TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[andrecsaa]

AG pfo (London office)

It is very disappointing. Addleshaw Goddard was one of my top 2 choices (the other is Macfarlanes). I put a lot of effort and time into this application.

Thought it was a strong application. I related the answers with my previous experience as a commercial lawyer overseas (civil law country) in addition to the work experience I gained in London during the LLM (4-month internship in a regtech and 3-week outsourced paralegal in a legal project). Also, I explained my interest in contentious, particularly the seat of Global Investigations, a huge case settled by this team, how I got attracted by AG after attending one event with a partner of this same seat, the views from current trainees I spoke during and after virtual Legal Cheek events, my appreciation for public DEI plans, the law firm of the year award, achievements...

I don’t know if stressing my interest in contentious, particularly white-collar and corporate crime, has been an issue for the applications or shows a potential lack of adaptability to other seats (this is my 7th pfo in this cycle - always focusing on firms with leading banking litigation, corporate crime and investigations practices). Perhaps the firms weigh or expect interest in private equity, M&A and other transactional work. Or being a qualified lawyer overseas or not having a local undergrad degree (even knowing I am eligible). Sorry for sharing this. AG was my first application ever (applied in October), and I was not familiar with the online assessment at that time, but I was hoping to get through the application stage.

If anyone who got an AC invite or offer from AG (TC or VS) can look at my application, I would be very thankful. Let's see if i got through Macfarlanes's application stage. My goal is a TC starting in 2028/2029, so I have time to improve the applications in the worst case scenario.

 

[lolololol]

anyone have eversheds insight especially for the meeting simulation? would be appreciated

 

[hmevey]

Hey guys, 8 applications made and 8 rejections. Do i give up now lol - not even making it past application stage

 

[jta227]

Hey guys, 8 applications made and 8 rejections. Do i give up now lol - not even making it past application stage

Consider that many current trainees made X applications and had X-1 rejections, and are currently training at the 1 firm that accepted them! All you need is one
Edit: I remember @Andrei Radu saying he went from all rejections at application stage to 4 offers the next year so maybe he can give you some advice as well.

 

[andrecsaa]

Hey guys, 8 applications made and 8 rejections. Do i give up now lol - not even making it past application stage

Almost the same here. 7 applications, 7 rejections in the application stage.

I am waiting for 6 firms and planning to apply for 5 firms in the next 3 months. So stressful, but keep trying. We just need one.

 

[hmevey]

Almost the same here. 7 applications, 7 rejections in the application stage.

I am waiting for 6 firms and planning to apply for 5 firms in the next 3 months. So stressful, but keep trying. We just need one.

I feel like all the ones i want to apply for are closing in the next few days and i wont have time to get an application in. Its so stressful and very disheartening especially as I am one year post grad

 

[Zaidoz10]

Anyone know anything about the Trowers online assessment?

 

[legallycece]

66%

Where does it show the percentage ?

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

does anyone know when we will hear back from goodwin post VI for the direct TC?

 

[Zaidoz10]

does anyone know when we will hear back from goodwin post VI for the direct TC?

Haven’t even heard back post app🤣

 

[Zaidoz10]

If an online assessment is untimed, can firms see how long it takes you to complete it? If they can, do they take this into account when assessing you?

 

[James Wakefield]

If an online assessment is untimed, can firms see how long it takes you to complete it? If they can, do they take this into account when assessing you?

As far as I know they should disclose to you whether it’s timed/untimed.

However “unlimited time”/“no time limit” does not mean it’s untimed.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

If an online assessment is untimed, can firms see how long it takes you to complete it? If they can, do they take this into account when assessing you?

If it is untimed then there should be no element of time completed included in the assessment. That is different to if there is unlimited time, as that suggests you have got the freedom to complete the assessment in your own time but that the assessment results may be calculated with a timed element on some level.

 

[Zaidoz10]

If it is untimed then there should be no element of time completed included in the assessment. That is different to if there is unlimited time, as that suggests you have got the freedom to complete the assessment in your own time but that the assessment results may be calculated with a timed element on some level.

In this case the firm said that the assessment is untimed, but it should take around 75 minutes to complete. Do they still take into account how long it took the candidate to complete it? Also part of the reason I’m asking is because the 75 minutes estimate seemed unreasonable given how many questions there were and the difficulty of certain questions.

 

[SS21]

Has anyone heard from Links Middle East?

 

[tc67]

Any advice for Hogan Lovells, CMS, Taylor Wessing AC? Happy to share tips for Ashurst and NRF!

 

[xxx]

Has anyone heard from Links Middle East?

Nope. I’m still on 60% candidate review

 

[Shia]

Hey all, does anyone have any insight into the Simmons and Simmons AC? Would appreciate any tips!! - Would be happy to share tips for HSF, Macfarlanes, Weil, and Osborne Clarke

 

[aspiringcitylawyer]

Freshfields seems to have introduced a new online psychometric test, the Law Online Assessment, as part of the first stage of their direct TC application process.

Seems to be a mix of SJT/verbal/numerical reasoning perhaps? ‘measures your skills, behaviours, preferences and cognitive ability’ per their website.

Because ‘only candidates who pass the online psychometric test will have their written applications reviewed in detail’, I was wondering if any of you spoke to Grad Rec about this recently and had any insights to share on the nature of the test, benchmark etc.?

 

[Tintin06]

Freshfields seems to have introduced a new online psychometric test, the Law Online Assessment, as part of the first stage of their direct TC application process.

Seems to be a mix of SJT/verbal/numerical reasoning perhaps? ‘measures your skills, behaviours, preferences and cognitive ability’ per their website.

Because ‘only candidates who pass the online psychometric test will have their written applications reviewed in detail’, I was wondering if any of you spoke to Grad Rec about this recently and had any insights to share on the nature of the test, benchmark etc.?

That sounds like the Macfarlanes test. Akin used one like that too. Should be past examples online somewhere. Failing that, JobTestPrep could be helpful.