TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Miss Chocolate]

I have responded via PM.

Thank you so so much 😭 you are amazing.

Also sorry for the long reply I have just sent!!

 

[saminoriya]

thanks for this, can i ask if it is a report or a letter/ email?

it was report for me. I think it is usually a report because I recall them mentioning it on their website.

 

[Miss Chocolate]

Wow congratulations that’s impressive! Do you have any application/interview tips? I find paralegal roles are also quite competitive 😫

Thank you so much!! I will reply to this after work feel free to message me if I forget but I am sure I won't lol

 

[jta227]

Thank you so much!! I will reply to this after work feel free to message me if I forget but I am sure I won't lol

Also could use some advice on that matter, I need a job 😭
Congrats on your 2 paralegal offers!

 

[Cool pigeon]

Anyone heard back from slaughters DTC? If so how long did it take?

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Bit of an odd question I was hoping you (or someone else) could help with! I'm a career changer currently working in a non-law corporate job. If I changed jobs within an application cycle or process (but staying in the same industry I'm looking to eventually move out of), would firms look down on this or see it as a red flag? For example, if my application form had one job down, but I was in a different job come the Vacation Scheme.

No - this would not be seen as a red flag as it is expected that people change jobs. It would only be if there were lots of changes (e.g. lots of short stints in various roles in a matter of months) that firms would be curious as to why you had changed jobs so often. This is because they are concerned there are either performance issues or you aren't very committed to each role (and therefore might have the same approach with them).

 

[lawbear123]

to those whove given the bristows first round.... what even....

 

[YW113380]

Does anyone have any advice on how to prepare for an interview at Sidley/ insight into the structure of the interview?

 

[tianna09]

HL pfo post wg, i expected it tbh. onwards and upwards i guess lol

 

[trainee4u]

Finally received PFO from Linklaters Singapore after 3 months and six days. Poor on their part tbh, not a word of contact in between.

 

[londonlawyer]

In a bit of a conundrum. I have received a VS offer but am still waiting to hear back from Paul, Weiss after the Interivew for the summer vacation scheme. Although I chose the dates that don't conflict with P,W's scheme, I have been offered the scheme that does conflict with P,W. I sent P,W an email last week requesting an update, but no response yet. Would it be advisable to email P,W again? Or should I just accept the offer I have now and then ask to be put on a different scheme depending on the outcome at P,W? @Jessica Booker could you please advise me?

 

[OrangeCherry1800]

Anyone heard back from OC after AC?

 

[Andrei Radu]

In a bit of a conundrum. I have received a VS offer but am still waiting to hear back from Paul, Weiss after the Interivew for the summer vacation scheme. Although I chose the dates that don't conflict with P,W's scheme, I have been offered the scheme that does conflict with P,W. I sent P,W an email last week requesting an update, but no response yet. Would it be advisable to email P,W again? Or should I just accept the offer I have now and then ask to be put on a different scheme depending on the outcome at P,W? @Jessica Booker could you please advise me?

I would first try to just ask the firm you have been first offered VS from whether you could be moved to another scheme. There's a good chance they might, in which case your issue will be resolved, in that there will be no conflict even if Paul, Weiss makes you an offer. In case the firm responds that thy cannot do so at the moment, I would accept the current offer and then see what you can do after you get a response from Paul, Weiss. It is quite possible that even if the other firm cannot accommodate a change of date now, by the time of your scheme people will drop out/request change of date, in which case you will be able to switch then. Worst case scenario, where there is no flexibility on either side, you can simply withdraw from the scheme of the firm you are less interested in and try to negotiate a change to a direct TC assessment with them.

 

[londonlawyer]

I would first try to just ask the firm you have been first offered VS from whether you could be moved to another scheme. There's a good chance they might, in which case your issue will be resolved, in that there will be no conflict even if Paul, Weiss makes you an offer. In case the firm responds that thy cannot do so at the moment, I would accept the current offer and then see what you can do after you get a response from Paul, Weiss. It is quite possible that even if the other firm cannot accommodate a change of date now, by the time of your scheme people will drop out/request change of date, in which case you will be able to switch then. Worst case scenario, where there is no flexibility on either side, you can simply withdraw from the scheme of the firm you are less interested in and try to negotiate a change to a direct TC assessment with them.

