TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
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Holding myself accountable (Morgan Lewis rejection)
CC* ✅📝❌
HSF ✅📝❌
NRF ✅📝❌
Weil ✅❌
Akin ✅❌
Sidley ✅❌
Orrick ✅
Willkie ✅🎥❌
Cooley ✅❌
Latham ✅❌
Milbank ✅
Kirkland ✅❌
Dechert ✅❌
Skadden ✅❌
Goodwin ✅❌
Covington ✅❌
Linklaters* ✅📝❌
Paul, Weiss ✅❌
Slaughters* ✅❌
Freshfields* ✅📝❌
Fried Frank* ✅
Gibson Dunn ✅
Macfarlanes* ✅📝
White & Case ✅❌
Morgan Lewis ✅📞❌
Paul Hastings* ✅
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; 📞 = telephone interview; 🎥 = video interview; ❌ = rejection.
*Training Contract applications.
This rejection was honestly pretty tough. I felt the TI went well. I guess that wasn't the case.
CC* ✅📝❌
HSF ✅📝❌
NRF ✅📝❌
Weil ✅❌
Akin ✅❌
Sidley ✅❌
Orrick ✅
Willkie ✅🎥❌
Cooley ✅❌
Latham ✅❌
Milbank ✅
Kirkland ✅❌
Dechert ✅❌
Skadden ✅❌
Goodwin ✅❌
Covington ✅❌
Linklaters* ✅📝❌
Paul, Weiss ✅❌
Slaughters* ✅❌
Freshfields* ✅📝❌
Fried Frank* ✅
Gibson Dunn ✅
Macfarlanes* ✅📝
White & Case ✅❌
Morgan Lewis ✅📞❌
Paul Hastings* ✅
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; 📞 = telephone interview; 🎥 = video interview; ❌ = rejection.
*Training Contract applications.
This rejection was honestly pretty tough. I felt the TI went well. I guess that wasn't the case.
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Same for Morgan Lewis, just got the PFO 2 mins ago...
Yes I think you are right, they said they will get back to all of us by 28th febthe deadline is wednesday next week so i wouldn't expect anything this week
@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu (and anyone please chime in if you can help, even if its only relating to a part of my question!!!!)
I apologize in advance for the long message. I just feel very lost and disheartened at the moment.
I just got rejected following my only AC, and I really dont know what to do anymore. It was my only AC and I'm unsure at all how to move forward , especially as I'm an international student, meaning I wont be able to stay in the UK after I graduate next year, if I dont have anything secured, also due to cost issues.
Would you please be able to give me some advice moving forward? I have a great deal of anxiety that I might not even get to an AC next year, and that this year's was only because 1. I had a mentoring scheme relating to the firm and 2. I had mitigating circumstances for my poor first year grades.
I do not have any open days/ mentoring schemes relating to any other firms, so I'm worried that just like this year, I wont get any ACs for those firms next year either, and the only firm for which I had a lot to speak about, is the one that reject me after the AC. It was also one of the few (non US) firms that didn't use a video interview or the SJT, and I'm notoriously bad at those.
I am also worried that if I fall back on my second year grades, it will make it even more challenging for me to acquire one.
Besides these concerns, I have a few specific questions:
Would u please tell me whether I can apply next year to the same firm, which is Freshfields,given I was rejected at AC stage, and if I do, will I be given any sort of exception to the Watson Glaser test?
I also want to ask whether I can continue using my same personal statement given it allowed me to pass the application stage, and if not, how must I show changes? can I still retain some parts of it?
Am I allowed to apply to the winter vacation scheme? every firm I applied to was for the 2025 summer vacation scheme, and I want to know whether the 2025 winter vacation scheme counts as something in the next cycle? I'm particularly worried because some firms only allow second year students for summer vac schemes.
What can I do to improve my applications next year, and show progress?
Would it be recommended for me to apply to direct TCs next year, or should I stick to vac schemes?
