Training Contract Journey

Hi all! So grateful to be one of the lucky 10 who is able to benefit from the TCLA Silver Scholarship (- thanks Jaysen!). Just by way of intro, I've recently finished my LPC and I am currently applying for vac schemes/training contracts. Applications are doing better this year: while I've got rejected from some firms, I've also progressed to some next stages too. Hoping this year is our year! I've got the CMS assessment centre next week so will be using TCLA's fabulous resources to prepare.

How's everyone else doing?

Hello everyone,



Firstly I would like to thank Jaysen and the corporate law academy team for giving me this scholarship and am hoping that in 6 months time I will have secured a training contract with a law firm.

I am currently in my third year of my law degree at BPP Law School in London and am due to graduate in May and want to have a training contract before I graduate. This is my second application cycle and I have already faced the difficult challenges of being rejected from law firms in this cycle but am hopefully going to improve my application skills and get good results soon.

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and I'd appreciate any advice and support for my journey

By way of background, I am a State school educated BME student, currently studying LLB at a top London university. However my academic journey is quite unconventional, I achieved ABC at ALevel and ABBBBCCC at GCSE (GCSE had mitigating circumstances)

I have achieved high firsts (73+) at university in all my modules (incl. Contract +EU) for first year but am worried that with my poor secondary school grades this will hinder my chances of making it past the application stage, especially considering firms like CC (my desired firm) are recruiting penultimate years, so I will only have the first year set of grades to go by. My WE and EC are quite diverse and I made sure to explore my interests and participate in activities.

The other firms I am interested in applying to after CC were Linklaters/Freshfields /Slaughter and May and Ashurst, I have had to be realistic with the entry requirements for ALevel and with International firms such as Norton Rose/Hogan Lovells with AAB requirements, I felt this would not be worth an application. My current firms listed so far, whilst extremely competitive, have no academic filters but also align with my passion and interests.

I'm really struggling with the confidence to make applications as I understand I will be competing with applicants who have A* across the board and a first at university. If anyone has any advice and would be willing to support me with my applications I really would appreciate it. I've been suffering from imposter syndrome a lot lately and have found my university experience to be extremely lonely on top of trying to outperform my bad grades in the past, I'm not quite sure where I stand anymore.

Does anyone else absolutely HATE the Addleshaw Goddard application form?!
There's no opportunity to say ANYTHING on it. The only want your work experience for the three years which just completely excludes older people who have more experience over a longer period of time. You don't even get to explain your work experience or say anything about your role or responsibilities. The questions are absurd - telling us what their best feature is and then asking what their best feature is. Either you look like the moron who thinks you know the firm better than they do or you're the moron repeating the question - is there are way to answer that question without looking stupid?! Unless I'm missing it, there's no opportunity to talk about mitigating circumstances, they only accept certain disabilities as credible - mine is a pretty mainstream, well-known and debilitating physical disability but it's not on their list.
I really like the firm but their application form alone has made me genuinely consider not applying to them. Am I the only one?

Hi Guys,

I thought I would make this thread as there is a 30 page Linklaters application thread where everyone asks and answers questions about the application process which I found really helpful. I would like to create something similar for Slaughter as the application window is now open and they will be offering interviews in the next couple of weeks! So please post everything Slaughter here!!!!!

Hi all

By way of background, strong overall academics (3 A*, RG LLB, and a LPC pass (meh)). Currently 23.

First round of apps in 2017. Completed a VS at one US firm in 2018, performed well, but not well enough to meet the trainee quota of 2.

Second round in 2018. Secured a VS at one top city firm and a mid tier national firm. At the same time, leveraging on my stock trading hobby during university, I secured a role at a IPO/Corporate finance house in the City, paying near NQ salary at an average city law firm. Given the nature of the job and the pay, I thought I am done with chasing my dream City TC. Therefore, I rejected my two VS that I was due to complete in 2019.

A year later, I have come to realise that I will never be truely satisfied until I qualify as a lawyer!

