TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[jta227]

Im preparing for interview questions in my Assessment Centre next week. What are your go to questions to prep for? I have:

1. Why do you want to be a lawyer
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses
3. Which of our sectors interest you the most
4. How would you pitch our firm to a client (struggling with this if anyone has any advice for structure)
5. What other firms have you applied to and why
6. How do your interests align with our work

I just want to focus on key questions as I have only got a few days to prepare. Any insight will be appreciated!

- Tell me about a time you [overcame a challenge, worked in a team, had to deal with a difficult client, had to explain something to someone, etc.]
- What would you do as a trainee in the [insert area] seat?
- Challenges facing law/the firm
- Tell me about a recent commercial news story that interested you
- Technical questions about M&A, contract, private equity, etc.

 

[fcac98]

- Tell me about a time you [overcame a challenge, worked in a team, had to deal with a difficult client, had to explain something to someone, etc.]
- What would you do as a trainee in the [insert area] seat?
- Challenges facing law/the firm
- Tell me about a recent commercial news story that interested you
- Technical questions about M&A, contract, private equity, etc.

It's difficult because ive prepared an answer for 'a recent commercial news story that interests you', and it overlaps on the 'challenges facing law/the firm'. Do you think it's okay to tailor one overarching issue to both? I've done so much research I think I could answer both using the same example but I wouldnt like them to think that Im just guessing

 

[tc252627]

I’d go the opportunity with your preferred firm. There may be opportunities to move internally after sometimes whether that is to another paralegal role or a TC. If it wasn’t your preferred firm for a TC, then I would say to go for the other opportunity.

Thank you for this Jessica. I’m just a bit anxious because I’ve already signed a contract with the other firm to start in a week. Would this have any negative consequences?

 

[Bread]

It's difficult because ive prepared an answer for 'a recent commercial news story that interests you', and it overlaps on the 'challenges facing law/the firm'. Do you think it's okay to tailor one overarching issue to both? I've done so much research I think I could answer both using the same example but I wouldnt like them to think that Im just guessing

I think as long as you are able to make the answer interesting you’ll be fine. Could always start with something along the lines of “taking the deal/news story I discussed earlier, I think that…” or smth like that

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you for this Jessica. I’m just a bit anxious because I’ve already signed a contract with the other firm to start in a week. Would this have any negative consequences?

Only with the firm you are reneging on - you will effectively be closing the door to that firm for a couple of years.

If you do, I would call them on Monday morning given they will be expecting you to start a week later.

 

[MaryAra299]

I'm so confused. I swear that I didn't use chatgpt. This one paragraph I wrote it on my own to answer the application questions but it's flagging as AI on quillbot and other sites. It's flagging upto around 40-50-80% and I haven't used AI for those. I'm so stressed what should I do? Changing tye words isn't helping

 

[Misty Meanor]

Hi all, does anyone have any experience or information about doing a vac scheme on a skilled workers visa? Would rather not lose out on my dream firm over visa regulations 😢.

 

[MaryAra299]

I have restructured my answer all by myself, copied and pasted on AI detectors like contentai and originalai, and it's coming out as 100% human. However, in quillbot, it's still flagging at 56% ai. Will be grateful for any input on how to deal with it?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all, does anyone have any experience or information about doing a vac scheme on a skilled workers visa? Would rather not lose out on my dream firm over visa regulations 😢.

Unfortunately this is highly unlikely for a number of reasons.

1) You'd be limited to 20 hours a week. For anything over 20 hours a week, you'd need to be sponsored by that employer too.

2) It would need to be in an eligible role for a skilled visa, which an internship is unlikely to meet.

Most people I know on skilled visas have not been able to proceed with an internship unfortunately.

 

[Misty Meanor]

Unfortunately this is highly unlikely for a number of reasons.

1) You'd be limited to 20 hours a week. For anything over 20 hours a week, you'd need to be sponsored by that employer too.

2) It would need to be in an eligible role for a skilled visa, which an internship is unlikely to meet.

Most people I know on skilled visas have not been able to proceed with an internship unfortunately.

Oh no

 

[trainee4u]

I have restructured my answer all by myself, copied and pasted on AI detectors like contentai and originalai, and it's coming out as 100% human. However, in quillbot, it's still flagging at 56% ai. Will be grateful for any input on how to deal with it?

I'm so confused. I swear that I didn't use chatgpt. This one paragraph I wrote it on my own to answer the application questions but it's flagging as AI on quillbot and other sites. It's flagging upto around 40-50-80% and I haven't used AI for those. I'm so stressed what should I do? Changing tye words isn't helping

Bit confused.

