TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[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'

 

[BobThebIlly]

Thank you for the reply guys -- ill change it to higher

I have one more question about the work experience section. There’s an option to add “other” work experience in a separate box. Should I include my insight schemes there, or would it be better to list them alongside my main work experience entries?

 

[NJS]

If anyone has SPB insights please let me know! I can share Norton Rose, Goodwin, Eversheds, Jones Day, Macfarlanes, Vinson & Elkins

 

[BobThebIlly]

Finally sent my Paul Hastings app -- hopefully we all receive good news soon !!!

 

[wqueens8]

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)

Ignoring other factors like diversity and business etc, i'm really debating over this for my next cycle.

I'm from near the peak district and could easily work in Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds. If it's 40k vs 100k then it's London no brainer. But for the higher paying firms like DLA piper, I'm not sure which to apply to. I'm keen to experience London, but if I can live at home and commute to Sheffield, earning 75k NQ (mind, DLA is an outlier), I would be RAKING IT IN. Could be putting 40k a year into savings/investments/house deposit. Vs earning 110k in London, and just about being comfortable.

 

[thelawstudent]

anyone know when last NRF AC is for SVS? and roughly when we will hear back?

 

[Tintin06]

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'

I feel old with Foundation Science.

 

[splishsplash1234]

Hi, has anyone heard back from Sidley Austin or K&L Gates about their summer vac schemes? Heard nothing since applying. Also anyone heard anything from Hogan Lovells since completing the WG for direct TC?

 

[NJS]

Hi, has anyone heard back from Sidley Austin or K&L Gates about their summer vac schemes? Heard nothing since applying. Also anyone heard anything from Hogan Lovells since completing the WG for direct TC?

Nothing from Sidley

 

[trainee4u]

Ignoring other factors like diversity and business etc, i'm really debating over this for my next cycle.

I'm from near the peak district and could easily work in Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds. If it's 40k vs 100k then it's London no brainer. But for the higher paying firms like DLA piper, I'm not sure which to apply to. I'm keen to experience London, but if I can live at home and commute to Sheffield, earning 75k NQ (mind, DLA is an outlier), I would be RAKING IT IN. Could be putting 40k a year into savings/investments/house deposit. Vs earning 110k in London, and just about being comfortable.

London is very broken, and standards of living in this country have been declining for decades due to the idiots we have governing us.

£75k is £54k take-home, whereas £110k is £72k.

If you're renting that's still a better lifestyle in London, but hours likely to be longer, and in the long term, the price of more substantial property in London is quite insane - it's over £1m for a 3-bed house that was historically for working-class people, and the sort of house that my grandfather would have considered a middle-class property is around £4m, and you're still likely to be mugged for your iphone on the way to work.

 

[lina.b]

Hi, does anyone know some free practice case studies I could use?

 

[Jamil Max]

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 😢.

Are you a student in the UK, or are you already on a Skilled Worker visa? I know many international students who have completed vacation schemes. If you're on a student visa, you can work up to 40 hours per week outside of your university term time. So, if the vacation scheme falls during your holiday period, you wouldn’t need sponsorship.

 

[adrian_nlh]

could somebody please confirm this?

Mishcon got back to everyone for VIs for Summer VS in mid Feb and will get back to everyone who did their VIs sometime this month, if that's helpful to you.

 

[Hana ♥]

anyone know when last NRF AC is for SVS? and roughly when we will hear back?

When I sat it they told us they're holding 8 ACs and that we will hear back by the first week of March, latest second week!

 

[Tintin06]

More law dreams happening to me. This time I'm doing a VS. At the firm 'Vantage & Watkins'. Too much time spent on Vantage.io?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ignoring other factors like diversity and business etc, i'm really debating over this for my next cycle.

I'm from near the peak district and could easily work in Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds. If it's 40k vs 100k then it's London no brainer. But for the higher paying firms like DLA piper, I'm not sure which to apply to. I'm keen to experience London, but if I can live at home and commute to Sheffield, earning 75k NQ (mind, DLA is an outlier), I would be RAKING IT IN. Could be putting 40k a year into savings/investments/house deposit. Vs earning 110k in London, and just about being comfortable.

Salaries are not £40k in the North West if a firm is paying £100k in London.

For instance, DLA is £110k in London and £75k outside of London for an NQ role

CMS is £110k in London and £62k in the North West

Eversheds is £100k in London and £65,500 outside of London

 

[fcac98]

Hi, does anyone know some free practice case studies I could use?

Also looking for this!