TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[bangarangbass39]

12/15 for the Browne Jacobson Video Interview. Rejected after

 

[SR99]

12/15 for the Browne Jacobson Video Interview. Rejected after

i got 15/15 and rejected 🤣

 

[Moncherry]

i got 15/15 and rejected 🤣

Wow, well done anyway.

I got 13/15 and wanted to know what the benchmark was. Guess the scores were just there for vibes.

 

[SirLancelot7777]

And they had the cheek to tell me that they are still screening today too.

Tbh I think they might be - they've asked to hear by EOW if I accept, and they must know they're late in the app cycle and that people might have accepted VS offers elsewhere. Meaning if people reject, they'll work down their own list

 

[A worried paralegal]

Tbh I think they might be - they've asked to hear by EOW if I accept, and they must know they're late in the app cycle and that people might have accepted VS offers elsewhere. Meaning if people reject, they'll work down their own list

I never got to an AC though.

 

[SirLancelot7777]

I never got to an AC though.

Neither did I. SH didn't do ACs this year to my knowledge, saw elsewhere on here

 

[A worried paralegal]

Neither did I. SH didn't do ACs this year to my knowledge, saw elsewhere on here

Oh wow, that is interesting and maybe I do stand a chance.

 

[SirLancelot7777]

@Jessica Booker Hi! I've signed a contract with firm A to do a VS, but my circumstances have changed a bit in that I've received a TC offer from firm B that expires, even with extension, before when I would hear back from firm A after firm A's VS regarding a TC offer from them. I'm quite tempted to go with my certain offer from B and withdraw from A's VS, but I'm wondering how this would work if I've already signed a contract for A's VS?

Thanks!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

@Jessica Booker Hi! I've signed a contract with firm A to do a VS, but my circumstances have changed a bit in that I've received a TC offer from firm B that expires, even with extension, before when I would hear back from firm A after firm A's VS regarding a TC offer from them. I'm quite tempted to go with my certain offer from B and withdraw from A's VS, but I'm wondering how this would work if I've already signed a contract for A's VS?

Thanks!

You can renege a VS offer if you want to - there will not be any issues with doing so.

Do you definitely want to train with firm B rather than firm A?

 

[SirLancelot7777]

You can renege a VS offer if you want to - there will not be any issues with doing so.

Do you definitely want to train with firm B rather than firm A?

Thank you.

I know I want to start studying in January, rather than July (the two options firm B offers). B fills their trainee studying slots intake on a first-come-first-served basis, and starting earlier is far more popular (HR told us that they really struggle to fill later slots). A's VS finishes around the time that B's second VS finishes and they start sending out further TC offers. If I wait and sign for B after having done A's scheme, I'd be quite a bit more likely to have to start studying in July. This is because, should I finish A's VS and then choose B's TC offer, everyone from B's second scheme will also want to start earlier (January) rather than later (July), and the earlier slots in January will have been filled up. At the moment there are still January slots available.

I'm torn because though I loved firm B - had an amazing time there and on paper they outrank A on every metric (comp, secondments etc) - it's still the only VS I've done. I feel that after I sign, there are little employment benefits of having done more VSs (e.g. if I decide to leave B, I'll be assessed in interviews on my grasp of deals, technicals, competency etc., rather than how many VSs I completed three years ago), but I'm uncertain about this latter point, and don't know what other benefits there might be. What would you do?

 

[SirLancelot7777]

Thank you.

I know I want to start studying in January, rather than July (the two options firm B offers). B fills their trainee studying slots intake on a first-come-first-served basis, and starting earlier is far more popular (HR told us that they really struggle to fill later slots). A's VS finishes around the time that B's second VS finishes and they start sending out further TC offers. If I wait and sign for B after having done A's scheme, I'd be quite a bit more likely to have to start studying in July. This is because, should I finish A's VS and then choose B's TC offer, everyone from B's second scheme will also want to start earlier (January) rather than later (July), and the earlier slots in January will have been filled up. At the moment there are still January slots available.

