TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[James Wakefield]

Hi all. If you've got a VS at a firm which only do Spring (or make TC offers after Spring), are they likely to hold any TC offers open if you have summer VS's too? Surely they're going to understand you want to complete those too? Thanks!

 

[Aww06]

Has anyone done an interview with Aspiring Solicitors before? I am slightly confused by the group format of the interview for the Ethnicity Pathway Programme.

Has anyone done an interview with Aspiring Solicitors before? I am slightly confused by the group format of the interview for the Ethnicity Pathway Programme.

Please when did they let you know you’ve progressed? And congratulations!

 

[juanitasimi]

Has anyone done an interview with Aspiring Solicitors before? I am slightly confused by the group format of the interview for the Ethnicity Pathway Programme.

Yeah its so weird the format....

 

[zoobla20]

Hi @zoobla20 just jumping in before @Jessica Booker can come back to you, in my view you should apply for vacation schemes rather than direct TCs unless one of the three following conditions apply:

1. You have more extensive experience working in the legal field (paralegal roles, previous vacation schemes etc)
2. The specific firm is known to recruit a substantial part/majority of its cohort from the direct TC track
3. You have specific visa requirements barring you from VS applications

A final exception is in my opinion for the case of lesser-known/smaller UK-based firms, where I have heard of more "speculative" TC applications succeeding. However, if you want to pursue that track I would still aim to have at least some legal work experience, even if it is just in the form of Forage Virtual Internships.

Hi Andrei,

Thanks for your reply - I appreciate it.

I definitely don't have experience within the legal field apart from completing around 3 Forage experiences/informal legal shadowing. I'm only asking this as I've now been rejected from all the VS applications I made (around 8) and thought it might be worth doing some TC apps before concluding the end of my cycle for this year?

What do you think?

Thanks!

 

[simplyfaith]

Has anyone done an interview with Aspiring Solicitors before? I am slightly confused by the group format of the interview for the Ethnicity Pathway Programme.

I did a group interview with them for their Astrazeneca work experience a while back. It was really strange (I also didn't get through 🤣). If it's anything like then, there are about four of you in a zoom call and they go around each person asking the first question, then the next, etc. The questions themselves are pretty standard. They pitch the format as though it's for your sake, to practice speaking with company. Though, I can't see it being for any other reason than to save time lmao

 

[EA95]

5 weeks since taking the test, surely they could let me know by now?!

I’m on the same boat as you lool.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi Andrei,

Thanks for your reply - I appreciate it.

I definitely don't have experience within the legal field apart from completing around 3 Forage experiences/informal legal shadowing. I'm only asking this as I've now been rejected from all the VS applications I made (around 8) and thought it might be worth doing some TC apps before concluding the end of my cycle for this year?

What do you think?

Thanks!

While in general direct TC applications are more competitive than VS applications, I think you should go for it. I know people with similar levels of legal experience who managed to secure TCs in this way - perhaps partly because most people concentrate all of their applications efforts in the VS cycle and ignore summer opportunities, thus making them comparatively less competitive. Just make sure to select firms that are know to recruit substantial numbers from the direct track and ideally ones who do not explicitly state that they expect applicants to have substantial legal work experience.

Finally, although this is slightly unrelated, if you find yourself starting another VS applications cycle next year, I would definitely advise you to target more than 8 firms (unless you have very specific practice area interests or time limit issues). I think the "it's a numbers game" saying holds to some extent and that you therefore want to submit as many high quality applications as possible.

 

[elena11]

I have seen that some people received vacation scheme offers from Debevoise. If other applicants have not heard back, does it mean that they were rejected?

Maybe not! They could still be getting around

 

[lawgraduate]

If anyone is waiting to hear back from CRS Guilford, this is the email I received today: 'We are still in the process of reviewing the video interview submissions for our Guildford Placement Scheme. We have another placement scheme and a couple of assessment centres commencing at a similar time which has contributed to a slower decision-making process than we would have hoped for.'

 

[billyonthespeeddial]

I have seen that some people received vacation scheme offers from Debevoise. If other applicants have not heard back, does it mean that they were rejected?

