TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Jessica Booker]

This might be a silly question but do I need to let firms i am waiting to hear from that I’m going to be abroad the next two weeks, just in case they call (i hope) because of international call fees? I don’t want them to think i’m presuming an offer but also wouldn’t want them to incur a cost.

Can you just update your voicemail to say you are abroad and change your settings so you cannot accept calls?

This would be more productive than emailing them.

Dont worry about them incurring costs. They make hundreds of international calls daily - it’s not a cost they will even worry about.

 

[Alturistic whale]

Elena Jalali - 7252033

Control of non-qualified staff (section 43/99 order)

www.sra.org.uk

Interesting.
LLB (first class) from KCL
A*A*A* from elite London private school

Macfarlanes paralegal. Went to AC for TC in 2023. "repeatedly accessed information that was confidential and which she knew or ought to have known she was not entitled to access, namely documents including a Business Case Study Exercise, model answers and the mark scheme, for a training contract assessment day she attended in August 2023."

I can only assume this was accessible on the intranet/network. Lied about having done this (which is really dumb, because IT knows EVERYTHING).

Subject to a S43 order meaning that she cannot work for any regulated legal business without prior permission from SRA.

London is a small space, we have mutuals and I believe they are now working as a consultant in private equity/credit!

 

[tomsmitg]

It’s part of their early checking process.

They often check academic references in particular before deciding offers to ensure your grades are what you have said they are and that there aren’t any conduct issues with your time at university.

Ah, are they likely to have a decision before this check ??

 

[S7321]

It is literally just that. A one hour exercise, you get an hour and a half to prep for the presentation which is wayyyyy too long. The day is very chill tho.

Thanks for the insight. Assuming you took part in yesterday's, did you get a sense of how many ACs they're running and when they'll let people know whether they have an offer?

 

[Jessica Booker]

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

Literally zero reason not to name the firm.

Very likely real - I know Chris too and he wouldn’t make this type of stuff up.

These policies are very real. I have seen them, actioned them, and heard about them through people who have contacted me about them.

Having to pay back immediately is ridiculous - most people couldn’t do that. But claw backs are common. I have even seen them for people who have qualified but who choose to leave their firm upon qualification.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ah, are they likely to have a decision before this check ??

Could be, but could easily be waiting for that information before deciding too.

 

[Jessica Booker]

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.​

I wouldn’t say “most” firms at lenient on resits. There are enough out there that do not allow resits and will rescind offers - whether they then clawback money is another matter though.

 

[Jessica Booker]

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

Discretion is often applied based on circumstances.

But I wouldn’t say it’s only people who are flunking the SQE badly that are getting their TCs rescinded. Heard from enough people who failed only one of the FLK assessments and others who have only been a few percentage points off passing.

 

[Paul Jules Steullet]

London is a small space, we have mutuals and I believe they are now working as a consultant in private equity/credit!

London? The whole legal profession!

 

[Jessica Booker]

I received an offer for a vacation scheme last Thursday afternoon, and the firm asked me to reply before Monday. I replied the same day confirming my attendance, but I haven’t heard anything back since. The scheme starts on 14th April. Should I follow up today or it’s normal not to receive a response yet?

If you mean you replied yesterday, I would wait until the end of the week before chasing up. If it is was last Monday, then it’s okay to follow up.

Generally give HR at least three working days between emails unless it’s super time urgent (eg something is happening that week).

 

[Jessica Booker]

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

There isn’t a set time but I’d generally say around 90 minutes each way is commutable distance. Many people working in law firms are doing that type of commute anyway.

 

[Jessica Booker]

My current commute time is around 1 hour 20 minutes so was just wondering if that would be considered above the normal commutable distance range?

Yes - that would be considered normal.

 

[👩🎓]

Hiya!

I think @Jessica Booker and @Amma Usman would have more to say, but hoping this helps before they come back to you.

I think it's difficult to say exactly how you should change your application without seeing it, but it might help to take a step back and critically assess a few key areas. Ask yourself whether your answers to the application questions were effectively tailored to the firm. If not, I'd recommend having a think about how you can make them more specific. If the questions are motivational, I'd have a think about whether your motivations have been clearly articulated and how well you've aligned your experiences with the firm's major practice areas. Another section you should comb through is your work experience section. Have you clearly highlighted the tasks you handled, any achievements, and the skills you relied on? Sometimes, small tweaks in how you present your experience can help get the application through the initial stage.

Since you have time before the deadline, I'd encourage you to find someone who could possibly offer you a second opinion. Someone from your university’s careers service or even a fellow applicant here at TCLA could provide some insight. There's also TCLA's application review service, if you feel like you need someone to really carefully review what can be done to improve. Given that you feel your answers are strong but aren't sure what to change, I think this sort of external feedback could help you identify areas for improvement (particularly in ways that that aren’t immediately obvious to you). Best of luck with the application!

Hi @Ram Sabaratnam

Thank you so much, this is really helpful!

 

[abbiewhitlock03]

Ofc. Nice! Congrats! I did a scheme last year with them. If u want any advice shoot me a pm.

That would be great, thank you!! I’ll send you a PM

 

[👩🎓]

I thought SH hasn't sent out tests yet for summer, and they had only just sent out spring VS offers

I was rejected yesterday for the summer scheme at SH - hopefully there is still hope if you haven't heard back yet

 

[elsx]

Hi has anyone heard back recently about Teacher Stern ?

 

[toad92]

I did offer to do a call but never heard back from u.

omg apologies my notifs are so messed up will reply now

 

[BobThebIlly]

Damn I haven't heard anything from Paul Hastings nor SH for their summer vs. They were the only two schemes left too lol

 

[NJS]

Hi @Jessica Booker I'm looking to move roles from my current legal administrator role to paralegal, I currently work at an international firm, but I have an interview with a regional firm for a paralegal role, I'm only really wanting to move because there does not seem to be any opportunities to move up here and the travel to London is starting to really impact my finances as the pay is not good.

My question is: do you thinking moving from an international firm to a regional firm will impact my chances of securing a TC at an international firm, or am I "moving down" with a regional paralegal job? I've have secured 8 ACs over two cycles (all with international firms) with this current job, and I think having that "international" experience helped. Alternatively, I would hopefully be moving to a paralegal role, so my quality of work would ultimately improve which may make me more competitive? It's just very hard to secure a city paralegal job without real "paralegal" experience.

Hi @Jessica Booker just following up on this if its not too much trouble? Thank you!

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Damn I haven't heard anything from Paul Hastings nor SH for their summer vs. They were the only two schemes left too lol

idk if they have got back to many people. I'm still waiting post app- what's the next stage?