New Threads

I started this whole journey pretty bright eyed. Learnt the ropes, did all the open day applications, attended law fairs, applied, networked. Got two vacs first round, did the vacs at American firms. I'm American so I initially wanted to go back to America. Didn't get any TCs but it was okay.

I realised I wanted to stay in England, and I preferred firms that had a better work/life balance. I wanted to work in Family/Clin neg/Private Client. Something with humans, corporate didn't interest me as much. Did the whole cycle again. Open days, applications, law firm, network. Applied to places like IM, Fieldfisher, Farrer and Co, etc. Surprisingly faced a lot of negative feedback about what I realise now are cultural differences, basically I was way too American at AC and I have had to tone myself down significantly. I got past application stage for five of these, none of them culminated in a TC.

All this time, I am working multiple jobs, juggling my degree, dealing with other mitigating circumstances. I have no parental support throughout university or now and am responsible for keeping myself fed and clothed. I never have just one thing to worry about, there's always my LLB or LPC going on + my job + applying for TCs.

Third round I'm realising I exhausted the mid sized firms that sponsor visas. I now go for firms that sponsor visas but have good work life balance at least, and nice people, which is most important to me. TLT, Hill Dickinson. And some random smattering of anyone who will sponsor me, I don't want to get kicked out of the country at this point. Ashurst. I get to final interview for all three. So far all have rejected me except TLT, that's on Thursday, their AC. I'm preparing best I can for it now.

All of these rejections have been for different reasons. Some liked my personality, others didn't. Some liked my presentation style, others didn't. I did badly in case studies and group exercises at first, now I am better. I'm learning from my mistakes.

But I am just so tired. Idk why I'm even venting here I just feel like others on this forum will understand. I physically don't feel like I have it in me to go on this rollercoaster again, all the hours of applying to open days, going to open days, falling in love with a firm, applying for the firm, prepping for presentations, watson glasers, group exercises, case studies, interviews in this style or that style, just to be let down after almost a year of engaging with a firm. I am afraid of not getting anything in the next two years and being sent back to America once my visa expires. All my friends got training contracts ages ago. It's just super frustrating and I feel the life has been knocked out of me

-

Completely optional to post here, but I thought it would be interesting to get a sense of how everyone is doing? Hopefully, it'll show that even the very successful candidates have still had to deal with a number of rejections.

I think @macbeth's formatting is great, so feel free to follow the same. You may also want to post whether this is your first/second/third cycle etc. Up to you whether you want to mention firm names or not.

macbeth said:

Update:

• Rejections: 18
• In process of interviewing: 1 (Willkie)
• Waiting for reply: 6 (Cooley, Gibson Dunn, Kirkland, Shearman, Debevoise, Latham)
• Vac Scheme in the bag: 1 (cannot disclose)

Click to expand...

Hey I was wondering if anyone has experience with the Linklaters VS and wouldn't mind giving me an overview of how it was and how the exit interview at the end was? As well as just any general tips for converting a VS into a TC with the firm?

Hey everyone,

I'm delighted to announce the details of our interview-focused webinar next Wednesday 24 February at 6pm! This is the first of two webinars which are focused on giving you the best advice we have on mastering case study interviews. It's available to all premium members.

This one is run by @Alice G, a future trainee at a magic circle firm, who completed case study interviews at many of the top commercial law firms.

In this session, she'll break down her best advice for case study interviews, including:

• understanding law firm departments
• developing a bank of financial terms
• the key legal concepts to know for your interview

Alice will also share the techniques and strategies she used to approach each of her case studies. These include:

• Time management techniques
• Drafting diagrams to understand the structure of transactions
• Applying frameworks like 'by department' analysis, PESTLE and SWOT
• Working on your presentation and delivery to handle the most challenging case study questions

You can book your place now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kk37HNYjRw2BhBRtZChuBg.

Has anybody heard back from IM's Birmingham office yet? I have applied for BLS and haven't heard a thing...

Hi - has anyone had any experience with the evolve placement scheme at simmons and the VI/written task?
Or if not evolve - the simmons VI as I presume there are similarities minus the tech focus.