So, here I am, drafting my applications again. Lets see if I can bag a direct TC sooner or later.

I’ve worked on the IPO of one law firm and funnily enough I’ll now probably apply to them.

Best of luck all.

Hi Guys!

I don't know if any of you are/have been in the situation where you have started applying late in the TC cycle but I'd just like to address it and if anyone can relate, please do! I've currently been in full time therapy for external reasons which in themselves can take a massive toll on me so I just decided to leave applying till I'm actually ready to produce good applications.

It is extremely stressful for a number of reasons but the main reasons for me are that a lot of deadlines have already passed and also the stress of rushing to put an application together.

To deal with this, I have selected firms I already know quite well as well as firms that have their deadlines quite late in the year. How would you deal with a situation like this?

Hello guys just thought that I would create a thread for the upcoming cycle of training contracts. These are a list of some of the firms I have been looking at [pretty much all the firms here are commercial and sponsor the LPC or GDL]:
Travers Smith LLP
Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
K&L Gates LLP
Kirkland & Ellis
Baker McKenzie LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Bryan Cave Leighton PaisnerSullivan & Cromwell LLPWeil, Gotshal & Manges
White & Case LLP
Covington & Burling LLP
Latham & Watkins
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Russell-Cooke Solicitors
O'Melveny & Myers sponsors
Trowers & Hamlins LLP
Vinson & Elkins
Burges Salmon LLP
Clyde & Co LLP
Gowling
RPC
Davis Polk & Wardwell London LLP
CMS
Jones Day
Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP
Dechert LLP
DLA Piper LLP
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Reed Smith
Hogan Lovells

I am creating this thread so that we can walk together, encourage one another, and bounce ideas of each other as we go and get training contract offers. Please everyone is welcome to contribute something every little helps.

Hi guys

A few months ago, I successfully applied for TCLA's premium scholarship and meant to begin documenting my application cycle on here. As I'm currently working as a paralegal and applying for TCs at the same time, I didn't really get chance!

A couple of days ago I was finally offered a TC at a magic circle firm, so I thought I'd write a quick post on here as I know those of you without a perfect academic record worry about your grades holding you back.

My profile - BCC at A level (with mitigating circumstances that led to me working in two jobs alongside my studies) and a 61% 2:1 at a non-RG uni. I also got a 2:2 in Contract. Pretty far from what most firms look for! I worked in two jobs during first year of uni and held one job for second and third year. I therefore didn't hold positions within the Law Society and had barely any extra-curriculars.

Post-uni I developed interesting hobbies, made a conscious effort to network by attending Legal Cheek events, invested some time learning about commercial law and the commercial world more generally, took rubbish temp paralegal jobs (which led to more interesting paralegal jobs) and basically worked extra hard to make my application strong to counteract my weaker grades. It took a couple of years and a fair few rejections, but I now have an offer from a great firm and an upcoming assessment centre at another magic circle firm. I also have a place on the Spring Vacation Scheme of a City law firm (that I won’t be undertaking)!

I guess my point is, we'll all get there. Don't write yourself off or compare yourself to anyone else. Be proactive in seeking opportunities that will help - TCLA, Strive, Aspiring Solicitors, Rare, even Instagrammers have useful info and resources that have helped me!

Please do feel free to reach out if you have any questions and I’ll try to help as much as I can .

Best of luck everyone, keep applying and don't worry about rejections - literally everyone gets them!

Hello Everyone!

I have just came across TCLA (must have been living under a rock) and was wondering if anyone in the community has any advice for me based on my situation.

By way of context, I am a recent First Class Law Graduate from a Russell Group University. In the Summer of 2018, I undertook a Vacation Scheme at Norton Rose Fulbright but unfortunately did not manage to convert it into a TC. I was also NRF's Campus Ambassador. The feedback I received was positive, but my final TC interview let me down where I persisted with my point of view, as I thought I was trying to be 'caught out', yet later realised I had been mistaken. I was told at the time to re-apply, but during the final year of university, I suffered from difficult family circumstances and so chose to focus on my studies. I have recently got back in contact and asked NRF's HR if I can apply again based on my prior experience and I was advised I could apply for the Spring VC or the TC directly.