Are there any alternative options I should keep open right now, in the event that I dont manage to secure a 2028 one? I'm thinking along the lines of masters or other legal jobs, like teaching, but I'm not sure how feasible this is? is there anything else I could be looking at?
and just one more thing, would it be silly to maybe respond to the rejection email requesting to be reconsidered for this cycle in case of any drop outs or changes?
I know this is a lot of questions, and I apologise again. As an international student who is under a sort of time pressure , ive been feeling really anxious and like I blew my only chance. Any advice would be appreciated, and I hope this is useful for anyone else in a similar situation!!
I apologize in advance for the long message. I just feel very lost and disheartened at the moment.
I just got rejected following my only AC, and I really dont know what to do anymore. It was my only AC and I'm unsure at all how to move forward , especially as I'm an international student, meaning I wont be able to stay in the UK after I graduate next year, if I dont have anything secured, also due to cost issues.
Would you please be able to give me some advice moving forward? I have a great deal of anxiety that I might not even get to an AC next year, and that this year's was only because 1. I had a mentoring scheme relating to the firm and 2. I had mitigating circumstances for my poor first year grades.
I do not have any open days/ mentoring schemes relating to any other firms, so I'm worried that just like this year, I wont get any ACs for those firms next year either, and the only firm for which I had a lot to speak about, is the one that reject me after the AC. It was also one of the few (non US) firms that didn't use a video interview or the SJT, and I'm notoriously bad at those.
I am also worried that if I fall back on my second year grades, it will make it even more challenging for me to acquire one.
Besides these concerns, I have a few specific questions:
Would u please tell me whether I can apply next year to the same firm, which is Freshfields,given I was rejected at AC stage, and if I do, will I be given any sort of exception to the Watson Glaser test?
I also want to ask whether I can continue using my same personal statement given it allowed me to pass the application stage, and if not, how must I show changes? can I still retain some parts of it?
Am I allowed to apply to the winter vacation scheme? every firm I applied to was for the 2025 summer vacation scheme, and I want to know whether the 2025 winter vacation scheme counts as something in the next cycle? I'm particularly worried because some firms only allow second year students for summer vac schemes.
What can I do to improve my applications next year, and show progress?
Would it be recommended for me to apply to direct TCs next year, or should I stick to vac schemes?
Are there any alternative options I should keep open right now, in the event that I dont manage to secure a 2028 one? I'm thinking along the lines of masters or other legal jobs, like teaching, but I'm not sure how feasible this is? is there anything else I could be looking at?
and just one more thing, would it be silly to maybe respond to the rejection email requesting to be reconsidered for this cycle in case of any drop outs or changes?
I know this is a lot of questions, and I apologise again. As an international student who is under a sort of time pressure , ive been feeling really anxious and like I blew my only chance. Any advice would be appreciated, and I hope this is useful for anyone else in a similar situation!!
HSF ac! Please can anyone who have been to one or have any tips to give please Pm me! I would really really appreciate it! Thank you )
)The thing is they said Wed 28th Feb 😭 so is it acc Wed or Friday…Yes I think you are right, they said they will get back to all of us by 28th feb
Inspired by the great Tintin to give an update! Basically, I posted the list below (the post I replied to) on Monday; since then, I have received a PFO from TLT, NRF (post-vi), BCLP (post-vi), and Morgan Lewis (post-ti)... Therefore, 65 applications, 48 rejections, 1 offer, and 16 pending (8 realistically speaking):
Firms I am assuming PFOs for because people have progressed [some even received offers]: Morrison Foerster, Shoosmiths, DACB [horrible percentile in critical thinking feedback], RPC [73% though on WG], Latham & Watkins [still alive?], Linklaters [low percentile in WG], Orrick [didn't receive the WG], Paynes Hicks Beach [honestly don't even remember why I applied to this to begin with 😂]
Basically, the only firms pending thus far with a realistic potential are the following:
1.Greenberg Traurig (TC)
2. Howes Spercival
3. Withers (TC)
4. Simmons and Simmons
5. Ropes & Gray
6. UN Legal Affairs Intern
7. Katten
8. King & Spalding
Firms I am assuming PFOs for because people have progressed [some even received offers]: Morrison Foerster, Shoosmiths, DACB [horrible percentile in critical thinking feedback], RPC [73% though on WG], Latham & Watkins [still alive?], Linklaters [low percentile in WG], Orrick [didn't receive the WG], Paynes Hicks Beach [honestly don't even remember why I applied to this to begin with 😂]
Basically, the only firms pending thus far with a realistic potential are the following:
1.Greenberg Traurig (TC)
2. Howes Spercival
3. Withers (TC)
4. Simmons and Simmons
5. Ropes & Gray
6. UN Legal Affairs Intern
7. Katten
8. King & Spalding
Don't feel disheartened! It's a really though process and acceptance rate at almost every single firm is at 1-3% so it's extremely competitive... It isn't about you specifically, it's just that at the end of the day, we are say 2000 to apply to one firm and they only have 15 spots, even if you made it to the top 16, you wouldn't get a place, so it all goes down to luck sadly... At the end of the day, you only need one firm...
