TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[Tintin06]

Coving done

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

This may sound silly but how are you supposed to choose which firms to research? There are so many firms out there & I want to have the best shot at attaining a vacation scheme. I know what I'm looking for in a firm (international secondments, good pro bono etc) but how do I know which firms are the best for these things? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Look at rankings for these categories on websites like Legal Cheek and the Legal 500. This will give you an indication of firms who rank highly in these areas as a bit of a starting point:

International Secondments – The Legal 500 Future Lawyers

www.legal500.com

The Firms Most List - Legal Cheek

www.legalcheek.com

The Best Law Firms for UK Pro Bono, 2022 | Law.com International

The firms were measured on the total number of pro bono hours undertaken, as well as the average number of hours devoted by each of their lawyers who took part in pro bono work.

www.law.com

 

[F12M34L]

Depends on the test WG, SJT or verbal reasoning or games.

just generally asking firms that does automatic tests (all of them basically)

 

[kmo20]

Has anyone been to any of the A&O early careers q&a’s yet at their London office?

 

[Tintin06]

What impact will the A&O Shearman merger have on TCs? If you do a Shearman & Sterling VS, might you get offered an A&O Shearman TC?

 

[Asil Ahmad]

What impact will the A&O Shearman merger have on TCs? If you do a Shearman & Sterling VS, might you get offered an A&O Shearman TC?

I would like to know this also please.

 

[Phoebe Turner]

@Jessica Booker Would you be able to offer any advice as to whether I should apply to the Linklaters winter vacation scheme or their open day (as open day students get fast-tracked to an assessment centre)? I am just starting my conversion course at BPP and have had 2 internships at smaller boutique law firms (no vacation schemes) and not sure which one I may be better suited to. Thank you for your help in advance

I went through the open day route and got my TC and really recommend doing that!

 

[Tintin06]

When does Arnold Porter open?

 

[leaaa2023]

@Jessica Booker Is it okay to mention deals and ranked teams from the US office or does it have to be a deal specific to what the UK team has done?

 

[EliteWhovian]

I went through the open day route and got my TC and really recommend doing that!

By any chance, do you know of any firms that have this approach? Didn't know this was a thing! :O

 

[Phoebe Turner]

By any chance, do you know of any firms that have this approach? Didn't know this was a thing! :O

Hey I just know of Links - got fast-tracked to the AC because I was successfully invited to the open day, then converted my vac scheme

 

[hanz123]

Any advice for a successful Slaughter cover letter for their winter workshop

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

@Jessica Booker Is it okay to mention deals and ranked teams from the US office or does it have to be a deal specific to what the UK team has done?

The issue here can be relevance. Why is the deal in the US relevant to your application as someone applying to a job in the U.K? Sometimes it is relevant (eg despite it being a US deal, U.K. lawyers worked on it from London or it showcases the firm’s ability to work with a client that also bring in billable work to London) but you need to get down to that level of detail - how does that deal relate to the work you want to do in London?

 

[S87]

Hi guys,

I need to answer this question" How do you rate your computer skills? Please give details.
Any tips? it is not a tricky question but my computer skills are very normal I would say.

 

[mkt]

Do Ashurst send the test straight after app is submitted.

 

[YS391]

I emailed the graduate recruitment team last Friday with this same question, but they still have not gotten back to me.

The graduate recruitment team just got back to me and said "There is no requirement to submit a CV or cover letter. Instead, we will be evaluating candidates based solely on their responses to the application form questions".

 

[HendyBabyFutureLawyer]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone knew how many days Links gives to complete the test after submitting the application.

 

[sxw517]

Hi guys,

I need to answer this question" How do you rate your computer skills? Please give details.
Any tips? it is not a tricky question but my computer skills are very normal I would say.

I would rate my computer skills as proficient. I am highly skilled in using Microsoft Office applications and have substantial experience using blah blah blah'

 

[S87]

I would rate my computer skills as proficient. I am highly skilled in using Microsoft Office applications and have substantial experience using blah blah blah'

Thank you

 

[Tintin06]

Any other white shoe wannabes here? 😂