Thanks Andrei

 

[boots]

Is this Dechert's standard PFO?

"Your application and written assessment were of a good standard and we would welcome an application from you in the next recruitment cycle, should you choose to apply again."

 

[Miss Chocolate]

Wow congratulations that’s impressive! Do you have any application/interview tips? I find paralegal roles are also quite competitive 😫

@jta227

Hi guys! Please keep in mind I literally had no strategy for this and I kind of just kept trying until I got something! Also I am very new to jobs and the world of work so I am not sure my approach is necessarily advisable.

There's a couple of ways to go about this. I know some of my friends emailed their CVs to high street firms near them. You could also check on LinkedIn and apply as soon as vacancies are posted. Applying ASAP is good because they start interviewing really early. It's not like TCs.

Having some kind of experience helps, but I know people who got into paralegal roles without prior law firm experience. I have been admin at a law firm though so I am not one of the lucky few. To get my admin law job, instead of just submitting the CV, I called the recruiter and pitched myself. It worked, he got me the interview. Then, I used agencies to apply for paralegal roles. The Law Support Group were pretty good, but again, I had to call them because I kept sending my CVs and no-one was getting back to me. I think if you can have a good chat with someone on the phone, it can speed things up. Also I have been ghosted loads so expect that. Send them a follow-up email and see if anyone comes back. Look for in-house paralegal vacancies too for the major employers in your areas.

Re interview, the standard advice on this forum is probably much better than anything I can come up with 😭😭

Best of luck!!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Browne Jacobson telephone interview for london office

Any insights would be very very appreciated. @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman

From what I have read on this interview experience post on it, it seems it will be mostly based on:

1. General competency questions
2. The big motivational questions (why commercial law, why firm, why me)
3. Applications strategy/competitors-based questions

As such, my advice would be to have well-prepared answers for those. Also, try to practice articulating them and take care to (i) be structured and clear (as it is more difficult to make out what a person is saying without any visual input) and (ii) to not go on average beyond around 2 minutes or so per question - with phone interviews, there is normally both a set list of questions the firm expects answers on and a set time limit that they will not exceed.

 

[User5678]

From what I have read on this interview experience post on it, it seems it will be mostly based on:

1. General competency questions
2. The big motivational questions (why commercial law, why firm, why me)
3. Applications strategy/competitors-based questions

As such, my advice would be to have well-prepared answers for those. Also, try to practice articulating them and take care to (i) be structured and clear (as it is more difficult to make out what a person is saying without any visual input) and (ii) to not go on average beyond around 2 minutes or so per question - with phone interviews, there is normally both a set list of questions the firm expects answers on and a set time limit that they will not exceed.

Amazing, thank you so much Andrei, this is very helpful and I will keep it in mind

On the competitors ques, how to answer that in the best way for Browne Jacobson? Is it correct to take the sector based approach and then the similar size based approach in order to determine competitors?

 

[Chris Brown]

This might sound like a silly question, but how do people prepare for VS? How do you know what to do during a VS? Is there anything that I should be doing now in advance of a VS? I haven’t worked in a city law firm before so I’m starting to overthink this whole process lmao. Any advice would be appreciated. Please help. 🥲🥲

@Andrei Radu @Amma Usman @Ram Sabaratnam​

 

[B101]

@Andrei Radu @Amma Usman @Ram Sabaratnam

Hi all. I’ve applied to around 15 firms this cycle, had 2 AC’s but didn’t convert any and also completed a vac scheme last year. My only resort is to apply for direct TC’s now.

I’m not sure of how to change my strategy going forward as it seems to be hit or miss with drafting applications/ tests/ interviews. Do you have any tips on developing my commercial awareness or anything to better my strategy for the whole process of direct applications going forward?