TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

Overthinker123!

Active Member
Feb 5, 2025
12
18
Hey all,

Really excited to say that I have received an offer! The partner called last week offering the role. At the end, he said that I have his number now, and I think he said to reach out for any questions or help (which I am pretty sure is what he said, but I was really excited, so idk if I understood it wrong 😭). Would it be appropriate to reach out to arrange a short call because I genuinely have some questions to ask, and it will also help to build rapport? Thanks :)

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu @Amma Usman @Ram Sabaratnam
 

legallyrach

Standard Member
Feb 17, 2025
8
11
While I have not applied at Paul Hastings nor do I personally know any who interviewed there, I would say the following:
  • Take a look at these two TCLA posts on Paul Hastings Interviews from the 2021/2022 cycle - they might give you some idea about what to expect.
  • Read up on the firm's finance/capital markets practice areas and try to develop an ability to (i) explain the firm's core practice areas in layman terms; and (ii) explain the similarities and differences between the work done in those practices.
Thank you! Just got an email this morning saying that it'll be competency/ motivation & commercial awareness based, so hopefully not too wildly different from anything I've done before.

I'm not too familiar with capital markets and find it quite confusing - is there any way you could simplify the concept and the type of work they do? That would be extremely helpful. And with the commercial awareness, would I benefit from talking about something more finance-based/ a particular M&A deal for instance, or could I speak about something broader like the current tariff war & its implications on PH's clients? If the former is preferred, what kind of things can I speak about that won't just sound like I'm regurgitating knowledge on how a deal is funded/ operates? Thanks so much! :)
 
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Jessica Booker

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Aug 1, 2019
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Hey all,

Really excited to say that I have received an offer! The partner called last week offering the role. At the end, he said that I have his number now, and I think he said to reach out for any questions or help (which I am pretty sure is what he said, but I was really excited, so idk if I understood it wrong 😭). Would it be appropriate to reach out to arrange a short call because I genuinely have some questions to ask, and it will also help to build rapport? Thanks :)

@Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu @Amma Usman @Ram Sabaratnam
What kind of role is it and what kind of questions would you be asking? I ask as depending on the answers it might be better to ask someone else rather than the partner, even though they have offered.
 

Ram Sabaratnam

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Sep 7, 2024
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Hi everyone! In order to apply for Dubai or GCC training contracts, is it necessary to know Arabic? Or can we still apply? Does anyone have any idea about it?

Hiya @Maddy

Great question (it’s one that comes up often for those considering training contracts in the Middle East). From what I’ve seen, many firms offering training contracts in Dubai or the wider GCC region do look for candidates who have a working knowledge of Arabic. Some explicitly state that Arabic is required, while others don’t make it a strict requirement but do mention that they’re particularly interested in bilingual applicants who can speak Arabic. If you're unsure, it’s definitely worth reaching out directly to the graduate recruitment team at the firm you’re interested in. They’ll be able to clarify whether Arabic is essential for that particular role or whether you can still be considered without it. Good luck with any Middle East TC applications!
 

Ram Sabaratnam

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Sep 7, 2024
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Thank you! Just got an email this morning saying that it'll be competency/ motivation & commercial awareness based, so hopefully not too wildly different from anything I've done before.

I'm not too familiar with capital markets and find it quite confusing - is there any way you could simplify the concept and the type of work they do? That would be extremely helpful. And with the commercial awareness, would I benefit from talking about something more finance-based/ a particular M&A deal for instance, or could I speak about something broader like the current tariff war & its implications on PH's clients? If the former is preferred, what kind of things can I speak about that won't just sound like I'm regurgitating knowledge on how a deal is funded/ operates? Thanks so much! :)

Hiya @legallyrach

I'm sure @Andrei Radu would have much more to add here, but I wanted to get something to you in the meantime.

Capital markets are platforms where businesses raise funds by issuing financial instruments like stocks and bonds to investors. In the UK, capital markets lawyers often advise both companies (the "issuers" who typically issue stocks and bonds) and financial institutions (the "underwriters", i.e. often the banks who manage the process, price the shares or bonds, and even promise to buy anything investors don’t). Capital markets lawyers will thus advise companies/institutions on everything from Initial Public Offerings, bond issuances, and other securities offerings. When I was applying I found this particular Chambers Student article on capital markets really helpful.

While both capital markets and finance lawyers deal with financial instruments and funding, a firm's finance lawyers typically handle private financing arrangements and loans and can focus on a broader spectrum of financial transactions, including bank lending, project finance, and acquisition finance. This last point about finance is particularly important to bear in mind with respect to PH, given their sizeable strengths in areas such as leveraged finance and real estate finance.

In terms of preparation, I think it's a good idea to be familiar with both recent developments in capital markets (e.g. like how tariffs are affecting IPOs) and one or two specific deals the firm has advised on. Showing that you understand how wider economic or political developments like tariffs (or any other development) impact these markets will signal strong commercial awareness. At the same time, being able to talk about recent deals Paul Hastings has worked on and why you found them interesting helps demonstrate that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in the firm’s practice.

Hope this helps and good luck!
 

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