There is a high chance they have made all of their offers for now, but the deadline for accepting a place on the Vacation Scheme is this Friday. You may be on a "On Hold" list in case anyone turns it down.

 

[dolchii]

Has anyone heard from Gateley Birmingham post VI? Starting to wonder if it's a PFO...

 

[ish12345]

I did a group interview with them for their Astrazeneca work experience a while back. It was really strange (I also didn't get through 🤣). If it's anything like then, there are about four of you in a zoom call and they go around each person asking the first question, then the next, etc. The questions themselves are pretty standard. They pitch the format as though it's for your sake, to practice speaking with company. Though, I can't see it being for any other reason than to save time lmao

Thanks! Was there any kind of speaking to others or commenting on anyone else's answers or was it very much just like a one-to-one interview except you hear other peoples answers?

 

[Corporate.penny]

Has anyone heard back from Reed Smith today? (Offers and rejections)

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi @Andrei Radu for in person interviews how did you go about remembering all of your answers before the interview and how long did you spend going over it all? I feel like its impossible for me to retain so much information and then be able to think of it all up on the spot!

Hi @Lawlife5 this is a great question and I do empathize with your struggle. My answer is that I did not did not memorize all of my answers and I do not think you should aim to either. In truth, I did not exactly memorize any given answer. I initially tried to for the big three motivational questions (why commercial law, why firm, why me) but then I realized that (i) I would sound really robotic when saying them; and (ii) I would often end up forgetting bits of the exact wording, which would then detract my entire performance. As such, I gave up word-for-word memorization and settled for memorizing a basic structure and the ideas and examples I wanted to express. This took significantly less time and as I practiced I also found out that on-the-spot articulation sounded a lot better. I would recommend you take the same approach for a selection of questions you consider very likely to come up (which I don't think should be more than 10-15 in total).

Besides these, I do not think you should aim to memorize answers at all. You are unlikely to be able to prepare structured memorized answers for the hundreds of possible variations and iterations of questions you may encounter in an interview. Moreover, if you did so the mindset you would enter the interview room with would be problematic, as you would be looking to interpret the interviewer's questions in a way that fits you pre-prepared scripts. Thus, you would be running a higher risk of hearing what you want to hear and actually not answering the real questions at all.

I still think you should prepare for them by (a) writing a long list of potential questions down; then (b) writing down short bullet pointed ideas describing how you would respond; and (c) practicing articulating as many of them as possible. This will help you achieve the most important thing, which is to develop your interview skillset. Part of this skillset includes deep knowledge of one's experiences and achievements, and ability to describe them in a flexible manner to pick out particular aspects and draw out the desired themes and inferences in the context, and an ability to formulate thoughts on the spot in an articulate manner. By preparing in this way, you will have a higher chance of being able to deal well with any given interview question, whether you have thought of it before or not.

 

[lawbro]

anyone heard from bakers summer ac (offers and rejections)

 

[simplyfaith]

Thanks! Was there any kind of speaking to others or commenting on anyone else's answers or was it very much just like a one-to-one interview except you hear other peoples answers?

One-to-one where you happen to hear other people's answers, exactly. It was similar to their CAC quarter-finals in that sense, actually. With that in mind, you could tailor your responses to stand out based on what others might've said before you (e.g. to avoid sounding like a carbon copy), but that's just a thought of mine. That's also assuming it'll be the same. Best of luck 🙏

 

[Corporate.penny]

Has anyone heard back from Reed Smith today? (Offers and rejections) it’s been almost a month now.

 

[Gr33n]

Has anyone heard back from Reed Smith today? (Offers and rejections) it’s been almost a month now.

Nah I think some ppl have got offers and ACs tho already

 

[abbiewhitlock03]

Stephenson Harwood assessment invite! Does anyone know if this is automatic?

Also does anyone have tips for the video interview, as I am notoriously awful at them (flashbacks to Weil VI...). Thank you!

 

[S7321]

SH virtual assessment! Does anyone know if there's any other stages after this?