I can't find anything online for it really in terms of advice, its a relatively new scheme.

Much appreciated

Hey all,

A few people have asked about this so I thought we'd create a central thread for 2021. Anyone feel free to share your own top tips on converting a vacation scheme into a training contract.

I'd recommend reading the following threads to kick us off:

https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/virtual-vacation-schemes-top-tips.2459/
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/convert-your-vacation-scheme-into-a-training-contract/
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....t-a-vac-scheme-into-a-training-contract.2743/

Best!

Jaysen

I have been researching firms to apply to. I was wondering how to answer "how does the firm set itself apart from other firms, what is their USP"? Is there a specific way of going about this i.e. following the research, do I have to come to a conclusion of what I think the firm's USP is?

Welcome back everyone! Next up in our series of interviews with future trainee solicitors, we had the fantastic opportunity to hear from a future trainee at DAC Beachcroft.


1. Who is your training contract with?

DAC Beachcroft


2. Are you a law or non-law candidate?

Law


3. Which university did you attend?

University of Leeds


4. Please could you tell us more about your background and current stage?

I was born and raised in Nigeria and moved to the UK in 2014.


5. When and why did you decide to apply to commercial law?

Growing up, my mum was a lawyer and I spent a lot of time taking interest in her work. I was convinced then I wanted to be a lawyer. However, all the experience and information I had was about the law in Nigeria.

At college, a teacher suggested that I took a BTEC in Law shortly after I moved to the UK. This was really helpful because it was my first real introduction to law in the UK. Shortly after, Irwin Mitchell arranged a short internship programme for students at my college. I was selected for this and spent a week in various departments exploring first-hand what a career in law looked like.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent in their family law department and was convinced I wanted to be a family lawyer. At university, I went back for a week in Irwin Mitchell's family law department but found I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. As a result, upon graduation I was keen to explore other options. I got a paralegal role in an insurance litigation department and then a further part-time role on the company's legal helpline dealing with a broad range of commercial issues. I thoroughly enjoyed this role leading to the decision that I was better suited for a career in commercial law.


6. How many applications did you send?

6


7. How many interviews/offers did you receive?

2


8. How did you go about the application process? Did you map an application strategy?

As I had really enjoyed my roles in insurance litigation, I found firms that had big/successful insurance practices and narrowed them down by way of location, LPC sponsorship, overseas offices, opportunities for secondments as well as expertise in other practice areas.

This meant that I was genuinely excited by the possibility of joining all the firms I applied to and thus made it easier to justify my interest in applications.
I also made a point to not apply for firms I had applied to in previous cycles. This was out of personal preference as I wanted this cycle to be a fresh start and when looking retrospectively at my previous applications, I personally felt I did not have clear justifications as to why I wanted to join those firms.

In terms of researching the firms, I used the Legal 500, Linkedin, Businessdesk and the FT among other sources. I was very intentional about picking out information about the firms from these sources and the legal press even before I had started my applications.

As I worked full-time with an additional part-time job, carving out time for applications was very difficult. I spent a few of my work lunches drafting applications and spent time on my commute researching firms. I also spent a few evenings after work completing my applications which was very difficult because it meant I was either working an evening or making applications. If you are in a similar situation, I would say remember that this is for a season and only in the short run. In the long run, you will be glad you put in the work.


9. Did you change your strategy during the application process and, if so, what did you change?

Previously, I applied to any firm that was open at the time. I had no structure and no plan. This meant that all my applications were really rushed, and I had very little time research.

I also waited until I was invited to the next stage of the application process (video interview/psychometric test) to prepare for that stage. I found that none of my applications progressed from video interview/psychometric testing stages. After spending time reflecting, I realise my issues were simply down to a lack of preparation.

In my successful cycle, I carved out time well in advance of deadlines to research the firms and apply. I also started preparing for the next stage ahead of the invitation. I used the TCLA video interview simulator to improve my video interview skills, watched YouTube videos of successful applicants and also purchased premium access to Assessment Day for practice tests.


