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

[S87]

Does anyone know a trainee or future trainee at Stephenson harwood?

 

[thewaythecookiecrumbles]

Is there a difference between a question asking to write about a commercial issue and a news story I found interesting? If there is, what is the difference between both?

 

[Abii]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

Hey,
In terms of being too old next cycle the answer to that is no. I’m a 2018 graduate, went straight on to a masters I graduated from in 2019 and I’m doing my first VSs this summer. I’m also an older graduate as I was 21 when I started uni so I’m firmly in my late 20s now.

I’ve worked as a paralegal in all that time since and I’ve been doing the LPC part time as well. I think taking that time to work out what kinda law I really want to practice has been an asset to my apps this cycle. This has been my third cycle, but really I consider it my second as my first shouldn’t count as it was awful and I didn’t really know why I was applying to the firms I did and that really showed in my apps and the results of 0 offers.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is there a difference between a question asking to write about a commercial issue and a news story I found interesting? If there is, what is the difference between both?

Technically I would consider a news story to be slightly more specific - e.g. an article about something particular rather than something that went over a long period of time. So to me a commercial issue is something broader that has probably multiple elements to it (and therefore lots of news stories), while a news story is something specific/particular (if that makes sense).

There will be some cross over though, so I wouldn't be surprised if some people can use similar stories for different questions.

 

[LS_1998]

Shoosmiths VI invite 🎊 any tips would be much appreciated!!!!

 

[LS_1998]

Anyone heard back from DACB post VI? I remember last year they took ages 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

OMG I can relate to this so much.

As everything you said has happened to me this year.

In regards to the paralegal bit, I have been applying for paralegal roles since August last year and I hate recruiters as they reach out to you about roles but don't actually help you. Like every time a recruiter contacts me about a role then I have to chase them up 2 weeks later about an update on the role then they say let me contact the client as have not heard back from the client and then later the client has filled the position. I feel like recruiters contacting me every day I am getting fed up of it as I have not yet secured a paralegal role except for that 1 document review role which I did for 2 weeks in February.

This is why I hate recruiters but this does not include graduate recruitment which is why I don't like applying for paralegal roles through recruiters.

Sorry if I went on a vent but I actually gave up on a paralegal hunt today as I don't know what to do with the paralegal hunt as I apply for paralegal roles that I have paralegal experience in. I don't usually give up but today I decided to throw in the towel for a paralegal job hunt as I gave up.

 

[YUKI1201]

if you're offered a TC after spring VS, do you normally need to accept/decline it before the summer VSs? Or do the spring ones have similar TC acceptance deadlines as the summer ones?

 

[relentlesspursuit]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

Hey, let me just say that I completely understand your frustrations all too well. I graduated in 2017 and have been applying for training contracts since then. I managed to secure a paralegal role at a boutique firm which I think has been quite helpful so I would recommend maybe expanding the scope of firms you are applying to in this regard. On the other point, you are far from being too old. I have been applying since 2017 and only just secured a TC this cycle. Its frustrating, but honestly looking back now I see the incremental improvements I made each cycle which led to ultimately securing a TC at great firm. All this to say don't give up hope if you really want a career in commercial law - you are not racing against anyone but yourself. I'm sure you'll eventually get there.

 

[thirdtimelucky]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

I absolutely feel everything that you’ve posted about and I echo the comments other posters have made. I graduated in 2018 but only started pursuing a TC in late 2019. It’s only this year I’ve had real success with the application cycle so it’s absolutely not too late! A few things that helped me were working on my flaws (my application writing for one and my commercial awareness!). For example, I set a goal of progressing to the quarter finals of the aspiring solicitors’ commercial awareness competition to improve the latter and that has been something I’ve mentioned in my successful applications and interviews! So it’s definitely worth considering what went wrong this time and working on how you can improve that even outside of a job. On that point, as a non-lawyer, I haven’t got much legal experience but I work in the civil service and interact regularly with financial institutions and regulators and this has been so useful as a talking point in my applications and interviews so please don’t narrow your job scope to the legal world as there are so many brilliant experiences out there that can sharpen your professional skills and lead you to a TC!

 

[OB]

has anyone here applied to freeths? I am a bit confused about the application form, seems like there are no 'application' questions just education and work experience.

Are you filling in the application on apply4law? Because if you do the one on their main vacancies website then it won’t get looked at. I had a first interview for them this cycle if you want any tips

 

[legalgemma]

have you had any luck?

