TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

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Hi @Jessica Booker and TCLA team, how would you go about choosing between Dentons and BCLP as firms? I have done research into these firms already and know about things such as their international presence, practice areas and values but am not sure about the less publicised things such as career progression. They both seem like great firms, so it's difficult to choose.

I’d reach out to relevant people in those firms (trainees, associates…depending on which questions you would want to ask them) on LinkedIn and schedule quick calls to find out more about the things that are less publicised

 

[James Wakefield]

Macfarlanes Dinner interview invite post-test! 😅

I can't believe there are so many stages for a dinner!

 

[Chris Brown]

Macfarlanes Senior Partner Dinner interview invite post-test!!! 😅​

 

[James Wakefield]

Macfarlanes Senior Partner Dinner interview invite post-test!!! 😅​

My motivation for this is the chance to meet you haha.

 

[Chris Brown]

My motivation for this is the chance to meet you haha.

Likewise my friend! I’m still baffled that they are making us do an online test and interview for a dinner. 😅​

 

[James Wakefield]

Likewise my friend! I’m still baffled that they are making us do an online test and interview for a dinner. 😅​

Also 15 minute TI is longer than any of my VIs. No idea what they’ll ask us.

I’ll also have to do the call in my lunch break during my VS next week.

 

[Chris Brown]

Also 15 minute TI is longer than any of my VIs. No idea what they’ll ask us.

I’ll also have to do the call in my lunch break during my VS next week.

I am in a similar boat. None of my VI this cycle were 15 minutes long, so I am curious about what they could ask us, given this is for a Senior Partner Dinner and not a VS. 😅​

 

[andrecsaa]

Hi @Jessica Booker and TCLA team, how would you go about choosing between Dentons and BCLP as firms? I have done research into these firms already and know about things such as their international presence, practice areas and values but am not sure about the less publicised things such as career progression. They both seem like great firms, so it's difficult to choose.

Try checking out RollOnFriday and Reddit, you’ll find some honest insights there. In terms of career progression, Dentons seems worse than BCLP.

I know BCLP is great for anyone interested in real estate, planning, and construction. If these are your areas of interest, BCLP would be a great place to consider.

 

[lawstudent2]

When a firm has not given any indication of timetlines for hearing back is it ever appropriate to email and ask. I don't want to seem impatient but I have a summer job offer as a paralegal and need to commit to them within the next week or so, if I got accepted on to the vac schemes I'm waiting to hear from I wouldn't have enough holiday to take off for the full 2 weeks. I would chose the vac schemes over the summer job.

Hi sorry but is the paralegal job just for the summer and how did you go about finding it? Very random ik but I don't have any VS this summer and am looking for opportunities like that and have been struggling to find them. Thanks, sorry ik not helpful to ur question.

 

[LiveLaughLawyer]

Any disadvantages to doing an AC online for Vac Scheme ?

 

[A worried graduate]

She has an ac invite so it’s prolly mentioned on her email!

Might be the deadline for them with us as the reserve listers

I see what I have done now, I misread it as them having to confirm for the second

 

[gazdgazd11]

Hi @Jessica Booker and TCLA team, how would you go about choosing between Dentons and BCLP as firms? I have done research into these firms already and know about things such as their international presence, practice areas and values but am not sure about the less publicised things such as career progression. They both seem like great firms, so it's difficult to choose.

I will be so honest. I have a friend who trained at BCLP. He is a solicitor but wasn’t given the opportunity to stay at the firm. He’s really struggled to secure an NQ role as the market is apparently brutal. I don’t want to induce fear or anything but I’d defo take into account the retention rates good luck

 

[gazdgazd11]

Huge congrats on getting SPB VS! That’s some GOATed stuff right there. 🐐​

A congratulations form the TCLA LEGEND himself??? Wow thank you I’m SO honoured

 

[User5678]

I will be so honest. I have a friend who trained at BCLP. He is a solicitor but wasn’t given the opportunity to stay at the firm. He’s really struggled to secure an NQ role as the market is apparently brutal. I don’t want to induce fear or anything but I’d defo take into account the retention rates good luck

I agree, i have myself worked at BCLP for a year (did a placement year with them in my third year) and retentions are not good, i have seen this first hand. (best trainees were not being retained literally - a few i knew got picked up by Kirkland, PH PW CC and Fried frank tho). They are also closing their Hong Kong and Singapore offices, their trainee numbers have reduced and they made business admin staff redundant in london as well (a significant number) . Great training tho (I would say one of the best) i will give them that!!

 

[Chris Brown]

I will be so honest. I have a friend who trained at BCLP. He is a solicitor but wasn’t given the opportunity to stay at the firm. He’s really struggled to secure an NQ role as the market is apparently brutal. I don’t want to induce fear or anything but I’d defo take into account the retention rates good luck

I agree, i have myself worked at BCLP for a year and retentions are not good (best trainees were not being retained literally). They are also closing their Hong Kong and Singapore offices.

I went to their open day in Dec. Someone asked the partner about BCLP’s retention rates. The partner acknowledged that their retention rates are very low but tried to brush it off by yapping about their high quality training. It can’t be that good if people are bouncing at the earliest opportunity lmao. 😂

I believe some people did move laterally to US firms like Kirkland & Ellis and Fried Frank, so I guess their training contract is respected and considered high quality by city law firms. It is odd though that their retention rates are very low. I guess it comes down to business needs. It’s sad for the NQs who don’t get retained. 🥲​

 

[User5678]

I went to their open day in Dec. Someone asked the partner about BCLP’s retention rates. The partner acknowledged that their retention rates are very low but tried to brush it off by yapping about their high quality training. It can’t be that good if people are bouncing at the earliest opportunity lmao. 😂😂​

I literally amended my answer to mention the training and redundancy😂

I was working there in December too, met a few open day attendees.

You are correct, training is amazing, I trained in one team for a year and the training was top class

PS- a lot of associates and partners have left as well!

 

[Chris Brown]

I literally amended my answer to mention the training and redundancy😂

I was working there in December too, met a few open day attendees.

PS- a lot of associates and partners have left as well!

Who knows, perhaps I was one of the few open day attendees that you met. 👀​

 

[👩🎓]

Hi all! Does anyone have any advice when it comes to applying for paralegal roles (i.e., which firms to approach/how to stand out). Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[dlc3266]

I agree, i have myself worked at BCLP for a year (did a placement year with them in my third year) and retentions are not good, i have seen this first hand. (best trainees were not being retained literally - a few i knew got picked up by Kirkland, PH PW CC and Fried frank tho). They are also closing their Hong Kong and Singapore offices, their trainee numbers have reduced and they made business admin staff redundant in london as well (a significant number) . Great training tho (I would say one of the best) i will give them that!!

Just curious, what metrics or aspects should I look at when evaluating a firm's quality of training? I understand that there are differences such as US firms' emphasis on on-the-job learning, but how would I go about establishing an objective ranking?

 

[badmintonflyinginsect]

Could someone give a list of current commercial topics? Thanks!