10. How did you develop your commercial awareness?

I changed my mindset about commercial awareness from being a thing that I needed for applications to being a thing I needed for life. I incorporated my learning into my day to day life. I listened to podcasts on my commute and spent a few days in the week listening to the Commercial Awareness Podcast, Trainee Talk and DAC Beachcroft's podcast instead of what I would normally listen to.

As I spend a worrying amount of time scrolling endlessly on Twitter and Instagram, I decided to incorporate my learning there. I followed the law firms I was applying to (they always post updates of cases, new developments) and @ComAware_4s (this was very useful and a few of my interview talking points, I found from some of their tweets).

I also signed up to various newsletters, TCLA, The Lawyer Portal, The Global Legal Post. I made an effort to actually read the content of these newsletters and contextualize the content (for example, if the content involved a client of a firm I was applying to, I would map out how that could affect the firm/practice area).

TCLA was my most useful resource for adding context to the content I had learnt. The courses were very useful in understanding the building blocks of law firms, their practice areas and generally issues in the industry. This made it easier to talk about issues in the news or in the sector as I was able to link it to the specific firm and how it may affect them.


11. What is your best advice for succeeding at the interview stage?

My advice is summed up as 'practice makes perfect'. The most effective way is to keep practicing. I had model answers for the most popular questions, 'why law?', 'why this firm?', 'issues affecting the legal sector'. I had memorised my answers to these questions and I practised them out loud.

I also looked at the competencies that were required on the person specification and created questions & answers using these competencies. It is very likely that questions will be asked based on those competencies and you should be prepared.

Resources like Glassdoor, The Student Room and TCLA also have various questions previously asked by the firm in their interviews. You should prepare answers to these questions and practice your response.

At your interview, try and make these rehearsed answers sound more natural by taking breaths and tailoring these answers to the actual question asked. Use the language the interviewer used and after every answer summarise your point. In addition to the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) model, use the essay structure (tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them in detail then repeat it to them). It reminds the interviewer of your points and also gives you an opportunity to refine your answer and make it tighter.

It is also worth doing a quick-fire round of interview prep questions with a friend/family member. I used the TCLA interview questions guide for this. This really improved my ability to think on my feet and give a clear, concise answer in a short time frame. Developing this skill helps when you are asked a question you are unsure about in an interview.


12. What is your best advice for case study interviews?

Identify the biggest/ most important issues in the case study. It could be an objective the client wants to achieve or an issue you have to resolve. It is worth noting that it may not be a legal issue- in fact, think of things on the business side except otherwise stated. If it is a client you are acting on behalf of, remember that it is likely that they are a business and simple issues like how to increase demand, make supply more effective, reduce overhead costs may be more useful to them than increasing their legal spend.

After identifying the issues, give solutions and discuss possible downsides/flaws in your argument. It is likely that the interviewer is about to ask you to identify the weakness in your argument and it shows self-awareness and problem solving when you identify those issues and possible ways to solve them.

Use a structure with your answers-. For example, issues, solutions, and problems with your solution. If you are given a long brief, refer to the supporting page numbers in your answer as it makes it easier to follow your answer. I think structure is as important as the content.


13. What was the biggest setback you encountered during your journey to a training contract? How did you deal with it?

The rejections in the first two cycles were very difficult to deal with. It really affected my confidence and mental health. It made me feel like if I was rejected as a future trainee, I probably was not good enough to continue studying law which in turn affected my grades at uni, which then in turn affected my chances in the next cycle. This was something I had to take time off to deal with.

I had to remind myself that the rejections were not about me as person but about my professional persona and thus I had to improve that aspect of myself. This made it easier to compartmentalise and protect my mental health.

I then spent time improving myself and investing in the resources and tools I needed to secure a training contract. This gave me a much-needed confidence boost because I felt prepared and more confident in my abilities.


14. If there was anything you would do differently, what would it be?

I would have invested the time and resources needed in my first cycle. I only recently found out about most of the resources I ended up using in my final cycle.
I would have spent more time researching resources to improve my skills, commercial awareness before my very first application. I would have also applied to only firms that aligned with my goals and not just any firm with a TC.