Training Contract Interview Questions | 175 Practice Questions (2018)

We've produced these training contract interview questions to help you practice for interviews and assessment centres at law firms. Why? Well, we've arranged many mock interviews over the years and we see a substantial difference in performance after students have practiced real interview questions.

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Hope this helps!

 

[S87]

Is anyone going to BCLP virtual spring event?

 

[green124]

I absolutely feel everything that you’ve posted about and I echo the comments other posters have made. I graduated in 2018 but only started pursuing a TC in late 2019. It’s only this year I’ve had real success with the application cycle so it’s absolutely not too late! A few things that helped me were working on my flaws (my application writing for one and my commercial awareness!). For example, I set a goal of progressing to the quarter finals of the aspiring solicitors’ commercial awareness competition to improve the latter and that has been something I’ve mentioned in my successful applications and interviews! So it’s definitely worth considering what went wrong this time and working on how you can improve that even outside of a job. On that point, as a non-lawyer, I haven’t got much legal experience but I work in the civil service and interact regularly with financial institutions and regulators and this has been so useful as a talking point in my applications and interviews so please don’t narrow your job scope to the legal world as there are so many brilliant experiences out there that can sharpen your professional skills and lead you to a TC!

Hey, let me just say that I completely understand your frustrations all too well. I graduated in 2017 and have been applying for training contracts since then. I managed to secure a paralegal role at a boutique firm which I think has been quite helpful so I would recommend maybe expanding the scope of firms you are applying to in this regard. On the other point, you are far from being too old. I have been applying since 2017 and only just secured a TC this cycle. Its frustrating, but honestly looking back now I see the incremental improvements I made each cycle which led to ultimately securing a TC at great firm. All this to say don't give up hope if you really want a career in commercial law - you are not racing against anyone but yourself. I'm sure you'll eventually get there.

OMG I can relate to this so much.

As everything you said has happened to me this year.

In regards to the paralegal bit, I have been applying for paralegal roles since August last year and I hate recruiters as they reach out to you about roles but don't actually help you. Like every time a recruiter contacts me about a role then I have to chase them up 2 weeks later about an update on the role then they say let me contact the client as have not heard back from the client and then later the client has filled the position. I feel like recruiters contacting me every day I am getting fed up of it as I have not yet secured a paralegal role except for that 1 document review role which I did for 2 weeks in February.

This is why I hate recruiters but this does not include graduate recruitment which is why I don't like applying for paralegal roles through recruiters.

Sorry if I went on a vent but I actually gave up on a paralegal hunt today as I don't know what to do with the paralegal hunt as I apply for paralegal roles that I have paralegal experience in. I don't usually give up but today I decided to throw in the towel for a paralegal job hunt as I gave up.

Hey,
In terms of being too old next cycle the answer to that is no. I’m a 2018 graduate, went straight on to a masters I graduated from in 2019 and I’m doing my first VSs this summer. I’m also an older graduate as I was 21 when I started uni so I’m firmly in my late 20s now.

I’ve worked as a paralegal in all that time since and I’ve been doing the LPC part time as well. I think taking that time to work out what kinda law I really want to practice has been an asset to my apps this cycle. This has been my third cycle, but really I consider it my second as my first shouldn’t count as it was awful and I didn’t really know why I was applying to the firms I did and that really showed in my apps and the results of 0 offers.

Thank you for replying and being so kind <3 Hearing how you guys had a similar journey and now are having more successful cycles is so so inspiring and massively helped me not feel alone in this!! Decided after a sleep and reading these messages, will continue looking for jobs and continue trying to apply for TCs and VSs over the next year. (@Asil Ahmad - completely relate and here if you ever need a chat or a rant). Will definitely revisit my applications and work out points where I went wrong and how I can make myself a stronger candidate going forward. Grateful for this forum in reminding me that there is always a chance even on the days when you do just want to give up on a career in law lol

 

[TCApp2021]

Technically I would consider a news story to be slightly more specific - e.g. an article about something particular rather than something that went over a long period of time. So to me a commercial issue is something broader that has probably multiple elements to it (and therefore lots of news stories), while a news story is something specific/particular (if that makes sense).

There will be some cross over though, so I wouldn't be surprised if some people can use similar stories for different questions.

So would a piece of legislation not be okay for a question on a news story?

