New Threads

Hi guys,

I have two assessment centres on Thursday and Friday of this week and I’m stressing out a bit!

How long on average would you say it takes you to prep for an AC?

Also does anyone have any advice for a Weightmans AC? There doesn’t seem to be much info online about what to expect.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,
Has anyone filled in an application for Irwin Mitchell at all?
I was unsure whether they want all our grades for our degree on the application or just our final degree grade?
I tried contacting them on wednesday and I still havent had a reply.
Any advice would be very helpful!
Many thanks

Hello everyone!

Rather than thinking of any one employer in particular, I've been reflecting on what it is graduate recruiters want to see on applications generally. I feel there are a few main points to satisfy. Obviously, there are various degrees to which it is necessary to satisfy them, depending on the firm (I imagine a firm like Latham & Watkins will set a higher bar than a regional one).

Therefore, by way of discussion, the general idea I'm getting is that there are three main 'pillars' to the application process. Do feel free to correct me on this, as I'm far from experienced... this is just what I've glued together from my own applications and the experiences of friends who are further along than me:

1) Meet the academic requirements. Every single firm whose A-level requirements I did not meet rejected me. I had hoped that the shortcoming would be discounted based on the strength of the application in other areas, but that is seemingly not how it works. Competition is brutal and exceptions look to be non-existent. I imagine the absolute same goes for university grades. Avoid having below 2:1 in any module.

2) Have a solid (legal) CV. After academia, I imagine the next point grad recruitment scrutinizes is the work experience. If you have legal/commercial internships, your application will receive a massive buff. If you've only worked in retail for the past year and done nothing more specific (or transferable) to law, I can see how it wouldn't exactly be a competitive application.

3) Have the professional and personal aptitude necessary. This is mostly tested at ACs and face-to-face interviews. The job is challenging and not everyone has it in them to succeed. An applicant needs to have a solid commercial and legal knowledge base, and have a fair idea of the demands placed on the business a law firm conducts. Further, innate people skills, true motivation and interest in the field, and simple likability go a long way.

In my case, my ABB grades have limited my options, but you play the hand you're dealt.
As for the CV, I've worked extensively in administrative/receptionist positions. While helpful, I do think my CV could use some diversification - a point I'm working on at the moment with various placements.

I'm curious as to which of the above problems other users have experienced, and how they've worked on them. Feel free to share!

Hello everyone,

I'm working on a training contract application to Paul Hastings and I'm having a bit of trouble with one of the questions. The question is 'Why are your skills/attributes suited to a career at Paul Hastings? Why should we offer you a Training Contract?'

On the surface, it seems fairly straight forward but after thinking about it, its a little more difficult than it appears.

I thought about highlighting a few of the firm's standout characteristics and explaining why certain skills I have developed would be suitable and relate to their firm - and then evidencing these skills with things I've done. For example, the firm executes many complex multijurisdictional transactions. Therefore, organisation skills are needed to keep up with legal developments and to be able to manage and prioritise heavy, complicated caseloads. I would then back up my organisational skills with something I've done and then hopefully I would have covered the 'why are my skills suited' part of the question.

I'm pretty lost on how to tackle the 'why should we offer you a training contract' part of the question.

To add to the difficulty, you only get 200 words!

Any advice with be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Hi Guys,

I am currently drafting my personal statement and I was wondering if someone could tell me what structure they followed.

I usually use this structure when it comes to cover letters: why commercial law, why that firm, why me.

Should I use the same approach?

Hey Im sure this has been asked somewhere- but what are people's thoughts about mentioning an upcoming VS at another firm in a TC app- (mainly because can't guarantee conversion from VS to TC). I was thinking maybe in the cover letter dropping in a line along the lines of "and looking forward to learning more about x in my upcoming vacation scheme at".

Open to all thoughts and suggestions- thanks!

I have completed my app for Freshfields but wanted to amend one last thing in my cover letter and cannot seem to do it, as the review button only allows me to access my profile. Has anyone else come across this? I contacted Grad Rec who are busy with VS starting tomorrow but I hope they will reply soon. Amy help appreciated .

Hi All,

I thought it would be interesting to see where our members are heading to this summer. A couple of trainees have also asked me if any TCLA members are heading to their firm this summer, so I can give a heads up. Feel free to also include the dates of your scheme.

In the meantime, you may find the following helpful:

• Convert your vacation scheme into a training contract: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/convert-your-vacation-scheme-into-a-training-contract/
• Vacation Scheme Guide 2019: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/the-vacation-scheme-guide/
• Vacation Scheme Diaries: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....official-vacation-scheme-diaries-thread.1430/
• We are also currently posting daily tips on our LinkedIn page.

Hi guys,

Bit of an unusual one but having won a competition, I have an upcoming lunch with two of BCLP's American partners.

I'm currently awaiting the outcome of my application with the firm so would obviously like to make a good impression whilst ensuring I strike the right balance in terms of formality (as it's a lunch not an interview).

