TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

axelbeugre

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Yes it's Goodwin application. How should I answer such questions? (As in the structure & content)

What's the best way to answer the first part of the question? It's only mentioned to "tell about XYZ" but idk how to write it. Should I write like a cover letter or "positions of responsibility/extracurricular activities" as the heading and a paragraph below it?

The first part is:

Please briefly summarise anything else that you would like to add which you think is relevant to your application. This can be positions of responsibility, extra-curricular activities and achievements or academic awards or scholarships.
Hey @Shreya Verma,

I think the way you approach this question and the things you want to discuss are personal to you so whatever you have not been able to mention in your application can be mentioned here.

I personally mostly discussed my academic achievements and scholarships I won from high school until my master since they were many and I wanted the firm to see that side of my profile. I also discussed the debate society I was part of in high school. I additionally discussed a European organisation I was selected for which does a lot of work around equality and citizenship in Italy where I am from and so I thought it would have been important to mention since it was quite selective.

And I concluded my answer listing some of the firms I applied to, specifying that I received interview invites/assessment invites from some of them.

Some of the sentences I included (to give you a prospective as to how I structured it) are: ''My academic results throughout high school made me win the ‘Circolo Ricreativo Luigi Mangiagalli scholarship’ every single year, from 2014 to 2019'' or ''Furthermore, I received full-tuition scholarship for my three years undergraduate degree at Università Cattolica for my academic achievements and a 50% tuition scholarship from the London School of Economics for my master’s degree''.

The way you structure your answer is very personal to you and what you decide to write, everyone writes different things based on their experiences.

I hope that helps and good luck!
 

axelbeugre

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Some rolling firms say that your application may be "overlooked if you apply too close to the deadline" as slots may be filled - when is "too close" and therefore not worth it to apply anymore?
I feel like the week of the deadline probably fits this description so I would recommend applying a week before the deadline, two weeks if you can to be on the safer side.
 

Shreya Verma

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Thank you so much for the insights.
Hey @Shreya Verma,

I think the way you approach this question and the things you want to discuss are personal to you so whatever you have not been able to mention in your application can be mentioned here.

I personally mostly discussed my academic achievements and scholarships I won from high school until my master since they were many and I wanted the firm to see that side of my profile. I also discussed the debate society I was part of in high school. I additionally discussed a European organisation I was selected for which does a lot of work around equality and citizenship in Italy where I am from and so I thought it would have been important to mention since it was quite selective.

And I concluded my answer listing some of the firms I applied to, specifying that I received interview invites/assessment invites from some of them.

Some of the sentences I included (to give you a prospective as to how I structured it) are: ''My academic results throughout high school made me win the ‘Circolo Ricreativo Luigi Mangiagalli scholarship’ every single year, from 2014 to 2019'' or ''Furthermore, I received full-tuition scholarship for my three years undergraduate degree at Università Cattolica for my academic achievements and a 50% tuition scholarship from the London School of Economics for my master’s degree''.

The way you structure your answer is very personal to you and what you decide to write, everyone writes different things based on their experiences.

I hope that helps and good luck!
 
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Jessica Booker

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Could anyone explain this question from Linklaters?
Please provide details of any Linklaters-supported insight weeks, development programmes or other initiatives that you are affiliated with (for example City Solicitors Horizons, Pathways to Law, Pathfinder etc).

They also ask us to select minimum one so does this mean that we cannot apply if we aren't affiliated with any of these initiatives? What exactly do they mean with affiliated?

In this case, would legal cheek count as I have attended their law fairs where Linklaters was present?
I wouldn’t say a careers fair is adequate unfortunately. Maybe consider completing one of the firm’s Forage programmes as this will be considered something appropriate if you haven’t got anything else.
 
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Jessica Booker

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Some rolling firms say that your application may be "overlooked if you apply too close to the deadline" as slots may be filled - when is "too close" and therefore not worth it to apply anymore?
Try to apply in the first two-thirds of an application window if you can to give yourself the best chance. If that is not possible, then 1 week before deadline. Definitely try to avoid the last 72 hours where you can as this is when a good 30-40%+ of applicants will be applying.
 
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Shreya Verma

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Sep 4, 2023
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Hey @Shreya Verma,

I think the way you approach this question and the things you want to discuss are personal to you so whatever you have not been able to mention in your application can be mentioned here.

I personally mostly discussed my academic achievements and scholarships I won from high school until my master since they were many and I wanted the firm to see that side of my profile. I also discussed the debate society I was part of in high school. I additionally discussed a European organisation I was selected for which does a lot of work around equality and citizenship in Italy where I am from and so I thought it would have been important to mention since it was quite selective.

And I concluded my answer listing some of the firms I applied to, specifying that I received interview invites/assessment invites from some of them.

Some of the sentences I included (to give you a prospective as to how I structured it) are: ''My academic results throughout high school made me win the ‘Circolo Ricreativo Luigi Mangiagalli scholarship’ every single year, from 2014 to 2019'' or ''Furthermore, I received full-tuition scholarship for my three years undergraduate degree at Università Cattolica for my academic achievements and a 50% tuition scholarship from the London School of Economics for my master’s degree''.

The way you structure your answer is very personal to you and what you decide to write, everyone writes different things based on their experiences.

I hope that helps and good luck!
If I mention that I've only got rejections from other firms then would that affect my application?
 
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Samridhi Jain

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Any tips for how to tackle Weil's Q:

"Think of a current commercial issue that has recently attracted your attention. Why does it interest you, why do you consider it to be significant and how do you think this will impact Weil's clients?"

It says commercial issue so I'm assuming it isn't a specific "news story" but a general trend.

What would make the most sense to pick apart from of course what has interested me - I've done a lot of work in legal tech so I was thinking GenAI but I've seen that it's too common as well.

Would it make more sense to pick one of Weil's practice areas and then look for trends within those?
 

axelbeugre

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If I mention that I've only got rejections from other firms then would that affect my application?
I am not sure but you can also just mention the firms and explicitly say why you applied to them without going into details about where you are in the process with them. I did because I had some interviews but if I had rejections I probably wouldn’t have done it!
 

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