My question is which opportunity I should apply for. On one hand I view the VC as a way of showcasing my resilience, how I have worked on my feedback and a way to demonstrate how much my commercial awareness has improved. On the other hand, perhaps I would be more likely to be given a TC interview as 'one last shot', considering I have already experienced the NRF culture and gained experience there.

I feel like I am in an unusual position and don't really know what route to take, yet feel there is nothing to loose by making one last application!

Thank you all in advance for any views you might have.

Hello everyone! I have been following The Corporate Law Academy for a few years whilst applying for vacation schemes and training contracts, and would be ever so grateful for some advice on my (potentially) final year of applications.

I have recently graduated from my law degree and LPC at a non russell group University, with first class honours. I live in the North East and I currently have a great non-legal job at a global company based in London (I work from home in the North but I travel regularly). Whilst this is perfect for the time being, I am still determined to pursue a training contract.

However, I have discovered in this cycle of applications that firms are increasingly recruiting solely from their vacation schemes, which will exclude me from applying to many firms as I will not be able to take the time off work. Which makes me wonder if this will be my last cycle of TC applications, if this is a trend that will continue in the future.

I have a bulky CV: I have completed 5 vacation schemes in the last 3 years, worked part-time for 6 years from the age of 16 a premium supermarket chain and completed a number of volunteering and fundraising projects. I also averaged a mark of 76 in my 4 years at university, my only let down on my application being my A Level grades, being ABC (300 UCAS points).

My applications to northern firms have always fallen at the final hurdle: the final interview. Every piece of feedback I have received has been largely positive, which has been frustrating- I am usually told "everyone who met you [during the VS] thought you were great and spoke highly about you and we would encourage you to apply again next year" and the only clear negative feedback I was given was regarding a lack of confidence and about my commercial awareness: e.g. "the work you did was great but just lacked the ability to communicate information to clients in the way a lawyer would. You completed the work as a law student would and you therefore need some more legal experience".

This year I am re-applying to the northern firms that I was rejected from last year. However, I was also looking to broaden my applications into London firms (having enjoyed working in the London office of my current employer),and other, larger northern firms, but I am conscious that I would be wasting my time applying to firms that would automatically filter out my application due to my ABC A-Level results, and my inability to undertake a VS. (I have never passed the online application stage to firms such as Eversheds and Irwin Mitchell for example).

Does anyone have any positive experience/knowledge of firms that I would not be wasting my time on applying to given my circumstances? (My first choice of location would be Leeds/Newcastle and I would definitely move to London if it paid enough for me to relocate).

Please give details of your interests and activities, positions of responsibility, skills and achievements. Please also include any other information relevant to your application. (250 words max)*

This is my third year trying to apply and I believe what truly lets me down is answering training contact/vacation scheme questions. I just want to know how I can go about answering this question. Do I focus on only 1 significant achievement or can mention other achievements?

What is the correct way to approach this question? How can I stand out?

Extremely Thankful for any contribution!

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 all!

I am an aspiring commercial solicitor. As you can imagine, I have not secured a TC yet but I am determined to get an offer for 2022.

First a bit about who I am and my life - I am working as a paralegal in IP litigation at the moment and am also a part-time LPC student in year 1. I am French and did all my school years in Paris, after what I decided to start medical school. Midway through my second year, I had a change of heart and decided to start law school in 2013 at the Catholic University of Lille. After two years, I applied and got an Erasmus grant to come study in England. I completed my third year at CCCU with a few modules I had no idea about. At that stage, I decided I wanted to stick around and see what London had to offer. That's when I started to look more into the route to qualification here and found out I was really, really late to the game. I enrolled to do the GDL and an LL.M both at the same time. It was a great experience but I do not recommend it to anybody who wants to have good grades, because I didn't. I found a job in enforcement and stayed in the company for a year and a half, after which I decided to quit to focus on what I really want: being a commercial solicitor. Few months of search and many tears later, I found my position at Bristows, which I adore. Enrolled in the part-time LPC and here I am.