Any advice/tips on how to prepare, questions to ask etc?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

A friend of mine recently recommended a podcast to me called 'Wake Up To Money' on BBC Radio Five Live which is available every weekday. It is recorded really really early in the morning and covers all the big commercial news stories, whilst only being about 40 mins long. I have been listening everyday for a couple of weeks now and it is really easy to follow and incredibly useful. I figured that it would be a great idea to hear if you guys have any podcast recommendations that might help with commercial awareness as well! If you have any to share I would be so grateful to hear of them in a post below

Thanks everyone and I hope you are all having a lovely week so far!

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know where I can find the list of factors which could be considered to answering the question "Why this firm?"
Many thanks - I just remember there being a long list of things we could mention in our applications which was really helpful but I cant seem to find it anywhere!
A link to it would be amazing!

Many thanks

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone knew what Baker McKenzie's view on shortening their name in an application.

I was thinking to write "Bakers" after the first "Baker McKenzie" in the question.

Does anyone have any insight on grad rec's opinion about this

Thank you!!!!

Hi guys,

I recently received an offer to be a Brand Ambassador for my university at a law firm. I had also applied for brand ambassador roles for other law firms, including a magic circle one. Do you think it is possible to use my current job offer to leverage the other firm to give me an interview? (I haven't heard back from the other firm yet.)

Thank you for your help!

So Reed Smith has the following question on their TC app:

"What are your main activities or interests outside of your study or work-life?"

Do you think that could include also activities/interests that you used to have but no longer practice? Let's say university activities/societies that you participated in but you no longer do because you've graduated.

Thank you in advance!

"10 years on from the financial crisis and the European banking sector is still suffering from a painful amount of problems; the sector is too large, lacks capital and most significantly has too many unprofitable, unsustainable players – the zombie banks."

A fantastic insight into Europe's troubled banks by TCLA writer @Oliver Gilliland: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/the-horde-of-the-european-zombie-banks/
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/the-horde-of-the-european-zombie-banks/

Hey guys,

I'm new here but I've been watching the threads for quite a while, trying to gather what tips and tricks I can for applications. Whilst I am yet to land a TC, the tips have certainly got me closer!

There is, however, one thing I haven't seen much on here, and I was hoping you would be able to help me. I always have a hard time debating whether or not I should personally tailor the 'work experience' section of an application form. This is usually a spot where the firms ask us to list our work experience, how long we did it for etc. I tend to give a generic, copied answer for this section just because it isn't a part specific to the firm.

My generic answer does highlight the key skills I have learnt that make me a good trainee. For example, commercial awareness, attention to detail, commercial experience, working in a team etc. However, I don't specifically say this makes me a good trainee because the word limit is often very limited (150 words typically.)

So that leaves me with two questions really:

•Do you really emphasise why your experience makes you a good trainee? Giving a point, an example from your place of work, and explaining why? Or do you simply leave it descriptive and open to interpretation, whilst highlighting the skills you have learnt?

•Do you tailor your work experience section to the individual firm? Personally, I don't because I find it hard to tailor when there is no specific question being asked.

Looking forward to hearing what you guys do!

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the first commercial news update for June! We are still trying to keep our stories a little bit shorter and snappier for you all but do let us know what you think!

Happy reading!

Commercial News Update – 5th June 2019

Topics covered this week:

1. Trump’s ‘Substantial Trade Deal’ with the UK @Jaysen
2. The Google Antitrust Investigation @Moni
3. Trump’s Tariffs on Mexico @Alice G
4. Italy’s Debt @Sara Moon

Trump’s “Substantial Trade Deal” with the UK @Jaysen

The Story:

President Trump called the UK-US special relationship the “greatest alliance the world has ever known” on day two of his state visit to the UK. The US president’s comments came during a joint press conference with Theresa May in which both leaders speculated on a trade deal between the UK and the US post-Brexit.

Impact on Businesses and Law Firms:

Ahead of his arrival to the UK, Trump weighed in on Brexit, suggesting the UK should just “walk away” from the EU. His comments didn’t help the financial markets, which dread the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. Uncertainty scares investors because it’s hard to price in risk and predict future earnings. It’s why last month the pound fell against the euro for 11 consecutive days, matching the record it set just before the financial crisis

However, Trump’s promise to strike a “very, very substantial trade deal” with the UK could offer new opportunities for businesses. Lower tariffs, as well as looser trading rules and investment restrictions, may increase imports and exports (especially for key UK-US exports in chemicals, machinery and vehicles) and lead to more investment.

Suppose, as a result of a UK-US trade deal, US businesses find it easier to acquire UK firms or that UK investors have an easier time raising finance from US lenders. Commercial law firms that are positioned on both sides of the Atlantic will be well prepared to deal with a rise in transactional work. Those that are not may struggle to break into the very competitive legal markets.

Yet, despite all the promise, there are also many doubts and concerns over a UK-US trade deal. The UK prime minister won’t be leader for much longer, both countries are arguing over Huawei and there is no guarantee a trade deal will be agreed -- will Donald Trump be re-elected? What if we don’t have a hard Brexit? Do we prefer regulatory alignment with the US or the EU?

