and no mention of a VI; just a partner interview. Looks like they changed their process last minute maybe ...

Anyone got any advice whatsoever please?

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

Almost immediately, maybe like 20 mins?

Is it just an SJT? Could you please give some insight?

 

[KGNines]

@Jessica Booker (or anyone who can kindly opine) is there a hard and fast rule in respect of how many examples you provide for question? I was previously told that anything below 150 words should be 2 examples and anything above 150 words should be 3. I am currently answering a question on why the firm with a 1500 character word limit (approx 200-250 words), and while I usually aim for 3 examples in line with what I have been previously told, my preference out of my current drafts is for 2 examples. I just wanted to understand from the point of view of someone who is reviewing an application, would only providing 2 examples put me at a disadvantage?

 

[yasmars]

Was quite confused when I got the email for the Goodwin VI. Attended their events throughout the milkround applications period and no mention of a VI; just a partner interview. Looks like they changed their process last minute maybe ...

Anyone got any advice whatsoever please?

I really hate when firms change their processes out of the blue 😭 but I thank God they didn’t implement a WG

 

[sameers1603]

If anyone has done the Kirkland VI please message me. I can give insights on Latham AC and Dechert Written Exercise

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker (or anyone who can kindly opine) is there a hard and fast rule in respect of how many examples you provide for question? I was previously told that anything below 150 words should be 2 examples and anything above 150 words should be 3. I am currently answering a question on why the firm with a 1500 character word limit (approx 200-250 words), and while I usually aim for 3 examples in line with what I have been previously told, my preference out of my current drafts is for 2 examples. I just wanted to understand from the point of view of someone who is reviewing an application, would only providing 2 examples put me at a disadvantage?

No - there is no rule on this and an application is not going to be automatically at an advantage or disadvantage either way.

 

[Amma Usman]

What are some good questions to ask at the end of an interview? I would appreciate any advice!

@Andrei Radu @Jessica Booker @Amma Usman @Ram Sabaratnam

Hey there @hfbjsdhfbhf ,

This is a really good question. I remember frequently worrying about this area whilst prepping for my interviews. The truth is, the key to the approach is attentively listening and paying attention during the interview. The way I interpreted it, asking questions about a topic discussed during the actual interview itself was more beneficial than over-relying on pre-set questions conjured up by oneself prior to the interview. The reason is because through preparing so heavily on some questions, you run the risk of asking a generic question which could easily be gotten by a deep-dive of the firm on the web. As you can imagine, this would have more negative impacts on the interview, rather than contribute to the impression you had already given.

I had personally found that asking my interviewers questions about, say, a topic of the article/case study we had discussed and their own impressions of it, brought out a really exciting discussion. In any interview, your interviewers will also introduce themselves and their practices at the start. I found it exciting also asking them questions at the end about their work, relating it to any specific market trends I had read up on the news, and how it impacts their day-to-day. Through adopting this approach, I found that whatever the outcome, my knowledge of the City and financial world was always greatly enhanced.

Overall, I see interviews as two way things honestly. It’s an opportunity to present yourself as a candidate yes, but it’s also an opportunity to learn from some of the brightest minds in the city.

 

[Amma Usman]

Also how long does it take to get a response for your VS application? I applied for a couple firms, such as Linklaters and Latham & Watkins etc, and their deadlines have passed.

Hey @EA95 ,

I would not worry too much about this. It depends on the firm and/or their recruitment timelines. I know of firms that get back from anywhere between two weeks, to 2 months.

 

[Amma Usman]

What questions should one ask themselves to know if they have written a strong application @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu?

Hey @tosin4774,

In my experience, I’ve found that asking myself these two questions helped.

(1) Have you answered the question? This may sound a bit obvious and funny, but the truth is, it’s quite easy to stray from the focus of the question itself. If the question is asking for your hobbies, for example, you should not be talking about your work experience which would have been otherwise covered in another area, such as the cover letter.