Sounds like you used AI for some parts of your answer(s) and not for others? Not quite clear from your post.

Firstly, some firms encourage the use of AI, others don't mention it, while others do prohibit it. However, I'm not sure that AI checks are likely to extend beyond simply rejecting obviously (to a human) AI-written content.

In addition, this is not an exam, so there is no Turnitin score to meet. Firms will toss your application for unpredictable reasons and there's nothing you can do about that - they get thousands of applications and must reject 99%. I would not even consider checking my answers with an AI detector if they were hand-written, and probably not if they were. It's just not something to worry about.

 

[MaryAra299]

Bit confused.

Sounds like you used AI for some parts of your answer(s) and not for others? Not quite clear from your post.

Firstly, some firms encourage the use of AI, others don't mention it, while others do prohibit it. However, I'm not sure that AI checks are likely to extend beyond simply rejecting obviously (to a human) AI-written content.

In addition, this is not an exam, so there is no Turnitin score to meet. Firms will toss your application for unpredictable reasons and there's nothing you can do about that - they get thousands of applications and must reject 99%. I would not even consider checking my answers with an AI detector if they were hand-written, and probably not if they were. It's just not something to worry about.

I used Ai for ideas on what's going on in the industry, what are the biggest business deals currently and I also used Google articles for those. But I didn't copy and paste anything, just took ideas from chatgpt and Google articles. In other sites it's not getting flagged now but only in quillbot it is, what can be tye possible reason?

 

[allenpopi]

I used Ai for ideas on what's going on in the industry, what are the biggest business deals currently and I also used Google articles for those. But I didn't copy and paste anything, just took ideas from chatgpt and Google articles. In other sites it's not getting flagged now but only in quillbot it is, what can be tye possible reason?

I used AI in most of my applications to meet the word limits and I passed the initial screening in most of my applications like over 60% , so I wouldn't stress about it. Just make sure to check the ai-use policies and if firms prohibit it

 

[trainee4u]

I used Ai for ideas on what's going on in the industry, what are the biggest business deals currently and I also used Google articles for those. But I didn't copy and paste anything, just took ideas from chatgpt and Google articles. In other sites it's not getting flagged now but only in quillbot it is, what can be tye possible reason?

just ignore it, a lot of these tools are garbage.

 

[rapunzel]

just ignore it, a lot of these tools are garbage.

Yeah I second this, even when I wrote my own answers and put it through these detectors out of curiosity it would always flag up parts of it. It's impossible to pass these detectors because AI is getting smarter and is meant to replicate how we think as humans. Sometimes these tools just flag up certain styles of writing as AI like using ; and - a lot will get it flagged up. Don't worry about it.

 

[Laur2cj]

If anyone has any insights into the SPB AC or Hill Dickinson VI, I would be grateful - if so, please dm - thanks!

 

[BobThebIlly]

Hey everyone, I have a quick question that might sound a bit silly. I'm filling out an application that asks for the level of study for my GCSEs, and the options are: higher, foundation, intermediate, and double award.

What should I select for subjects like English Literature, English Language, and others that didn’t specify a level?

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

Hey everyone, I have a quick question that might sound a bit silly. I'm filling out an application that asks for the level of study for my GCSEs, and the options are: higher, foundation, intermediate, and double award.

What should I select for subjects like English Literature, English Language, and others that didn’t specify a level?

They will be higher.

You will know if you were entered into a lower scoring gcse. Highers mean that the grades will go up to a 9 or A* so I would assume they are the ones you entered.

 

[floral.tcla]

I find the ‘why this office’ questions so annoying. I get why law firms ask. But also, my legitimate answer and 99% of my rationale is: “I live in London” lol

nah cos respectfully why would people take a 40k salary in the north over 100k for the job at the exact same firm in London (obviously I get that ppl may want to stay in the north but as a northerner myself I want GTFO and move to London esp cos it's busy and wayyyy more diverse - and the money is not bad either lol)

 

[trainee4u]

They will be higher.

You will know if you were entered into a lower scoring gcse. Highers mean that the grades will go up to a 9 or A* so I would assume they are the ones you entered.

Just to clarify:

• in the past some GCSEs had a choice between foundation, intermediate and higher, but intermediate has been eliminated
• now some subjects require teachers to choose between foundation or higher, where it is impossible to get respectively the highest and lowest grades when sitting that paper, while others are classed as untiered, meaning the same paper is sat by all candidates, and all outcomes (1-9) are possible.
• an untiered paper is neither foundation nor higher. In this scenario it's an error by the form designers, who have failed to keep track with reforms from 10 years ago. If the form is provided by a third party, I'd send them an email asking them to correct their form, but I'd ultimately just choose 'higher'