The Google Antitrust Investigation @Moni

The Story:

On Monday 3rd June, several of the world’s largest technology companies, including Google, Facebook and Apple, saw their stocks tumble as reports circulated that the Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission and US House of Representatives were preparing sweeping antitrust investigations into large tech companies.

Alphabet Inc stocks tumbled 6% following the report that the Justice Department would investigate Google’s search practices and its other businesses. While the Justice Department has yet to provide confirmation, the report stated that the department’s antitrust division has been laying the groundwork for the probe. Alphabet is one of the world’s five largest companies by market capitalization and is a major player in the advertising market. In addition to Google, the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission will also be investigating Facebook, Amazon and Apple. Investor concerns were further stoked when, less than a day later, it was reported that House Democrats will be launching a separate “top-to-bottom” antitrust investigation of the tech industry.

The investigations mark a turning point in a longstanding antitrust conversation regarding tech companies within the US, and it comes at a point where tech companies are under the spotlight regarding their role in the economy, politics and society more broadly. Depending on their outcomes, these antitrust investigations could leave the companies open to new regulatory scrutiny and lawsuits.

Impact on Businesses and Law Firms:

By investigating these tech giants, the federal government is taking on some of the world’s most popular companies which have spent the last decade building up their relationships in Washington. Google survived a previous investigation by the Federal Trade Commission who said that while they had concerns about anti-competitive behaviour, the company also had strong pro-competitive justifications for its actions. However, the investigations are being instigated on the back of several successful investigations by the European Union and at a particularly heated time in the political cycle. The decline in stock prices is an indicator that investors are not willing to shrug off the possibility of regulatory and legal scrutiny. The outcomes and nature of these investigations, especially the DoJ and FTC investigations, will largely shape the relationship between big tech and Washington for several years to come.

This year, we established the TCLA podcast series: "Trainee Talk". We are now looking for two people to join our team!

Trainee Talk features interviews with future trainees, trainees and other members of the legal profession, as we try to uncover how they got to where they are and share the advice they have for aspiring lawyers.

Why become a member of the podcasting team?

• You will build relationships with a variety of stakeholders, which may include graduate recruitment, trainees and associates at commercial law firms
• You will be given access to TCLA Premium Version 2.0
• You will be pivotal in growing TCLA's userbase from a monthly reach of 10,000+
• You will work directly with the founding team and gain skills in presenting and clear communication

What will your responsibilities be?

• Reaching out to legal professionals to invite them to participate in an interview
• Interviewing legal professionals online and/or in-person as podcast host

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for people who are proactive, with good communication skills and a strong commitment to the role. Successful candidates must be willing to commit to a minimum of 5 hours per month to the role.

How do I apply?

Please fill out this short form: https://forms.gle/KkxtBvp7TiWQ2WhA9. If you have any related experience in producing or hosting podcasts, please mention this in your application.

Applications close on Friday, 7 June 2019

Hello everyone,

Slaughter and May has just opened applications for the 2021 TC, thus I thought it could be useful to create a new thread in order to discuss the application process.

First of all, they seem to put emphasis on the CV and the cover letter. In regard to the former, what is the ideal structure to adopt? Should it rather be bullet points or text? How to link the CV with the firm, which is probably the hardest part? Should individual modules be included (they already are on the application form)?

In regard to the latter, what should be included on the cover letter?

Morning all

I have been following TCLA at arms length for a while and more specifically the disappointment surrounding Travers Smith with VS and TC application delays. I thought I'd finally make an account and attempt to contribute something back to the good advice people post on the forums.

Alike others, I received the 'spaces are now full' for the VS application, and the initial 'unlikely response until 31 July 2019' for the TC application emails.

This morning I received a further update again emphasising that it will be a 'couple of months' before they get back to people. They do reiterate that this is because every application is looked at and considered and that they will get back to us regardless of the result.

At least we have some sort of explanation as to the slow turn around - whilst frustrating, if this is because they consider application then perhaps it may well work in our favour.

Thoughts welcome below!

All the best

Ross

Hi all,

I hope you are all well!

I'm currently applying for direct TCs (I'm soon to graduate), but have one vacation scheme coming up in the summer. However, I want to hedge my bets and also apply direct (just in case I don't covert the TC). Although I haven't done it yet, what do you think about putting on my CV/work experience section on apps 'incoming vacation scheme.' Would this make a difference/is it wise to do this - even though I wouldn't have much else to put (as I haven't done it yet).

Thanks!

TCP

Hi all,

I’ve recently finished final year and had the good luck to have a firm ask me whether I’d be interested in a job as a paralegal - I haven’t secured a VC//TC and I’m wondering what you all think about whether I should go for it or not considering how competitive the job market is.

I’m doing my last day tomorrow and I’m thinking about asking them about details before officially saying I’m interested, but I don’t know what else I can ask beyond how much I’d get paid (lol)

Any thoughts would be really appreciated!!

Hi,

Do you have any tips about choosing an issue to write about in an application form?

I'd really like to talk about the interplay between technology and privacy (referring to the Whatsapp attack) but I'm not sure if this is too generic.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!