I'm torn because though I loved firm B - had an amazing time there and on paper they outrank A on every metric (comp, secondments etc) - it's still the only VS I've done. I feel that after I sign, there are little employment benefits of having done more VSs (e.g. if I decide to leave B, I'll be assessed in interviews on my grasp of deals, technicals, competency etc., rather than how many VSs I completed three years ago), but I'm uncertain about this latter point, and don't know what other benefits there might be. What would you do?

Would a firm have an issue with me accepting a TC for another firm, before having started their VS?

 

[Aliceczernia]

SH VS! Good luck guys

Congrats - did they call from a withheld number?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Would a firm have an issue with me accepting a TC for another firm, before having started their VS?

Potentially yes - some firms have terms in their offer documents saying you can’t proceed with the VS if you have accepted a TC. Not all firms have these though, but even those who don’t may not want to waste their efforts into a VS if someone is definitely going to join another firm. Most firms in that position would prefer you to renege their offer.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Thank you.

I know I want to start studying in January, rather than July (the two options firm B offers). B fills their trainee studying slots intake on a first-come-first-served basis, and starting earlier is far more popular (HR told us that they really struggle to fill later slots). A's VS finishes around the time that B's second VS finishes and they start sending out further TC offers. If I wait and sign for B after having done A's scheme, I'd be quite a bit more likely to have to start studying in July. This is because, should I finish A's VS and then choose B's TC offer, everyone from B's second scheme will also want to start earlier (January) rather than later (July), and the earlier slots in January will have been filled up. At the moment there are still January slots available.

I'm torn because though I loved firm B - had an amazing time there and on paper they outrank A on every metric (comp, secondments etc) - it's still the only VS I've done. I feel that after I sign, there are little employment benefits of having done more VSs (e.g. if I decide to leave B, I'll be assessed in interviews on my grasp of deals, technicals, competency etc., rather than how many VSs I completed three years ago), but I'm uncertain about this latter point, and don't know what other benefits there might be. What would you do?

If there’s no chance of you accepting A’s VS over B’s, then I would renege on A’s offer at the earliest opportunity.

 

[trainee2025]

Is there any point applying to White and Case's Direct TC? Or other firms if they recruit mostly from the vac schemes...

They recruited 95%+ from VS last year which is probably quite off putting.

 

[Zaakir]

They recruited 95%+ from VS last year which is probably quite off putting.

Source please? Where did you get this from?

 

[Lawyering13]

@Jessica Booker or anyone that’s done the SQE (particularly at BARBRI, but more generally is fine), I’m having a bit of a conundrum. I might be starting my SQE prep course in early July for an Sep 2025 start and I technically graduate from my degree in June. However, I am worried that I may need to resit an exam, which would be in August. Would I be ineligible to start my SQE prep as I have to resit one exam and subsequently my TC in September 2025? Slightly stressing!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

@Jessica Booker or anyone that’s done the SQE (particularly at BARBRI, but more generally is fine), I’m having a bit of a conundrum. I might be starting my SQE prep course in early July for an Sep 2025 start and I technically graduate from my degree in June. However, I am worried that I may need to resit an exam, which would be in August. Would I be ineligible to start my SQE prep as I have to resit one exam and subsequently my TC in September 2025? Slightly stressing!

as the BARBRI course is not a masters level course, but just a prep course, I don’t think you’d need to have completed your degree before you start the prep course. But might be worthwhile checking with BARBRI just in case.

 

[annalisekeating]

They recruited 95%+ from VS last year which is probably quite off putting.

Thank you for letting me know.

I don't think I'll bother drafting an app, when the odds are so low.

 

[FTS209990]

Hello!

I have a question about how to effectively answer the common interview question, "Tell us about a recent commercial story you found interesting." How do people structure their response? Do you use PESTLE/SWOT and then link it to the firm? I feel like there is so much to cover. Should I focus on a few key points and discuss them in detail or go through all of them in detail? How much time should I spend on this question during an interview?

Sorry if this is a silly question, just want to make sure I don't embarass myself!!