TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[nathan5996]

Does Greenberg send pfos? I read somewhere on the thread that they don’t send them? I applied mid December and haven’t heard back!

Somewhere on their website it says the deadline for when they will get back to successful candidates, if you haven't heard in the week following I'd assume PFO.

 

[floral.tcla]

500 words is NOT a short word count.
typical word count is 250 words.

it seems that you're being asked:

1) talk about your hobbies, and how they would help you as a lawyer
2) talk about your positions of responsibility, ditto
3) talk about an achievement of importance, ditto

so you might say:

1) I play chess, this helps me with strategic thinking, important as a lawyer. I also participate in chess clubs where I network and meet new people. This has provided me with useful contacts and expanded my social circle.
2) I am leader of the university chess club. I have responsible for budgeting, organising events, and fundraising. these skills are relevant as a lawyer. [explain in more detail.]
3) I won the university chess tournament. this required me to practise for years and also make strategic decisions. this shows my dedication and determination and my intellectual ability, important as a lawyer.

It does mention that it's blind, so if you mentioned your university name, then your application would probably be deemed worthless, and likewise avoid mentioning employer/law firm names, etc.

ok thank you!
I know the word count is long but typically questions only ask you to focus on one thing, so comparatively, to me this seems like quite a short word

 

[user9809]

I don't want to name drop, but am interested to hear your guys' thoughts on this...
At my AC, I was interviewed by an associate and partner. Both were very nice, but I was taken aback by the partner's phone use throughout my interview. I understand these lawyers are extremely busy, but seriously? He noted a few words down every 5 mins or so, and asked the first couple of questions. It then became a conversation between just the associate and I. This completely threw me off, and I panicked through the rest of the interview because I was worried about why he was not paying attention. He was looking and typing on his phone for a good 2/3rds of my interview, and quite honestly, I found this rude. Again, I understand how busy partners are but why offer to interview if you cannot afford the time to actually give a candidate your full attention?

Same thing happened to me during my final interview on a vs. Was so distracting

 

[allenpopi]

anyone who s done w&c AC, is the interview technical at all? or just motivational/competency

 

[fidrrygalka]

Hey! That’s the first post for me. PW SJT…. High verbal, high mathematical, and then shit hits the fan with 7,3,6,7 in the pillars. feeling weird because i’m a highly empathetic person but this result makes me look like i ain’t feeling anything for my coworkers 🤣 cmon…..

 

[OliverTwist]

hey is freshfields WG happens on which platform and is it timed?

It was GFB last year

 

[OliverTwist]

So the consensus is, if we haven't heard back from Cooley post-WG, its most probably a PFO?

That's a bummer

 

[Jessica Booker]

**UPDATE FROM FRESHFIELDS REGARDING REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS TO ASSESSMENTS**

If you contacted the firm for reasonable adjustments for an online assessments and did not receive a response and therefore could not take the assessment, please contact Laura Blackledge directly on:

Laura.blackledge@freshfields.com

Please do not contact Laura for other queries. This is specifically for those who have had issues with responses to their requests for reasonable adjustments.

 

[jojo23]

I imagine it does make up the majority of applications - but no, I applied for Cheltenham. Have you heard anything back?

EDIT - realise I'm posting in the wrong thread. I applied to CRS for a direct TC, not VS. Oops! but if by chance you have applied for TC too, lmk : )

Ahh, fair enough, I applied for the vacation scheme since I have no legal experience i thought it'd be safer for me to go down this route. I haven't heard anything yet either 😒

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Really hope Forsters get back to us soon post VI!

 

[law121]

I’ve given up on RPC…are they going to get back to us anytime soon😭

frr theyve been so silent...i think its gonna be a pfo coz no way theyre gonna send out more AC batches

 

[andrewk]

Anyone got any tips on Goodwin AC after doing it last year? I remember grad rec saying there was a commercial article, is this quite technical? Appreciate any insights

 

[legalxp2]

Akin AC
Goodwin VI
Weil VI
Willkie Written Task
Linklaters
HSF VS
Reed smith AC
Addleshaw Goddard VS

12 applications, 5 ACs, 4 rejections

HSF & AG VS

Dechert WE, Macfarlanes AC, CMS VI and W&C VI rejection

Waiting for Weil, Linklaters and Goodwin tc.

I’ve done Akin, Macfarlanes, HSF and AG Assessment centres.

Hi what was the timeframe for hearing back from Akin. Recently received a holding email

 

[EA95]

Slightly embarrassed to admit this but after 4 years of applications, I have finally got through to the final stage of a vac scheme application for the first time and get to speak to actual people from the firm. No idea how to prepare but been told to celebrate the small wins a bit more so here we are. I'll give it my best 🫡

Congratulations, there is nothing embarrassing about that. Everyone is on their own time and journey. Good luck with the final stage.

 

[NJS]

Off topic, but does anyone think the quality of ziplaw has fallen off, the whole appeal of it was linking it back to law firms but now all they do it’s just give a paragraph summary of a story with no analysis

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

Does anyone have experience with requesting a video call instead of a telephone interview as a reasonable adjustment? Do you think it may be disadvantageous for other reasons (eg bias etc)?

 

[Babablacksheep]

So the consensus is, if we haven't heard back from Cooley post-WG, its most probably a PFO?

That's a bummer

I heard they send it out in batches with people getting invites on the 6th last year- don’t lose hope yet 🤞🏼

 

[Deleted member 31343]

Off topic, but does anyone think the quality of ziplaw has fallen off, the whole appeal of it was linking it back to law firms but now all they do it’s just give a paragraph summary of a story with no analysis

Yesss!! They released something 30mins ago and there’s nothing linking it back to the firms.

I've found the public articles more helpful. Some daily/weekly updates are under case/deals for specific firms which is annoying. The AC overviews are the same ones on TCLA, many aren’t up to date.

I have an annual subscription so kinda stuck with it.​

 

[👩🎓]

frr theyve been so silent...i think its gonna be a pfo coz no way theyre gonna send out more AC batches

Thinking the exact same thing

 

[Jessica Booker]

Does anyone have experience with requesting a video call instead of a telephone interview as a reasonable adjustment? Do you think it may be disadvantageous for other reasons (eg bias etc)?

This is an adjustment you can ask for - it can often just be useful to explain why you will benefit from this approach, especially as for some candidates the reasonable adjustment is the other way around (have a video interview, would prefer a telephone call).