 

[tc.la.vs]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

I was in the exact same boat (2020 grad) and knew it wouldn't be easy but didn't think I'd get so so so so many rejections and have zero success. was also demotivating because all of my friends trying to do law or consulting managed to get jobs at really great places and I couldn't work out what I was doing wrong. I went to all the legal cheek events and got as much exposure to firmss as I could and have had more luck this cycle and got a few vac scheme offers and am madly crossing my fingers for a TC offer at the end of one. I do think a healthy amount of luck is involved because there are so many people applying and top firms will get enough good applicants to offer more TCs/VSs than they have available but can't because there isn't space for everyone. I understand the mental toll it takes for sure -- I'd recommend sticking with it if its truly what you want to pursue. I'm the year before you and am not considered 'too old' etc - if anything I have more experience/knowledge/perspective now than when I was at uni. also consider mature students/career changers: no one is anti-them because they're older. Honestly if its your first cycle then good for you for just getting the applications out. its a tricky process and I definitely felt disheartened and pretty down when things didn't work out for me. For me I got a part time job during applications with flexibleish hours which meant I could go to all the virtual events and have time to write applications but still earn a bit which seems to have worked alright. I'd definitely advise giving it another shot and applying next cycle or for stuff over the summer that's still open. it feels like a never-ending road but, if you can, I do think you should stick with it, at least for the next year or so, if you're sure it is what you want to be doing. Non-legal work experience with transferrable skills is super useful too so it won't be a hindrance that you're not 'in law' right now if you approach whatever work you can get with the mindset of it being useful to you later on. I'm not sure if this is helpful or not but its how I found it. this forum is so helpful as well and has great advice (sorry mine has been a bit garbled). Hope that you have a better month ahead of you and that you end up somewhere you're really excited about. Best of luck

 

[tc.la.vs]

did anyone receive this/does anyone know if this is a standard rejection or if this actually specific to me from Withers?


Thank you for attending your recent interview for the position of Vacation Scheme 2022 (London).

Further to your interview, we regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Whilst your application was not successful for the London Vacation Scheme, we would like to consider your application for a direct Training Contract.

 

[macala russell]

Has anyone attended a Hogan Lovells AC recently and can give me an insight in to how it is please?

 

[Jessica Booker]

OMG I can relate to this so much.

As everything you said has happened to me this year.

In regards to the paralegal bit, I have been applying for paralegal roles since August last year and I hate recruiters as they reach out to you about roles but don't actually help you. Like every time a recruiter contacts me about a role then I have to chase them up 2 weeks later about an update on the role then they say let me contact the client as have not heard back from the client and then later the client has filled the position. I feel like recruiters contacting me every day I am getting fed up of it as I have not yet secured a paralegal role except for that 1 document review role which I did for 2 weeks in February.

This is why I hate recruiters but this does not include graduate recruitment which is why I don't like applying for paralegal roles through recruiters.

Sorry if I went on a vent but I actually gave up on a paralegal hunt today as I don't know what to do with the paralegal hunt as I apply for paralegal roles that I have paralegal experience in. I don't usually give up but today I decided to throw in the towel for a paralegal job hunt as I gave up.

The process will often be frustrating for the recruiter too.

Unless they are exclusively recruiting for the role (unlikely), the role could be filled by other agencies or even be filled internally or by direct applicants by the firm.

They often don’t have an update because the client hasn’t updated them either, and they will be equally frustrated to hear the role has been filled and they haven’t been informed.

I know the process is opaque and frustrating, but I’d encourage you to reconsider your position on this and not give up and still go through agencies when required. Applying directly to a firm will not give you any guarantees of hearing back either unfortunately. I would continue applying and then just step back from the process of chasing up as that is the process that is stressing you out. After applying, you can be relatively passive about it, but at least you are in the running. Completely giving up will only result in the certainty of you not securing a role.

 

[Jessica Booker]

did anyone receive this/does anyone know if this is a standard rejection or if this actually specific to me from Withers?


Thank you for attending your recent interview for the position of Vacation Scheme 2022 (London).

Further to your interview, we regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Whilst your application was not successful for the London Vacation Scheme, we would like to consider your application for a direct Training Contract.

I don’t think it’s a standard rejection. There will be plenty of people they won’t be encouraging to reapply for a TC.

How many people they send such an email to is difficult to tell though. But if they are sending it, I’d encourage you to consider the direct TC route/application.