TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[EM23]

Hi there, doing White & Cases vac scheme application and the word count limit is 3000 for their cover letter. I thought a cover letter was one A4 page so around 400-500 words? Is this too short?

 

[Jessica Booker]

for questions which ask 'Please give details of your extra-curricular activities, and any prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility, or noteworthy achievements that will support your application'
Can I mention experiences which are already mentioned in my work experience section?

My issue is: I included volunteering experiences in the work experience section (got approval from the firm to include it there).
Now for the app question above - Can I talk about the volunteering experiences from a different angle than in my work experience section? For example for one of my experiences I mainly talk about what I did to change the structure and how I supported them and I would angle it differently to for example building rapport and forming lasting connections - ie angle the achievements in a different way.

Alternatively I could delete the volunteering from my work experience section and only include in the answer for the question above.

I am really struggling to find anything to talk about - all my prizes, positions of responsibilities and noteworthy achievements are already described in my work experience and I wasn't part of any sports team or anything like that. The only other thing I could talk about is how I do research and create mind-maps for commercial topics I am interested in but that's not really an achievement.

I hope I am making sense, feeling a bit frazzled today

I personally wouldn’t include anything that has been included elsewhere - repeating information in an application isn’t something to aim for as really it is a missed opportunity to show something extra or different about you. If the volunteering is out in your work experience, you are claiming it as such rather than extra curriculars and so I would keep it to one section only.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello I've seen conflicting answers to this q on TCLA so I thought I should ask again to make sure. This is what the A&O (summer VS) application portal says:

'* I acknowledge that I am only permitted to apply once in any 12 month period for either a Training Contract or a Vacation Scheme. Please note that you are eligible to apply to multiple regional offices in the same year, but must make the relevant recruitment teams aware. If it is discovered that you have applied for more than one opportunity at the London office in a recruitment cycle, your application will be withdrawn regardless of the stage you have reached.'

My last application was 11 December 2022 - does this mean I have to wait 12 months from this date (which is beyond the application window for this year)? Thx in advance

You should wait until 12 December 2023 until you apply.

The fact it explicitly states 12 month period makes this very clear to me.

 

[Cynthia14]

anyone know do we need to submit a cover letter for A&O？

 

[Minitomatosalad]

anyone know do we need to submit a cover letter for A&O？

Winter vacation scheme - no, they changed it because of ChatGPT

 

[lawapplicant]

Winter vacation scheme - no, they changed it because of ChatGBT

Is that actually why they changed it? lmao. Why are firms and unis so scared of ChatGPT it is literally ass.

 

[Minitomatosalad]

Is that actually why they changed it? lmao. Why are firms and unis so scared of ChatGPT it is literally ass.

yup their grad rec said that was the reason at a legal cheek law fair a week ago.

Its a tad ironic since A&O are meant to be all about tech 👀

 

[Minitomatosalad]

Hi there, doing White & Cases vac scheme application and the word count limit is 3000 for their cover letter. I thought a cover letter was one A4 page so around 400-500 words? Is this too short?

Maybe you are mixing up word count limit and character limit?

 

[app03]

Hi, I have got a general question about structuring my CV for firms that ask for CV and CL as part of their recruitment process. For setting out grades, should I breakdown all the grades or just mention some of the notable ones, as I would be filling all the grades in education section on the online form?

 

[SS21]

One of two things - you have accidently submitted it or if not, this is just an automated email to advise you that you haven’t completed your application (which you know if true). I wouldn’t worry about it unless it has been submitted, and if it has it seems like there is still the ability to log back in and amend your application anyway.

Thanks Jessica.

Apparently other people got the same email. The wording of the email made me think I had accidentally submitted but it was still showing as draft which is what confused me.

They could really be clearer... reminding people to complete their app a few weeks before the deadline would make sense but a bit strange to do on day 1 of apps opening.

 

[DKLaw]

Hi guys, I don’t have much work experience so I will be volunteering with Citizens Advice from next month, my q is, should I wait maybe a few weeks or a month (say end of Oct) before sending VS applications so that I can discuss my learnings from CA or would the training for advisers not really be of that much value?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi guys, I don’t have much work experience so I will be volunteering with Citizens Advice from next month, my q is, should I wait maybe a few weeks or a month (say end of Oct) before sending VS applications so that I can discuss my learnings from CA or would the training for advisers not really be of that much value?

If the deadline isn’t until late December or January, I would wait until late October and then apply

 

[Cynthia14]

I got 64 overall and received a Spring VS offer earlier this year. I would just hammer home how their unique training style would suit you.

may I ask which firm is it？

 

[sxw517]

may I ask which firm is it？

Jones Day

 

[Mscommerciallawyer]

Hi @Jessica Booker when asked 'why the firm' in an interview and you have provided an answer in the application - is it fine to use the same answer where interviewers can view the application and ask questions based on it?

 

[Gennslaw74]

Hi i hope someone can help me on this as I am really confused- why exactly is DLA Piper’s training contract named as the “international training contract” is it because of the chance of secondment or are there other reasons?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker when asked 'why the firm' in an interview and you have provided an answer in the application - is it fine to use the same answer where interviewers can view the application and ask questions based on it?

I would expect the answer the have the same themes but presented differently - how you write something Vs how you say something would be different, and rather than repeating the exact detail it’s a chance to say something from a different angle or with different evidence/meaning.

 

[Lawyerwithadream]

Hi @Jessica Booker when I used a deal in my application to demonstrate the firms global presence or ability to work on high-value deals by pointing these specific points out is it sufficient to know only that for the interview or will I need to read around the entire deal?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker when I used a deal in my application to demonstrate the firms global presence or ability to work on high-value deals by pointing these specific points out is it sufficient to know only that for the interview or will I need to read around the entire deal?

Anything you include in your application you need to be confident about talking about more broadly than just what you have said in your application. The question could easily be “why did you highlight that specific deal out of the 100s / 1000s you could have picked for similar reasons” and “well you thought this was particularly important to mention it in your application, so let’s see what you know about it in more detail”. Same goes for if you reference particular types of practice areas/sectors, or anything else specific about the firm (eg CSR/Pro Bono).

 

[IwantaVacSchemePlz]

For those applying to Jones Day, what is the typical response time to hear back post app?