TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[BillSikes]

The top 20 is dominated by Magic and Silver Circle firms which all pay £100-£110k to their trainees and offer grants of £15-20k. It can’t be HL or NRF either as they offer similar amounts to future trainees. That’s at least 10 firms out of question, which leaves 10. 🤔

It is unlikely to be Addleshaw Goddard, CMS, Simmons & Simmons, Taylor Wessing, Osborne Clarke or Pinsent Masons as they also offer around £100k+ to trainees across their training contract. All these firms are top 20 UK law firms. 🙂

The only firms it could be is one of these firms: Bird & Bird, Clyde & Co, Eversheds Sutherland or RPC. I suspect it’s probably Bird & Bird or RPC that the OP is referring to. These firms are all also in the top 20. 😮

It says the maintenance grant was in excess of 5 figures. I think this implies it was probably over £10k but below £15k, at least for the SQE grant itself. These firms have a SQE grant between that range, and/or trainee salaries above £90,000 but below £100,000 (see below):

1: Bird & Bird trainee salary is £47,000 (1st year) and £52,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £99,000. Their SQE grant is £15,000.

2: Clyde & Co trainee salary is £47,000 (1st year) and £50,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £97,000. Their SQE grant is around £10,000.

3: Eversheds Sutherland trainee salary is £46,000 (1st year) and £50,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £96,000. Their SQE grant is £7,000.

3: RPC trainee salary is £46,000 (1st year) and £50,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £96,000. Their SQE grant is £12,000.

Whichever firm it is, I think it’s really unfair to not give the person at least 1 chance to retake the SQE. To then demand the cost of fees back despite being such a major UK firm, is pretty surprising tbh.​

Honestly - no big firm is gonna be rescinding TC offers

Only Mickey Mouse firms we’ve never heard of will be let’s be real

 

[Chris Brown]

Honestly - no big firm is gonna be rescinding TC offers

Only Mickey Mouse firms we’ve never heard of will be let’s be real

Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes have rescinded offers in the past. Last year, I’m sure there were people who were told that they had failed the SQE but they had actually passed. Despite that, their TC offers were rescinded. They were future trainees at big city law firms. I think it’s a policy that TC offers get rescinded, but most law firms are generally lenient about it and allow at least 1 retake. @Jessica Booker will know more about rescinding offers and whether it’s common.​

 

[BillSikes]

Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes have rescinded offers in the past. Last year, I’m sure there were people who were told that they failed SQE but they’d actually passed. Despite that, their TC offers were rescinded. They were future trainees at big firms. I think it’s a policy that offers get rescinded, but most firms are generally lenient about it and allow at least 1 retake. @Jessica Booker will know more about rescinding offers and whether it’s common.​

They were probably applicants who flunked it hard - unless we are saying these firms rescind all TC offers?

 

[BobThebIlly]

Honestly - no big firm is gonna be rescinding TC offers

Only Mickey Mouse firms we’ve never heard of will be let’s be real

Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Clifford change rescind a couple TCs for those who failed the SQE?

 

[Legalstudies]

Hey did anyone apply to the summer legal internship for bbc and heard anything back after the second stage?

 

[trainee4u]

They were probably applicants who flunked it hard - unless we are saying these firms rescind all TC offers?

Yes this is the problem with anonymous posts and one-sided accounts: the firm might know that the candidate didn't bother turning up to classes (the universities provide them with this data), and decided to rescind as a result of this.

 

[aa1]

Hey did anyone apply to the summer legal internship for bbc and heard anything back after the second stage?

Hi! Not heard anything yet but was wondering what the second stage was? the HireVue interview? Thank you in advance

 

[rapunzel]

What is a commutable distance for travelling during a VS? Is there a set time that determines if you are within a commutable distance for a law firm? @Jessica Booker

 

[User5678]

What is a commutable distance for travelling during a VS? Is there a set time that determines if you are within a commutable distance for a law firm? @Jessica Booker

I used to travel 45 mins door to door (one way) that was considered to be fine in London. I stayed in Wembley Park and used to travel to Bank😭

 

[Zara.Th]

Anyone heard from sidley post-ac??

 

[jafcake]

NRF VS - are we automatically assessed for a TC on the VS or is there a TC interview after the VS?

