TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[WillkieGemma]

Thank you very much and I still remember the feedback you gave me a few years ago. You were right..my commercial awareness needed to improve and i have personally realised that I did not even understand what commercial awareness was, so thank you.

Constructive feedback is always hard to deliver, but much harder to receive. I'm really glad it helped.

 

[George Maxwell]

Any tips for Denton's telephone interview??

Hi @SCN,

Congratulations for being invited to the TI stage!

From my experience doing a TI with NRF (I didn't complete one with Dentons unfortunately), I would advise that you make sure you are strong on your three whys, be comfortable summarising a commercial news story (and applying it to the firm) and be familiar with some basic competency questions.

Practising is important for TIs too as I think, perhaps even more so than in a live interview, it is important to be fluid in your answers. Make sure you keep your answers punchy and succinct too as best you can (as you will not be able to judge how your answer is being received through visual cues!

I hope that helps

Hi @George Maxwell! In response to your previous reply to someone else, I’d be interested to hear how you dealt with a situation where you weren’t ready to accept a TC offer because of an upcoming summer vacation scheme

Hi @summer207,

Absolutely, I am more than happy to help.

I actually covered this in my answer here! I think this might be the post you were talking about. Is there anything more about how I went about it that you would like to know?

Farrer PFO.

My rejection email said the following:

“We are very sorry not to be able to offer you a place on our scheme and hope this does not deter you from applying for a training contract with us if you have not already done so.”

Genuinely curious if anyone has thoughts on whether it’s worth applying if I couldn’t even secure a spot on the vac scheme?

Hey @Adrian_S,

100%. You should definitely still apply for a direct TC. I have been told that vacation scheme places are often more competitive than direct TCs. It is of course likely that you would be expected to meet a higher standard in a direct TC application. However, you are likely to be competing against fewer candidates!

Of course this depends on the firm and there will be variation. All the same, just because you did not succeed in one of the firm's recruitment processes/routes does not mean you will be unsuccessful in another (especially if they have encouraged you to apply!).

For what it's worth, as a bit of anecdotal reassurance, a friend of mine who is a future trainee at Slaughters was rejected first time round for the vacation scheme but was offered a direct TC! 🤙

The interview did go well, but now I'm stuck overthinking every single answer I gave and how I acted! I'm trying to forget about it as, like you said, there is nothing more that I can do: I did my best and that's all I could have done. Thank you so much for your support as always!

I'm just trying to remind myself that the feedback so far from the firm was very very positive so hopefully they look at it holistically before making a VS decision. Maybe @Jessica Booker can shed some light on this?

Hey @AW_08,

I completely understand you feeling like this. Well done for trying your best too!

Please do let me know when you find out 🙌

Is it normal for firms to interview/ offer ACs to spring vacation scheme applications before summer!! Sorry if this is a stupid question but I’m new to applications this cycle and haven’t heard back from quite a few summer 😰

Tagging @Jessica Booker for her insights on this!

 

[ccfuturetraineesolicitor]

are people still waiting for a response from vinson & elkins post video interview?

 

[Aspiringsolicitordm12]

Hi, I just received the details of my first AC with Latham which includes a written exercise that I've never done before. What is involved in the written exercise? If anyone has any tips or explanations that would be great!

 

[LEL]

Hi, I just received the details of my first AC with Latham which includes a written exercise that I've never done before. What is involved in the written exercise? If anyone has any tips or explanations that would be great!

Hi, it's just a short summary exercise! Not much you can do to prepare, plus it's only 30 minutes

 

[LegalAmin]

Hi Guys, has anyone who completed the SST for Kennedys never got a response? I know some people were invited for a VI early feb and others received their PFOs but I never received anything.

 

[IL1700]

Is anyone still waiting on Bakers post-VI?

 

[Aspiringsolicitordm12]

Hi, it's just a short summary exercise! Not much you can do to prepare, plus it's only 30 minutes

Thank you for your response! Is there much commercial knowledge required to identify the most relevant pieces of information?

 

[OB]

Maybe a longshot, but has anyone here done a technical assessment for a paralegal role at A&O?

 

[Ella98]

Congratulations! When did you do the online assessment? I only did mine on Sunday so I don’t know if I should consider it a PFO yet?

I did mine on Sunday as well. I applied for the Manchester office if that helps!

 

[syw]

Maybe a longshot, but has anyone here done a technical assessment for a paralegal role at A&O?

Hi there, i'm currently a paralegal at A&O (on a one year contract). I went through a recruiter and then did interviews with the associate and partner. I didn't need to take an assessment!

 

[OB]

Hi there, i'm currently a paralegal at A&O (on a one year contract). I went through a recruiter and then did interviews with the associate and partner. I didn't need to take an assessment!

oo a fellow a&o'er, I work there now but not as a paralegal and was invited to do this test so must be department specific!

 

[mckelly]

Anyone waiting to hear back from Freshfields post WG? Surely must be PFO now...?

 

[Ella98]

Well done this is amazing! When did you do the mcquaig?

Sunday 😊

 

[GXA123]

Anyone still waiting on Mishcon de Reya? Looking like it might be a PFO :/

same here

 

[RGeorgia]

Anyone looked at the DACB VI Questions? The email says we can view the questions but I can't see where and don't want to accidentally start my VI

I have! I had the same thoughts as you but the recording doesn't actually start when you go to view them. Just basically go through the process as it instructs you, and keep clicking "next". I screenshotted the questions and then clicked "back", and nothing has been submitted.

 

[legalgemma]

Is Shoosmiths rolling?

They screen applications before the deadline but they said at the Insight Evening that any application that is submitted before the deadline is considered!

 

[GXA123]

They screen applications before the deadline but they said at the Insight Evening that any application that is submitted before the deadline is considered!

did anyone receive a VI yet?

 

[LEL]

Thank you for your response! Is there much commercial knowledge required to identify the most relevant pieces of information?

Nope!

 

[legalgemma]

did anyone receive a VI yet?

I haven't heard of any! Their instagram is @shoosmithsgrads and they post loads of helpful stuff on there