New Threads

Hi everyone,

I am currently stuck on the following question in Baker Mckenzie application form:

Our strategies are driven around our clients and our people. Both go hand in hand, and one cannot succeed without the other. Please tell us what client focus and people focus mean to you, in a successful organisation like Baker McKenzie. Include any personal experience you think may be relevant to these discussions. (500 words max)*

Is anyone able to offer guidance on how to approach it?

How did you find it, any tips on how best to prepare?

Big thanks to the lovely TCLA Team for organising such a fantastic event! Super helpful and provided a much needed confidence boost. Would recommend it for all you aspiring solicitors 100%

Hi,

in my preparation for an interview, I have been trying to answer the question "If you were a managing partner of [firm], where would you open an office? Which of our offices would you close?", but I have been really struggling with the second part. I have tried researching where the firm currently has offices, and potentially some negatives about the markets there, but really not sure whether to go from here. Does anyone have any tips as to what I could look into?

Thank you

Hi!

Has anyone (recently) had an interview with White & Case? Any tips or suggestions on how to approach prep? And what does the written exercise entail / can it be prepared for?

Thanks so much

Hi guys,

In preparation for interviews, what topics should I concentrate on in terms of commercial awareness?

I know Brexit and the US-China Trade War is a good start but what else should I be looking out for?

Many thanks!!

I thought I might start a thread where I just list out some of the simple/small mistakes that are often made in applications. I will add to this thread as and when I am reading applications or reminded of points that come up.

Please note most of these are common mistakes made by a lot of candidates! Some of them aren't necessarily "mistakes" as such, some will just be things that are completely unnecessary and can be cut from forms (useful if you are trying to get word count down)….

So here goes.....

hello,

has anybody applied to Shearman's winter vacation scheme? Have you heard anything back?

Thanks.

Hey guys - I received the VI invite for Mischon a few days ago - I was wondering if anybody has done it this year or in the last few years and if so what sort of questions came up - Thank you, any help would be greatly appreciated

I think I sent my application within the first 2 weeks of their portal opening - so I imagine very few people have submitted their app - in case you need help with Mischon's app, drop me a pm and we can discuss

Hi Guys,

I am applying to TW vac scheme and the form is overwhelming. There are 9 questions to answer with 250 word limit (i have listed the ones I need most help with below). Has anyone applied before and can give me some tips please?

1. As a future leader of the firm, what would your approach be to enhancing client service at Taylor Wessing?

2. What types of innovation will drive growth at Taylor Wessing?

3. What is your most significant achievement to date within your academic career? (can I talk about project I have ran during uni?)

Hey folks,

After grilling the graduate recruiter at the law fair for about half an hour, I'm happy to say that my work has (initially) paid off and I have gotten a video interview at Latham!

Does anybody know what the questions are/were last year?

Dear Community,

Has anyone received an offer for the video interview yet with L&W?

Hi everyone!
As most deadlines are in December or January and most firms recruit on a rolling basis, I have heard I should not leave my application until the last minute. I am a second year non law student.

However, at the moment my only extracurriculars are one sport, and I am a volunteer peer supporter. O I am currently waiting to hear back from pro bono volunteering and a part-time research internship I have applied for.

Otherwise, I think my CV looks good – I have attended a few open days, Barclays Legal Experience Week by Aspiring Solicitors. I was on a society committee last year, but I didn't really do anything impressive there. My work experience includes an internship over summer and customer-facing part-time jobs. I also speak 4 languages.

I was wondering if you would advise me to 1) apply now or 2) wait until I hear back from the pro bono/research internship I have applied for before applying, so that I can put that down on my application form and on my CV.

thanks in advance

Hi all!

Does anyone have experience completing the Fieldfisher online assessment (ideally this year as i think it may have changed).

I have recieved a link to complete the test within the next 5 days. I will report back what it is like once I have done it.

Hello everyone!
I hope your application cycle is going well.

I have just been invited to Burges Salmon's AC. I have read the thread created here about the AC experience at the firm. However, no one mentioned a written exercise which was explicitly indicated in my invitation email.
This is the task that I struggle the most in ACs, thus any information what I could expect would be highly appreciated.

Thank you so much in advance.