15. What is the best piece of advice you can give to future applicants? Do you have any advice for individuals who might’ve been in a similar position to you?

My advice is that consider this a season of hard-work, financial investment, self-development in order to get the life you want.

If you work full-time (and then a bit, like me), you are probably struggling for time, so be very intentional about how you spend your time. Incorporate the application process into your day to day life and the things you do often. Also be intentional about creating time to make applications, save holiday days for interviews, vac schemes and even request the time off well ahead of time. Be prepared ! You don't want a lack of holiday days to be the thing standing in your way.

There are a lot of sacrifices along the way, but it will all be worth it.

All the best & good luck !

Hi guys, completed the Latham VI. Could anyone share how theirs went and how successful ones usually go? Im so confused, it was my fist time. Definitely think I may have messed up an answer.

Welcome back everyone to the next article in our series of interviews with future trainee solicitors. In this article, we are delighted to have heard from Natasha, a future trainee at DLA Piper.


1. Who is your training contract with?

DLA Piper


2. Are you a law or non-law candidate?

Law


3. Which university did you attend?

The University of Birmingham


4. Please could you tell us more about your background and current stage?

I am an ethic female, born and raised in UK. I am the first generation in my family to attend university and I am currently studying on the LPC.


5. When and why did you decide to apply to commercial law?

I applied a couple of years after graduating after spending some time at one of the big four accountancy firms. I decided to apply to commercial law as I was interested in helping businesses achieve their commercial objectives. I wanted a challenging role and I liked that commercial law had such a variety of work that meant no two days were ever the same.

I also wanted a role that was international in nature, where I could be dealing with colleagues all over the world on a daily basis. I liked that working in commercial law still allowed me to give back to the community through pro bono work, enabling me to have a big impact upon society.


6. How many applications did you send?

9


7. How many interviews/offers did you receive?

6


8. How did you go about the application process? Did you map an application strategy?

My applications spanned over 2 Training Contract cycles. For each firm I applied to, I made sure I had interacted with them in some form whether this was through an open day, an open evening, or a Legal Cheek event. This enabled me to include a tailored sentence into my application about a specific deal the firm had worked on or about the culture that I had encountered. I found it relatively easy to narrow down firms as I knew I wanted to train in a regional office, rather than in London. Therefore, I created a master spreadsheet which I updated regularly. This included the application mode (whether VS or straight TC), the application deadline, the stages of the application process as well as any unique points about the firm that appealed to me. I also made sure I submitted my applications well before the deadlines, even if the firm said they were non-rolling, as often they did not get back to candidates before the deadline, but they had shortlisted before then.


9. Did you change your strategy during the application process and, if so, what did you change?

I didn't change my strategy, however I continued to build upon the initial research I had on firms.


10. How did you develop your commercial awareness?

I identified topics and new stories that interested me and followed their updates through reading BBC News and the FT. I also tried to find personal connections with these topics so that I could demonstrate my interest e.g. the death of the high street or my previous work experience in retail. This enabled me to talk about the areas from a personal standpoint in interviews which showed it was a genuine interest. I also signed up to Finimize, TCLA and Lawyer2B, who all provide daily newsletters which I read and made notes on every day. I attended all Legal Cheek events in my local area, as these always have a topical theme which can be discussed in detail in interviews.


11. What is your best advice for succeeding at the interview stage?

Have all the standard interview questions ready and fully prepared (why law, why this firm, why this location, recent deal the firm has done) and be sure to practice these to make them sound as natural as possible. These answers really need to be tailored to the firm and demonstrate how they are different to other commercial law firms . It’s important to think about why they are better (e.g. is it their one firm approach, the technology they use, or the training and development they offer which enables their people to thrive?) This way, when you are asked more difficult questions you have the time and energy to really think through the answers. Also, always ask for a glass of water at the start of the interview and drink whenever you need extra time to think of an answer. When you are in the interview, the main thing I would concentrate on is building a rapport with the interviewer by finding common ground - whether that is through the university you attended, the town you grew up in, or a client being a previous employer of yours. Always have at least 2 questions to ask at the end of the interview and make sure that 1 of them is about the interviewer themselves (their background, practice area, route to law) - Lawyers love talking about themselves!