The wizlaw and I - As mentioned above, I had a change of heart mid-medical school. That was triggered by a single class on overview of research and development of a new drug. In medical school, we mainly focused on the R&D part - make a commercial decision to research a way to treat a condition, the research stages lead by leading scientists, animal and human clinical trial, final clinical trials. And then the exciting stuff: patenting and enforcing patent rights. Bam, I was sold! Left medical school, started law school. That's what I want to do, mostly law, with that general scientific reading. To be fair, it does help to have a scientific background in my current law firm and that is one of the most exciting parts of the job to me.

Naked me - I think I really need to be realistic about my profile and start with everything I know might not be great about me. Sometimes, I found it easy to get carried on by my excitement, determination and optimism, without having a full picture of my weaknesses and how I can mitigate/change them. First stop, laziness. I think I have never been super lazy, but I was guilty of doing the bare minimum, especially before uni. Fast forward a good few years and many of them spent on uni bench, I think I get that without putting the full efforts, I will not get the full reward. That leads to my second point, my grades. Because I did the bare minimum sometimes, my grades are not the best. I do not have mitigating circumstances and am not making excuses for them, I need to take ownership in order to prove that my LPC grades will be better. I used to want to be better but sit on my couch and watch tv, making excuses, saying tomorrow I will do it. Tomorrow is now and I am proactive today, I am making active changes to increases my chances and be the best candidate I will ever be.

Now what? - I am struggling through the LPC and work, both taking so much of my time. I want to follow my study plans: read, prepare, attend, consolidate, read, revise and do mocks. But all this takes immense time and I find myself going home tired and exhausted after 7 hours of work, 3 hours of studying. I try to take the time to recharge as much as I can during the weekend (which is why I study so hard in the week) but often, still have to study in the mornings. I have just started my TC application round, with a few firms in mind and a schedule ahead of me. I've got all the chances on my side, I just need to make the best of it.

Feel free to tag along and watch me try, fail and, hopefully, succeed!

Hi,

In my last year, I set off determined to:
1. Improve my overall degree mark.
2. Work on my vacation schemes, attend career lectures and seek advice from my university's careers service.

Hey everyone,

I thought maybe this would be a good place to get some initial thoughts down, perhaps ground myself a little as I prepare for what is sure to be quite a whirlwind of a journey.

A little bit about me. I graduated from a Russel Group university in 2015 with a 2:1, and to be quite honest I don't think I was too sure I knew what I was doing. I wanted a career in Law and shot off some poorly-written applications in a desperation to make it look like I knew what I was doing, since everyone else seemed to.. yeah, I know. The reality was that I had zero confidence and my individual grades weren't that great (plenty of 2:2s, couple of 3rds and even did a couple of resits...). I'd held a weekend job throughout uni and done some pro-bono at the legal advice centre but all I had drilled into my head was that my less-than-stellar grades would get me nowhere. That was cycle one down the drain.

I ended up taking a gap year for several reasons but during that time ended up doing a 9-month stint in the DWP. I gained a lot of skills, but felt I wanted to develop a career in Law further and took the leap in doing the LPC without a TC offer. I hadn't made applications because, well... my work experience wasn't fantastic and again it was the notion that my grades would lead me nowhere.

LPC done and dusted in 2017 (with a plethora of resits due to certain circumstances that I've been told probably will not count as mitigating circumstances) and I found myself working at a high street firm for a few months. I had attended a few open days and what is now lawcareers.netLIVE and decided that working at a high street firm most certainly was not for me. I made a few applications during this time, made it to the VI stage at one firm and interview at another, as well as an AC for an in-house TC (the furthest I've ever been!) but no light at the end of the tunnel that is the TC, unfortunately. I also started volunteering at my local library, undertaking projects and sessions for children - I still volunteer there most Saturdays. Unfortunately that was my second cycle without any luck.