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

The top 20 is dominated by Magic and Silver Circle firms which all pay £100-£110k to their trainees and offer grants of £15-20k. It can’t be HL or NRF either as they offer similar amounts to future trainees. That’s at least 10 firms out of question, which leaves 10. 🤔

It is unlikely to be Addleshaw Goddard, CMS, Simmons & Simmons, Taylor Wessing, Osborne Clarke or Pinsent Masons as they also offer around £100k+ to trainees across their training contract. All these firms are top 20 UK headquartered law firms. The only exception is if OP’s TC was for a regional office, in which case it could be Osborne Clarke or Simmons & Simmons (Reading and/or Bristol). 🙂

The only firms it could be is one of these firms: Bird & Bird, Clyde & Co, Eversheds Sutherland or RPC. I suspect it’s probably Bird & Bird or RPC that the OP is referring to. These firms are all also in the top 20. 😮

It says the maintenance grant was in excess of 5 figures. I think this implies it was probably over £10k but below £15k, at least for the SQE grant itself. These firms have a SQE grant between that range, and/or trainee salaries above £90,000 but below £100,000 (see below):

1: Bird & Bird trainee salary is £47,000 (1st year) and £52,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £99,000. Their SQE grant is £15,000.

2: Clyde & Co trainee salary is £47,000 (1st year) and £50,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £97,000. Their SQE grant is around £10,000.

3: Eversheds Sutherland trainee salary is £46,000 (1st year) and £50,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £96,000. Their SQE grant is £7,000.

4: RPC trainee salary is £46,000 (1st year) and £50,000 (2nd year). This adds up to £96,000. Their SQE grant is £12,000.

Whichever firm it is, I think it’s really unfair to not give the person at least 1 chance to retake the SQE. To then demand the cost of fees back despite being such a major UK firm, is pretty surprising tbh. 🫤​

Loving this analysis!

 

[Tintin06]

Holding myself accountable again (Winston rejection)

CC* ✅📝❌
HSF ✅📝❌
NRF ✅📝❌
Weil ✅❌
Akin ✅❌
Sidley ✅❌
Orrick ✅❌
Willkie ✅🎥❌
Cooley ✅❌
Latham ✅❌
Milbank ✅❌
Kirkland ✅❌
Dechert ✅❌
Ashurst* ✅
Skadden ✅❌
Goodwin ✅❌
Covington ✅❌
Linklaters* ✅📝❌
Paul, Weiss ✅❌
Slaughters* ✅❌
Freshfields* ✅📝❌
Fried Frank* ✅
Gibson Dunn ✅❌
Macfarlanes* ✅📝
White & Case ✅❌
Morgan Lewis ✅📞❌
Paul Hastings* ✅
White & Case* ✅
Morgan Lewis* ✅
Hogan Lovells* ✅📝
Cleary Gottlieb ✅❌
A&O Shearman ✅📝❌
Vinson & Elkins ✅❌
Arnold & Porter ✅❌
Baker McKenzie ✅📝❌
King & Spalding* ✅
Winston & Strawn ✅❌
Morrison Foerster ✅❌
Sullivan & Cromwell ✅❌

Key: ✅ = application submitted; 📝 = test received; 📞 = TI; 🎥 = VI; ❌ = rejection.

*Training Contract applications.

All VS apps rejected this cycle. Oh well, focus is TCs now.

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

Honestly is this even real or is the bloke just engagement farming?

Literally zero reason not to name the firm.

Would a lawyer do this just for the views? Am I naive in thinking that someone in the legal profession would hold themself out to a higher standard?

 

[yeezyee]

winston & strawn wg !!! 🤯

 

[User5678]

Winston and Strawn next stage invite - Watson Glaser test! (i applied on deadline day)

 

[billyonthespeeddial]

Winston WG but I don't even know if I can do this scheme anymore as I've already begged my full time employer for leave to do my other scheme 💀💀 It's a problem for if I receive the VS offer I guess

 

[User5678]

Does Winston and strawn only give out 2 TC offers???? That’s mad!!!

Also unpopular opinion but I really really suck at Watson Glaser and i literally prefer amberjack over them😭 any tips please?

 

[User5678]

Winston WG but I don't even know if I can do this scheme anymore as I've already begged my full time employer for leave to do my other scheme 💀💀 It's a problem for if I receive the VS offer I guess

Well, give it a shot, take it as it comes and deal with it later😭 especially if it’s a firm you would want to train at.

 

[trainee4u]

Does Winston and strawn only give out 2 TC offers???? That’s mad!!!

It's 1 or 2. Not necessarily 2.....