I don't have the answers to all of your questions, but what I do know is that, at least that's what I would do if I don't manage to secure anything, you could apply to University of Law (or BP university) and study their LLM in SQE 1 & 2, and subsequently pass the SQE in order to at least secure that... Now of course, having a training contract would be a lot more advantageous as they would fund your studies, but if you are financially able to, I think me personally that's what I am going to do... Because technically if you apply for a graduate visa (which is two years), it's going to run from the time you graduate from your LLB technically... So if you graduate in 2026, you'll have until 2028 to secure something... On the other hand, if you do the LLM, you 1) would've passed the SQE and 2) can apply at the end of your LLM for the Graduate Visa, so basically until 2029... (BTW SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I AM MISTAKEN IN THAT REGARD PLEASE, BECAUSE IDK IF IM 100% CORRECT)And then in the meantime, while passing the SQE and LLM, try to apply and also try to refine your applications further! PM me if you want, as I found a technique that really worked for me later on (which I wish I knew sooner and which helped me secure a VS at HFW this summer)...
Again, don't be disheartened, it's really though and really really competitive, so it isn't specifically you! Also, depending on where you are originally from or where you live, perhaps you may also try to apply for some sort of legal experience (depends on where that is though because getting something in Dubai is a lot easier than getting something if you live in Germany or France for instance...)
PM me if you want!
EDIT: also, me personally I would recommend applying to VS instead of DTC unless you really have a lot of legal experience (advice given to me from a 2nd year trainee); unless the firm specifically says that you wouldn't be eligible to apply..
PS. I am re-reading this and realising that it doesn't necessarily make so much sense, so apologies
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Hi! I got 20/36 on an SJT for Paul, Weiss and I got invited to interview. I guess it depends on how much importance the firm places on the test, but I don’t think it is an automatic PFO.
I also felt I did well at the TI so feel you - would’ve been interesting to get feedback on it but they don’t offer it which I think is so poor.
Not sure how the US D.E.I. situation affects that, the issues you’re mentioning about VIs exist regardless of that
Adding to @jacksollaf 's point on graduate visa, you can only use it once so i would suggest either (1) do graduate visa and try to gain more experience during the two years, and hopefully secure a TC before it expires, if not you can do SQE LLM then; or (2) do SQE LLM after undergrad, then apply for graduate visa. But that won't necessarily happen as you will definitely get better next cycle! It's already a massive achievement getting to AC during your second year so don't feel disheartened!
Of the two options, I did (1) because I don't want to self fund SQE and gain some paralegal experience. But it is slightly riskier because a lot of paralegal roles require SQE 1(LPC back when I graduated). So it may take longer than expected to get a job. But I think for VS/TC apps work experiences are more valuable in comparison to passing the SQE. It can also give you more edge for DTC apps.
Feel free to PM me as well re graduate visa or securing paralegal roles!
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