All the while I remained on the job hunt, feeling that some paralegal work may boost me. It took me quite a few months, but I ended up as a legal assistant at a conveyancing firm where I've been for the past year.

So... why a TC now? Why am I doing this? Is there a point? Will I be a suitable candidate?

Yes, my grades aren't brilliant despite having the 2:1. My work experience may be classed as average and my extra-curriculars... meh? But I think that's the problem. I never had the confidence to push myself or go further. I had (and sometimes still have) this notion that my grades and experience means that any recruiter will just stop reading at that point and throw my application away. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it happens and I'm sure these are points for concern for recruiters. But how can I know without even trying?

I can't change my grades and I can't change the experiences I've had, and being in full-time employment can make attending events/gaining other experiences somewhat challenging. But what I can do is try to sell myself better. I mentioned above that I never had the confidence to push myself and now I feel like that really showed in my application. I've gained a lot of skills from various experiences and I've learnt a lot. I've learnt more about what I actually want and what kind of firm I want to work at. This time I want to make the effort to actually talk to people, work on myself and really improve the way I write applications. I want to give myself every opportunity and every edge I can gain in selling myself to recruiters. And if I fail to get a TC this cycle, no worries. Onwards and upwards. I'll learn from my experiences and keep pushing forward.

This is way longer than it should be already, but perhaps this is a way of keeping myself accountable as well. Maybe I'm trying to gain further confidence because I always worry too much of what others are thinking and whether it's really worth it. I want a TC, I really do, but without making a sincere effort I will go nowhere. It's up to me to give it a best shot and maybe this third cycle will be a bit more successful.

If you read this far... thanks, I very much appreciate it. If anyone has any tips in respect of confidence/speaking confidently that will be very much appreciated. I'll try to update going forward. I'm currently researching law firms and trying to prepare some questions to ask at the law fair I will be attending

Hi All,

You may have just seen this new section of the forum pop up. It's an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and let us follow along your training contract journey. You might also find this a good way to motivate yourself to work on specific things in the application process.

Anyone can create a thread in this forum and post as frequently as they wish. You might want to include what you're working towards at the moment, how you're feeling at different stages of the process and your goals for the future. You could also share anything you've come across that you've found useful and/or any setbacks you've faced.

There's no pressure in these threads - these threads are yours, so feel free to only share what you feel comfortable sharing. Likewise, you are very welcome to stay anonymous.

We’ll be reading these threads, so feel free to make clear anything you’re stuck on at the moment, and we can try to send some advice/guidance your way.

I look forward to reading your stories!

Best,

Jaysen

Hi everyone,

I have been a bit of an avid stalker of TCLA since last year when I realised that there are so many people going through the same experiences simultaneously; so have found the forums to be such an interesting read.

I have received the TCLA scholarship this year which I am so grateful for and wanted to share my experiences through my first round of TC applications as I am sure I am about to embark on a rollercoaster of emotions!

Hi, my name is Yasmin - I'm studying Law at the University of Cambridge.
Having been given a TCLA scholarship I feel more confident about the application season and I'll be sharing updates of my journey on here.

I am excited and overwhelmed that I received the TCLA scholarship. Being recognised for my potential by the TCLA team has motivated me and I feel like I can enter this application season with confidence. I study Politics and International Relations at the University of Exeter and I am planning to apply for vacation schemes. I will be posting about my journey, my ups and downs, my failures and my successes. So join me on this epic journey and let's see where it leads us.

The other day I spoke to someone who went through three recruitment rounds before finally being offered a training contract with a great firm. I’m on my second (likely unsuccessful) round and I’m trying not to give up hope, so I find stories like this really inspiring and would love to hear them.

Current and future trainees, did anyone have to go through more than one recruitment round to get a training contract? What happened? Why do you think you were ultimately successful?

Looking forward to hearing some inspiring stories!