12. What is your best advice for case study interviews?

Use the prep time to really analyse the documents they give; think about all the information they provide and more importantly, why it is there. Usually everything is there for a reason. Flag the issues that are important and try and link them together if possible. If the case study requires you to prepare something before the interview, then make sure you have set aside sufficient time in the preparation period to do this. Make sure this is set out in a logical way in layman’s terms - usually you are advising a client and they do not want to hear legal jargon which they can't understand. The interviewer will ask you questions which are designed to make you think deeper about the documents and information. It is fine to ask for time to think about the question and refer back to the documentation. They usually just want to see how you think about the question and how you analyse the information to get to some sort of answer - the answer itself isn't really important but rather the thought process and how you got there.


13. What was the biggest setback you encountered during your journey to a training contract? How did you deal with it?

My biggest setback was when I failed to secure a Training Contract after a Vacation Scheme that went well. My feedback from my department was strong and I was recommended for a Training Contract, but I failed to build a rapport with my interviewer, which was the reason I failed to convert the Vacation Scheme to a Training Contract. I dealt with it by firstly taking time out from the TC process - sometimes you can feel that you are going round in circles and it can be draining to spend most of your time on applications and interviews. I then spent some time rebuilding my confidence by attending events such as with Aspiring Solicitors and receiving feedback on my interviews.


14. If there was anything you would do differently, what would it be?

I would have developed the confidence a lot early on to really sell myself in interviews. I was always afraid of looking 'big headed' when talking about my achievements or how good I am at a particular skill - but if you don't tell the interviewer this then they will never know and they can't differentiate you from other candidates. There is a difference between coming across as arrogant and just talking through your strengths and experience. If I realised this sooner, I would have done much better in earlier interviews.


15. What is the best piece of advice you can give to future applicants? Do you have any advice for individuals who might’ve been in a similar position to you?

Remember that people are far more likely to share their successes rather than their rejections. People don't put on LinkedIn when they get rejected, therefore it can seem that everyone is getting a Vacation Scheme or Training Contract apart from you - but this is far from reality. It may help to come off LinkedIn temporarily during these times so that you can concentrate on your own journey. But you will get there in the end - you only need one yes!

Hi All,

I’m awaiting a response on a VS after completing an AC back in January, and am also in the process of applying for TCs at other firms. If accepted onto the VS, is it advisable I mention this specifically in the work history section of a TC app, e.g. “Incoming Summer Vacation Scheme at X “. What are your thoughts?

Hello all, can anyone shed some light on the written assessment part of the interview process for a Bristows TC?

I've read here that in the past it has taken the form of a client email advising on GDPR issues. Anyone with experience speculate as what to expect and any tips?

Thanks!

A confirmation from the supreme court:

Uber drivers must be treated as workers rather than self-employed, the UK's Supreme Court has ruled.

The decision means tens of thousands of Uber drivers are set to be entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay.

The ruling could leave the ride-hailing app facing a hefty compensation bill, and have wider consequences for the gig economy.

In a long-running legal battle, Uber had appealed to the Supreme Court after losing three earlier rounds.

Click to expand...

Hi

My name is Kellie. I am currently searching for suitable training contracts and finding the process extremely challenging.

I am looking for help and support with the applications.

Also, I am looking for more information how to become a member.

Many thanks, Kellie

A big thank you to this candidate for sharing their experience.

I was interviewed for a summer vacation scheme at Clyde & Co and thought the experience was as enjoyable as it could be in a virtual environment. I was informed beforehand that there would be an interview, a discussion exercise, a group exercise and a written assessment; this was all to be done on the TopScore Platform. At the end of the assessment there was also an informal Q&A session with other trainees.

The process started at 9:15am and ended around 2:00pm, so it would be good to be prepared for quite a long day. First, there was an introduction by a member of graduate recruitment who gave myself and the other candidates an outline of what the day would entail. We all also gave a short introduction about ourselves to each other.

