TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[👩🎓]

Hi @Jessica Booker, what is your advice on following up with firms - i.e., for application updates?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Jessica Booker, what is your advice on following up with firms - i.e., for application updates?

General rules:

Do you need an answer or do you just want an answer? If there is an actual need (e.g. you need to know for other recruitment processes/commitments), then it is okay to ask. If it is just to give you some reassurance, I generally say avoid asking and trying to sit it out.

If you know many other candidates have heard back and you haven't, it is okay to ask when you may hear back. If it sounds like many candidates are waiting to hear back, then I would just be patient and wait.

If a firm provided a timeline as to when you would hear back and it is more than 1 week beyond that deadline, then you could ask for an update on timelines.

 

[👩🎓]

General rules:

Do you need an answer or do you just want an answer? If there is an actual need (e.g. you need to know for other recruitment processes/commitments), then it is okay to ask. If it is just to give you some reassurance, I generally say avoid asking and trying to sit it out.

If you know many other candidates have heard back and you haven't, it is okay to ask when you may hear back. If it sounds like many candidates are waiting to hear back, then I would just be patient and wait.

If a firm provided a timeline as to when you would hear back and it is more than 1 week beyond that deadline, then you could ask for an update on timelines.

Thank you so much, that really helps

 

[aspiringcitylawyer]

This is really not an issue - I wouldn't worry about this as it is very normal.

If you/your department are very quiet, maybe ask your supervisor if there are any old tasks that maybe a trainee did for them that you could effectively replicate that you could then compare the trainee's output too and get feedback from the supervisor and/or trainee on.

Thanks for your reply!!!

It’s the opposite situation actually. The department is incredibly busy but it is the trainees rather than the partners/senior associates who seem to have the most ‘vac schemer appropriate’ tasks. I have been so busy that I don’t even need to go out of my way to ask for additional tasks but I did wonder whether it was important for me to go out of my way to get tasks from associates/partners directly.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Thanks for your reply!!!

It’s the opposite situation actually. The department is incredibly busy but it is the trainees rather than the partners/senior associates who seem to have the most ‘vac schemer appropriate’ tasks. I have been so busy that I don’t even need to go out of my way to ask for additional tasks but I did wonder whether it was important for me to go out of my way to get tasks for associates/partners directly.

I definitely wouldn't worry about it then - you don't need your tasks to go via partners or associates directly. I would just try to put some effort to engage with them outside of tasks when you can.

 

[👩🎓]

Does anyone have an email address to HR for HFW (not their early careers contact but for general HR enquiries) - cannot seem to find it anywhere?

 

[legallycece]

I have emailed RPC for an application update as I haven’t heard since my original application in October. I know it will be a PFO but just thought it was odd to have heard nothing still. Anyone in same boat ?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Does anyone have an email address to HR for HFW (not their early careers contact but for general HR enquiries) - cannot seem to find it anywhere?

I’d probably call their switchboard and ask for this as it probably isn’t something put out externally where HR is generally an internal function.

 

[trainee4u]

Does anyone have an email address to HR for HFW (not their early careers contact but for general HR enquiries) - cannot seem to find it anywhere?

you could try the contact us form here: https://www.hfw.com/about-us/contact-us/

or maybe email the early careers contact asking them if they can provide a suitable email.

 

[👩🎓]

I’d probably call their switchboard and ask for this as it probably isn’t something put out externally where HR is generally an internal function.

Thank you

 

[👩🎓]

you could try the contact us form here: https://www.hfw.com/about-us/contact-us/

or maybe email the early careers contact asking them if they can provide a suitable email.

Thank you

 

[Olivialee15]

Anyone heard back from Mishcon post summer AC?

They said we would hear back like the beginning of May

 

[BuddyingLawyer744]

faegre drinker PFO - that's the last of the cycle - see you all next year! Starting the GDL at ULaw in London next year self funded with the hope of getting a winter vac scheme.

 

[c.li]

Have been seeing people say that booking student accommodation for summer VSs are a good idea, does anyone know of good student accommodation providers for short-term stays? Currently looking and not sure which sites to trust/are most useful? Thanks!

 

[Logan1101]

PFO Mills and Reeve.

Another dehumanising experience. If I ever get a TC, I will never be loyal to any of these firms or forget how I was treated throughout this whole process.

 

[generalcuster98]

Has anyone heard back from CRS Cheltenham post-VI, or Ashfords (Bristol)?

 

[Toomanypfo]

Anyone got brabners vac scheme offer yet?

 

[splishsplash1234]

I got 2 average and 3 above average on the Mayer Brown verbal reasoning test. Reckon that's enough to pass to the next stage?

 

[Hal_07]

Anyone got brabners vac scheme offer yet?

No I haven’t heard from them yet

 

[studentdelaw786]

faegre drinker PFO - that's the last of the cycle - see you all next year! Starting the GDL at ULaw in London next year self funded with the hope of getting a winter vac scheme.

Guess I should be expecting mine very soon!

Commiserations to you. You’ll be back better!