TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[👩🎓]

you don’t need to actually submit the cover letters lmao.

They have specifically asked for a CV and cover letter in order to submit the application. It's not via a portal it's a submission over email.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I see, thank you!!

As @Amma Usman has said. This should not be an issue, especially given the scheme is likely to conclude by the time you have the NI number and when you get paid.

I do stress to international candidates who are getting to final round stages, especially late on or close to schemes starting, or when they start applying for jobs after graduation, it’s probably best to apply for an NI number earlier on rather than waiting until you have a job offer just to make these processes a little easier/less stressful.

 

[BillSikes]

They have specifically asked for a CV and cover letter in order to submit the application. It's not via a portal it's a submission over email.

Honestly unless it is physically mandatory to submit the application with cover letter I wouldn’t write one. If it was mandatory I would simply not bother. This is just my opinion and experience in paralegal app process.

 

[MR10]

I am currently a graduate working as a paralegal for the past 6 months. I achieved a 2.1 from a non russell group uni. I have a decent amount of legal and non legal work experience. Is it worth applying for direct TCs? Any help is appreciated. @Jessica Booker

 

[helenaskelton]

Holding email from CRS made tooo excited I thought I got a VI 🥹

Have they sent all their VIs out now?

 

[helenaskelton]

Has anyone who got a holding email from CRS heard back post-app?

No...do we assume PFO

 

[wanttosolicit]

HL and Sidley interview invitations..!

 

[James Wakefield]

Anything from Forsters post-AC?

 

[milawalton]

HL and Sidley interview invitations..!

Did you just get this? and was it for the spring or summer vac scheme?

 

[NJS]

HL and Sidley interview invitations..!

Sidley for summer?

 

[lawbear123]

has anyone gotten Bristows first round but is unable to book a slot?

 

[legallycurly]

HL and Sidley interview invitations..!

Congrats!! For HL, is this for DTC or VS?

 

[lou1707]

Birketts vac scheme offer 🙈

Update: they’re rescinding the offer because I’m on a student visa and can’t do more than 20 hours. I’m actually heartbroken. Please if @Jessica Booker or anyone has an idea of what I could do it would be greatly appreciated (I already emailed my uni to know if there’s anyway they could accommodate my term times around the vac scheme)

 

[wanttosolicit]

Did you just get this? and was it for the spring or summer vac scheme?

Sidley for summer?

Congrats!! For HL, is this for DTC or VS?

Sidley Spring & Summer and HL Summer
Sidley applied September and HL applied deadline

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

More or less the same application. Lots of grammar issues fixed (hopefully).

Interesting, I also was rejected post-TI for the VS so wasn’t sure whether to reapply/couldn’t decide if I needed to rewrite some answers (like my commercial issue one for example) for the sake of the application being different or if it was a waste of time

 

[bluescarf]

Hi, does anyone have any advice for how to stand out in a cover letter (this is for a DTC app)? I've never had to do one for a law firm before. They've given a few pointers i.e. why this firm/office/why a career in law, but I'm struggling with sounding quite generic (I feel!)

Hi bumping this, @Andrei Radu @Amma Usman

 

[NJS]

Sidley Spring & Summer and HL Summer
Sidley applied September and HL applied deadline

Worth the wait then since September haha, hoping I’m the same! Best of luck 🤞🏻

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

Hi bumping this, @Andrei Radu @Amma Usman

The cover letter is usually only a page of A4 so actually covering those 3 things requires careful drafting. As for being generic sometimes it can be but the why law as a career can really only come from your experiences that led you to law and also why the firm too ro some extent. Unless there is some real niche area that you have a strong affinity with your why firm will be similar to other people's by its very nature of being what about them attracts people to want to work there.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Update: they’re rescinding the offer because I’m on a student visa and can’t do more than 20 hours. I’m actually heartbroken. Please if @Jessica Booker or anyone has an idea of what I could do it would be greatly appreciated (I already emailed my uni to know if there’s anyway they could accommodate my term times around the vac scheme)

I am sorry to hear this situation - it is frustrating when these situations can occur especially so late on in the recruitment process.

The first thing to mention is that the firm won't need to rescind as such, it will be more than the terms of the offer cannot be met. I just want to make this clear as I don't want people to panic that other offers could easily be rescinded.

Are you graduating this year or will your course be carrying on into the next academic year? I ask as if you are graduating from the course this summer it may be possible to move to this internship visa if the firm is happy to cover the costs of this: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/firm-accreditations/tier-5-gae-scheme. However, you will need to consider your general visa status as a student, as I am fairly sure you can only have one visa valid at one time, and therefore it maybe too complicated to move from a student visa to this visa and then back again.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Do people have tips on connecting with trainees/ future trainees on linkedin?
I'm sending connections but I feel like if people don't know you they're unlikely to accept? Would you recommend sending a message with the connection invite (also bearing in mind you can only do that for 5 invites a month).

Tips welcome!!

I recommend trying to find people you have some kind of connection with where you can.

That connection could be that you went to the same university or especially if you are a non-law candidate, maybe you have studied the same subject as them.

It maybe that you have a mutual connection on LinkedIn or follow the same interests (e.g. maybe you see they have made an interesting comment on someone else's LinkedIn content).