TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Amma Usman]

Yeh same with freshfields. That 9am email ruined my whole day already smh 🤦‍♂️

Hi there,

I completely sympathise with this, and can certainly say I have been in an exact situation - actually around this time last year. As my alarm clock was ringing, so was a rejection email. I woke up from sleep and that was the first thing I saw. I cried all through the morning. I was on my way to university and kept sobbing on the road. Someone even stopped to shout “EI YO SHE‘S CRYING SO BAD HER MAN BROKE UP WITH HER”… little did they know it was the law firm application process. I felt so bad. The point I’m trying to make, is that those moments and feelings are valid, but don‘t let them get the best of you. Keep going, keep learning, keep pushing. No effort goes to waste. Progress, even so slight, is still progress!

 

[Paul Jules Steullet]

hiya does anyone have experience with requesting reasonable adjustments from freshfields? they sent me the link to complete the law online assessment last Monday and said to email if you think you may need adjustments and not to attempt to complete the test until you hear back from them. I immediately emailed them and got an automatic reply saying they would aim to respond within 3 days. I sent a follow-up email yesterday as I still hadn't heard back and it had been a week at that point. I've now been sent another email with a link to complete the test and a new deadline (Feb 7) but they've still not replied to my question about reasonable adjustments? what do i do? what is going on?

The test is untimed and the time taken to complete it isn’t a factor. Unless you have some other adjustment, I would do the test.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker I have a question about adjustments for my AC, it is a bit personal a topic so if I send a DM could you please kindly answer? Thanks

Yes - you can PM me regarding this.

 

[MaryAra299]

CRS Cheltenham! fingers crossed for you - have you heard anything from CRS yet??

No not yet. Fingers crossed for you too

 

[Amma Usman]

thank you - the nerves are actually not related to the VI - just the fact that I haven't heard if it's PFO or if I have an invite at all!

Hi there. I see you’re both interested in VIs. I’ve linked Andrei’s wonderful guide here - https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....tency-interview-preparation.9380/#post-200737

 

[Katy12345]

Yes - you can PM me regarding this.

Hi Jess I did send a PM last night should I resend? Or reply in it again? @Jessica Booker

 

[Amma Usman]

Can anyone who's done the Willkie written exercise pm me ASAP! It's about a technical issue. Thank you so much

I’m sorry to hear you’re facing a technical issue. I do recommend reaching out to the firm, with screenshots, if it‘s so significant and/or has impacted the speed at which you get it done, where this is taken into account as part of the assessment.

 

[Amma Usman]

Just got done with the Paul, Weiss SJT. First time I did the Amberjack and have no idea how I did. I got high in both applied verbal and numerical intellect but my pillars were 7436 lol.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the numbers, to be honest. Firms have different metrics for how they assess things like this - sometimes they’re equally weighted, sometimes some categories are more weighted than others. Another thing is that there never really is a wrong answer in an SJT, some answers will just be more correct than others. Please do not worry too much about this, as I know it’s easy to dwell on such. Put it out your head, grab a nice hot cocoa, and go on with your day - this approach personally helped me when I was worried about applications that I’ve already sent. Or just do anything that excites you, really!

 

[Gin]

Any point applying for Stephenson Harwood now?

 

[Joey green]

I just got my invitation for the Paul Weiss test! Can’t believe it! I feel this is my last chance for any succes this cycle. Any of the people who have done it already with valuable advice? If anyone could reach out, I’d be eternally grateful

 

[Amma Usman]

Did anyone else receive an error message when completing their Paul Weiss assessment? This was the last question, and I think it did not submit. When I hit refresh, it then took me to the closing video. do I email grad recruitment?

View attachment 6758

Yep, definitely email GR with screenshots and adequately explain the situation, as well as request for whether the assessment has actually gone through - as this may sometimes be the case regardless of the pop up on the screen. This has happened to me many times!

 

[Chris Brown]

Any point applying for Stephenson Harwood now?

The deadline is the 28th of Feb so I don’t see why not tbh. Most people will be applying in the last week or so.

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Could you please provide insight into how Amberjack SJTs are usually assessed by grad rec teams. Am I correct in understanding that firms would have a benchmark cut-off for each pillar, and then also look at your overall score across all the pillars? Because it seems like it’s impossible to score close to 6/7 in every pillar (9 being the maximum), as by selecting some answers you gain score in one pillar but inevitably lose score in another.

Thank you very much in advance.

I don’t know this specific detail unfortunately. Only Amberjack and the firm would really be able to advise on this.

There is likely to be a system that creates individual benchmarks for the pillars, numerical and verbal reasoning assessments, and then possibly an overall benchmark too that might be calculated with different weighting attached to the individual elements.

If it helps, I don’t think I have ever seen a perfect score in a SJT. Also, benchmarks for SJTs tend to be fairly low. It’s usually about removing the candidates who regularly choose the “wrong” options as the strongest rather the having to get 75-80% of questions “right” - it’s more about eliminating the “wrong”.

But given this is also factoring in numerical and verbal reasoning too, its difficult to give accuracy on what is being assessed, what may be weighted more, and what the firm’s benchmarks are.

 

[MilkMaid]

CMS PFO post VI

 

[kuuks_]

Do we need to have our cameras/mics on for the Willkie written exercise?

No you don't. Pretty sure Gemma also sent an email reiterating that

 

[Joey green]

Just to follow up: does anyone have advice as to how best prepare for an Amberjack assessment?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi Jess I did send a PM last night should I resend? Or reply in it again? @Jessica Booker

Please be patient - I will respond when I get around to checking my private messages later today.

 

[helloj]

Anyone have any news from Goodwin or Weil post VI?

 

[weupin2025]

@Amma Usman Hi I’m a non law student interviewing at the final stage for the Withers SVS. Could I get some advice on how best to prepare ? It’s with hr and a partner and is 50 minutes in length . Don’t think they’ll ask about my non law background ?

 

[Looper88]

Hi @Amma Usman , I hope you are well! I've just received an invitation to attend Gibson Dunn's first-stage interview with Grad Rec and wondered if you could advise what to expect? I understood from your LinkedIn that you're a future trainee with the firm.

I would be very grateful for your advice!