Hi everyone! I am applying for TCs and noticed quite a few firms ask for "academic references (undergraduate degree)". I graduated from my undergraduate institution a few years ago and have completed the LPC since - would it be okay to provide my LPC tutor's details instead of my undergraduate personal tutor's? I have asked graduate recruitment at one firm and they said it's fine but was unsure about this generally and wanted to ask.

Hi guys,

I’m going to be starting my LPC next year. I took a year out of graduation to gain some work experience. However, now I’m curious if it would make sense to apply for a vacation scheme first then a training contract for the next intake instead of this current intake.

My work experience is outside of the UK but in an international firm and I’m an international student

Hi

I am currently writing for an application of Baker Mckenzie

I face difficulties to understand what the firm wants to get from the first question;

Diversity and Inclusion are inseparable from a career at Baker McKenzie. Please outline how you would apply D & I in your role, drawing on any initiatives you may have been involved in.

I feel confused of "in your role".

Does the role mean your role as a trainee solicitor?

How can I approach to this question?

Hi everyone,

I'm doing an application where the question is:

Please highlight roles and positions of responsibility; this can include volunteering, employment, work experience, sports teams, interests and society positions. Please include what you have gained from each experience. (150 words)

I've recently started a new position but as it's so recent, I haven't gained anything substantial from it yet.

Is my new position worth mentioning still, and if so, how?

My initial idea was to just include it and say what I hope to gain from the position (i.e. teamwork etc) but that's not technically answering the question.

What do you think!?

Thanks!

Hello everyone, I am the Aspiring Solicitors Campus Ambassador for BPP Holborn and I am currently organising a vacation scheme and training contract applications workshop with AS.

The workshop will be focused on how to structure your applications, CV's and cover letters and how to answer commercial awareness questions on applications.

The workshop will be presented by a future Dechert trainee and will take place on Wednesday 20 November at BPP Waterloo between 6-7:30.

Please book your free place now at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aspi...shop-tickets-79413819873?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Thanks

Hi all!

Hope you’re all having a good start to the week.

I thought I’d start one of these threads for my TC journey, having been applying since 2016, as a way of documenting how I’m doing this year compared to previous cycles.

Bit about me, had a rough last few years (a job in admin that didn’t pan out due to health, health interrupting my time at university (and sixth form) and family problems that haven’t done too much good) but I’m keeping on keeping on. Been fortunate to have such a good support network behind me and after a low few months in the middle of the year, decided to get back on the TC applications.

So far, I’ve been successful in getting onto a Taylor Wessing open day after attending a mental health related talk hosted by Legal Cheek and I literally just had my telephone interview with Norton Rose Fulbright (who were absolutely lovely). Not been quite so lucky with Linklaters and Travers Smith but they’re all learning experiences.

Even getting to the phone interview has been a massive achievement for me, as very rarely in the past did I get past the application form. Having read a great many things on this forum, eventually I realised it was my technique in the application forms that let me down: too generic, too much focus on deals and not on WHY they interested me, and thinking that an overly complex answer was good.

I’m hoping to either end this year or start next year on a high; it only takes one!

Hi, I have been invited to an assessment day at NRF and was wondering if any past applicants had any advice/insight? This year they have also introduced a negotiation exercise as part of their vac scheme assessment (previously only for TC), so it would be really useful if any future trainees could shed light on what this entails. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am drafting my Stephenson Harwood application, however, I am unsure of how to approach the following questions.

1.)Tell us about your greatest achievements in your work and/or study.

• What challenges did you experience?
• How did you respond to those challenges?
• What was the outcome?

2.)What activities do you pursue outside of work and/or study? Outline any individual and team outstanding achievements.

• What responsibilities have you taken on?
• Why did you take on the responsibility?
• How did you motivate yourself to achieve it?
• What team activities have you taken part in?
• What did you do to work together with the team?
• What was your role in the team?

My initial approach was to give two examples per question since the question specifically asks for 'achievements' and 'activities'. However, whilst drafting I found it difficult to talk about any achievement or activity in depth given the 250-word count and the many sub-questions I have to answer. Should I use only one example per question? Any ideas on how to approach this?

Does anyone have any tips/ information on the simmons video interview for winter vac scheme?

All help appreciated. Thanks!

Hi All,

Please can you confirm how I am supposed to go about sending you all my application. I sent my draft application yesterday to admin email address for it to be reviewed by the TCLA team. Please can you confirm if that is the correct way to do it.

Thank you all for your assistance. I am indeed grateful