(2) Have you sufficiently related it to the firm? For the why X firm question, you should be unequivocally sure that if you were to copy and paste it onto another firm’s application, it would not make sense. You want the recruiter to know that you have poured in effort into actually researching their work and culture - as every firm will be different upon concentrated research. Despite overlaps in work and all, a strong application would need to be sufficiently tailored to the firm you are applying to.

Hope this helps!

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi for VI for questions that ask skills suited for role, if you only have 90 seconds - do you for three skills or two?

Hey @kokoprep ,

Hmmm.. this is an interesting question for sure. I would say the number of skills covered matters less than your ability to describe it well. It also, quite shockingly, depends on the speed at which you talk. For example, I naturally talk really quickly with my friends. For a while, this was how I answered video interviews as well. However, I later realised that I needed to slow down as it (1) came across as being anxious during the interview, and (2) did not enable me to adequately cover each point I needed to mention/intended to upon such time constraints.

You could talk on about 2 skills and ensure you orally back it up using STAR. What was the skill and can you give an example of a time you demonstrated it through work experience or otherwise? What feedback did you get/ what was the outcome. Finally, how does it relate to the role of a trainee solicitor?

Overall, I believe answering such questions adequately, depends on your ability to know your competencies well, and the specific expectations of the trainee solicitor role.

 

[camrxc]

Hi, @Jessica Booker. I was just wondering how much of a problem it would be on a pre employment reference check if a work experience was listed as one week but it was only 3-4 days across that week? Thanks.

 

[Amma Usman]

How much notice do you usually get for an AC? This is my first cycle and I'm generally a bit crap at interviews. I don't want to set myself up for extra disappointment by preparing and then getting rejections but equally don't want to be unprepared if I do get one, do you get enough notice usually?

Hey there @lawstudent2 ,

I completely get the nerves - I had them too. This depends on the firm. I have been invited to ACs with two weeks - 4 weeks notice. At the same time, I had also been invited to ACs with less than a week’s/five days notice. The experience made me realise that interview skills building, was a competency I had to constantly develop. For example, most of these ACs assess commercial awareness, making a consistent willingness to know about current affairs necessary. I certainly did not build on that skill overnight, but a little knowledge gained here and there contributed to my overall performance. I also practiced talking to myself on these commercial awareness topics through the mirror (yes, yes I know this sounds funny haha). I found that the more I was able to practice my intonation and communication of certain topics I found complex, the more natural they came out during the actual interview.

Overall, please do not try to overwhelm yourself by the thought of how much notice you will be given. Looking back, I wish I gave myself this advice. Focus more on building those soft and hard interview skills, such as clarity of tone and thought.

 

[dm_corporate]

hey congrats! when did you apply and when did you hear back?

Applied 30/12
Heard back today

 

[Amma Usman]

Happy New Year TCLA Family,

I hope this new year brings with it amazing things for each and every one of you.

Looking back over the past year, I want to take a moment to recognise the dedication and effort you’ve invested in every aspect of your life, especially in navigating the law firm application process. There were moments during my own applications when I found it challenging to juggle deadlines, manage other responsibilities, or handle the sting of rejections. But one thought kept me moving forward: the belief that the knowledge and skills I was building would eventually translate into real value.

I didn’t read every popular finance or law book, nor did I spend countless hours dissecting articles. What fueled me each day was the excitement of learning something new. Whether it was a quick glance at a news headline and mentally linking its implications to law firms, having a coffee chat with a trainee, or listening to a five-minute podcast during a walk, each small action added up.

I want to emphasise that every step you’ve taken this past year, every application submitted, every interview attended, has contributed to your growth, both personally and professionally. Each experience has elevated you, one rung at a time, on the ladder of your journey.

So here’s to 2025: a year of new lessons, bold risks, and trusting in the process.

🚀🚀 🚀 🚀

 

[liv]

hey, is this normal I didn't receive an email confirmation after applying to Norton rose Fulbright - when I clicked back on it says you have applied, says submitted and that my application is in progress. When I look at my application it only shows my personal info?? I'm guessing I should have got a conformation email but im not sure why I haven't received one ?? any help would be great !!