TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[Monopolyman]

Hoping to hear back from Freshfields today, lmk if anybody else does

 

[tcla02]

i’ve had a terrible vs cycle this year as a penultimate student. i need to be well-prepared for the direct tc/vs cycle in 3rd year. I want to begin my prep from now and i was wondering if anyone has any advice? any key takeaways from your experiences? any insight would be helpful thank u

 

[billyonthespeeddial]

i’ve had a terrible vs cycle this year as a penultimate student. i need to be well-prepared for the direct tc/vs cycle in 3rd year. I want to begin my prep from now and i was wondering if anyone has any advice? any key takeaways from your experiences? any insight would be helpful thank u

Idk if this is helpful, but focusing on finals instead of applications in my third year was the best decision for me. Now, this year, I've already completed a vacation scheme and received 4 AC invitations from SC/US firms so far. This was, I think, a combination of my grades and freedom to write applications without academic commitments in September-October. Everyone works differently, and for me, it was just not very wise to deal with this in my final year

 

[Tintin06]

More AC dreams - PH this time. Let's hope this one comes true.

To clarify - this isn't an AC. It was just a dream lol.

 

[isabelle888]

Are the withers test automatic, they way the email was worded makes it seem like they are not, but I don't want to get too excited,

Don't think its automatic

 

[carys09]

i’ve had a terrible vs cycle this year as a penultimate student. i need to be well-prepared for the direct tc/vs cycle in 3rd year. I want to begin my prep from now and i was wondering if anyone has any advice? any key takeaways from your experiences? any insight would be helpful thank u

I'm in third year currently and my advice would be to prioritise grades over anything else because you only have one shot to get good grades at uni whereas you can always re-apply once you graduate. While you don't need firsts in every module to get a TC I do think it helps and it's the one thing you can't improve on once you graduate. It may seem like getting a TC is the be all and end all but its really not and you will always have time as its not like these firms are going anywhere. I'm not saying you shouldn't re-apply but just don't let it consume you and try to make the most out the time you have left at uni
I would also recommend going back to look over your unsuccessful apps again and having others look over them as well to try and figure out where you might have tripped up and how to improve for next year.
And most importantly remember that it is very rare to get a TC on your first attempt so try not to let this deter you. It can be very demoralising being rejected but it in no way means that you don't have the potential to be a great lawyer. For many, applications can be a process of trial and error, especially when you don't have connections to guide you through the process.

 

[Mug Fan]

Freshfields PFO and white and case PFO in the same hour! What a day!

All I need now is Goodwin…

 

[Mug Fan]

Hoping to hear back from Freshfields today, lmk if anybody else does

Just got PFO

 

[Monopolyman]

Freshfields PFO - very upset

 

[kokoprep]

Freshfields PFO - very upset

Is this post Watson Glaser or just application and SJT?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Do you guys think that when law firms choose candidates in the end- do they just consider the assessment centre or look at the application as a whole including AC?

I'd say its 95%+ about the performance at the AC.

However, when a candidate is borderline in a certain area or there is a slight concern/risk, firms can look back at evidence from earlier in the application process to judge whether there is stronger evidence or similarities of concern elsewhere.

Prime example - very good written exercise but with some typos/spelling mistakes/grammatical errors. A firm then may go back and look at the application form to see if there were also typos/spelling mistakes in that document as well.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Do firms look at linkedin profiles in the final stages?

Very possible - if you have a professional profile in the public domain, it is fair game that your interviewers/assessors could decide to look at your LinkedIn (or any other information publicly available, especially if its mentioned in your application).

 

[Zaidoz10]

Freshfields PFO and white and case PFO in the same hour! What a day!

All I need now is Goodwin…

Is this W&C London tc?

 

[Monopolyman]

Is this post Watson Glaser or just application and SJT?

Just application and SJT, but its okay onwards and upwards

 

[kokoprep]

Just application and SJT, but its okay onwards and upwards

sorry about that, I really hope you get a offer very soon, good luck!

 

[kokoprep]

Is this W&C London tc?

london tc is non rolling and application deadline is july, so I believe would the VS

 

[legalgrad]

I'd say its 95%+ about the performance at the AC.

However, when a candidate is borderline in a certain area or there is a slight concern/risk, firms can look back at evidence from earlier in the application process to judge whether there is stronger evidence or similarities of concern elsewhere.

Prime example - very good written exercise but with some typos/spelling mistakes/grammatical errors. A firm then may go back and look at the application form to see if there were also typos/spelling mistakes in that document as well.

Thank you so much!

 

[Zaidoz10]

london tc is non rolling and application deadline is july, so I believe would the VS

I’ve been waiting on the Middle East TC since September. They’re supposed to be rolling idk what’s going on.

 

[kokoprep]

I’ve been waiting on the Middle East TC since September. They’re supposed to be rolling idk what’s going on.

ahh they really have weird timelines on getting back to people.

 

[kokoprep]

any freshfields WG invites today?