Interview
My interview was with a partner at the firm and a member of HR and it lasted for around an hour. I was asked standard questions such as why Clyde & Co, why commercial law and I also had to discuss a business story that I had been following and link it back to the firm. The other questions were mostly competency based, so it was quite important to provide examples from different areas such as university, extra-curricular activities and work experiences. I was also asked questions such as ‘When have you had to solve a problem?’ and ‘When have you had to work with a difficult person?' and a situational judgement question. I’d advise having as many examples for competences as possible as this will give you plenty to talk about.

Written Exercise/Discussion
The written exercise lasted for an hour and it was followed by the discussion exercise which lasted for around 15 minutes. For the written exercise I had to advise a company who wanted to expand their business into [redacted]. I was told that this company had to decide between two options for expanding their business and I was given different documents that contained information about the industry and the [redacted] as well as information about the costs for both options. I thought the time went by quite quickly so it was important to get your answer written down as quickly as possible. I would also advise using headings to format your answer and only focus on the most important information as there was quite a lot! Afterwards, I had to present my findings to two other associates who questioned my decision and also provided me with new information that I had to consider. I think that was the hardest part of the AC but I think I managed to give reasoned justifications for my decision when I was questioned about it.

Group Exercise
This was the last part that was being assessed and this also lasted for about an hour, we had two associates watching us with their screens turn off. I was in a group with three other people and we had to decide which of the projects that we were presented with should be brought up in a Board Meeting based on certain criteria. It was pretty straightforward and I think that the advice on the TCLA about group exercises was quite helpful.

I found out that I got the vacation scheme about two weeks after my AC via phone call. My main advice is to keep up to date about the sectors that the firm works in and also to be very engaged throughout the day because I did find it quite exhausting. Everyone that I spoke to was really lovely and friendly and even when I was being interviewed, it felt very conversational.

Hey everyone,

I think one of the best ways to develop commercial awareness is to actively engage with commercial topics and discuss them with other people. However, I know that not everyone has access to a group of peers who they can chat about commercial topics with.

That's why this is our next focus in the forum - we want to make the TCLA forum a hub for commercial awareness discussions. Anyone can participate in these, and you can be a complete beginner to get started.

With that in mind, you might have seen this new feature in the forum today (it'll also show up on the left hand side under 'Commercial Awareness'). Each week, I'll be posting a selection of the commercial stories our writers have discussed in our weekly newsletter, analysing a relevant topic and the impact on law firms.

Now, if you select an article, you'll be able to see a discussion tab next to it, which links to a thread for that article in the forum.



Each Wednesday, our forum team will kick off a discussion of a different commercial article. We'll try to discuss how this topic could be relevant for your interviews, and anyone is more than welcome to share their opinion.

This is the kind of initiative that improves as more people participate, so please don't feel your commercial awareness needs to be of a certain level to join in. You are also more than welcome to just ask questions.

Finally, this isn't limited to the discussion each Wednesday - feel free to add comments to any article at any time.

Any questions or comments, let me know - otherwise I hope you find it useful!

Jaysen

@Dheepa @Alice G @Jacob Miller @Naomi U @Jessica Booker @LM

Hi

Long time lurker, first time poster! Thanks to all that run this site, and the users

I have several questions about reference checks, relating to work experience.

I have 2 AC's coming up for TC's at a US firm and an Internationally Elite firm. If I were to be offered a TC, I am worried about my work experience. Firstly, the firms only asked for academic referees, so who would they contact for work experience references?
Secondly, with the exception of one summer VS that I failed to convert, the rest are both 1)unpaid and 2)informal (for example, first year schemes that lasted for either a day, or 2-3 days max), or informal shadowing in immigration law firms (for a week) way back in 2016. I'm really concerned as they may not remember me, or simply have had plenty of applicants since(did first year schemes at the start/middle of my first year, now have graduated a year ago!)
Finally, on the app form, I have listed some virtual insight schemes/vac schemes(ranging from legal cheek vac schemes, to a virtual insight week (admittedly through workshops only)with a national law firm who works with our university!)- and only lasted for a few days(5). Just wanted some closure as to how this would be checked, as I am stressing.

Wouldn't want to get this far only for offers to be rescinded

Thank you

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