TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Amma Usman]

Hi, I’m currently doing a vacation scheme and I don’t think it’s going well. For context it’s a week. Yesterday I was quite shy. I spoke to people and tried to ask insightful questions but I was scared shitless. I also had a task which had no due date and only had 2 hours to do it. I stayed late but still didn’t complete it and when I asked when it’s due they said tomorrow is fine. Today I went in early to recap on a tech talk that I missed 10 mins of due to it issues. I feel like I also ask a lot of questions about how to do things to my supervisor and ask for help quite a lot. Yesterday I had some attention to detail issues but I have started to ask less and less. At the end of today I started to get more confident and I have 3 coffee chats booked and had one today with a member of my team which they invited me on. When in meetings and getting tasks I try and show an interest of the wider topic but I’m in a dept I haven’t studied so I’m really struggling. Does anyone have any words of wisdom of what to do? Any tips please!! What should I do to stand out I feel I’ve blended into the background a bit.

Hey. I just want to add to my past advice on this. I do not think staying past your regular working hours is advisable at vacation scheme stage. I do not suspect any firm will give you work which cannot be completed within the normal working day - or at least, you can carry it over to the next day depending on priority. Completing it within the normal working day is even beneficial as it shows better efficiency, organisational management, and an understanding of the task at hand. If there’s anything you need clarification on to help speed up your efficiency, ask your supervisor/ anyone else in the team that may be able to accurately help if your supervisor is busy.

 

[thelawstudent]

just recieved an interview for linklaters' 'get ahead' progamme.

does anyone have any insights into this?

 

[BobThebIlly]

Just following up on this. I totally get how the feeling of reading many articles can be, especially when new to that. When I was new to that, I found it really challenging to digest what was going on, and most especially how it applied to law firms and their clients - something really important to be able to do. I then took the executive decision to refrain from reading long-winded articles that had contained complex details and many words I didn’t even know. I spent some time building commercial awareness more, which contrary to what some may think, isn’t just about reading articles - it‘s also about knowing certain definitions, basic economic concepts and how they link to businesses, etc. I literally brought out again my old IGCSE Business Studies and Economics textbooks. These helped greatly clarify those early stage concepts. Once I was confident in these, and also confident in practicing with more summarised articles and easy-to-digest pieces of news data, commercial awareness became by bestie (well sort of, seeing as it’s a muscle that needs constant flexing).

So my main advice when it gets tough - step back, rewire your approach, and build upwards. Before you know it, in just a couple of months, you will get to where you need to be to excel in those applications and interviews.

Thanks Amma! One last thing — am I doing commercial awareness “correctly” by focussing on just PE and M&A? I haven’t looked at anything else really and am only comfortable knowing the terms and breaking it down/ knowing the role of commercial solicitors/ wider context in these areas

 

[Amma Usman]

Thanks Amma! One last thing — am I doing commercial awareness “correctly” by focussing on just PE and M&A? I haven’t looked at anything else really and am only comfortable knowing the terms and breaking it down/ knowing the role of commercial solicitors/ wider context in these areas

You’re welcome. And this is a really good question.

To start off with, there is no “correct” way to approach commercial awareness. Many approaches work and there is no “one size fits all” blueprint. Your approach is certainly solid as these two topics tend to come up heavily in the process, especially for transactional-focused law firms, and it’s helpful knowing them anyway as they link to a lot of industries. Just to flag, law firms that are not transactional-heavy may also ask such questions to test a candidate’s ability to know this side too.

Though, definitely expand your approach - explore the full range of practices and what they do. I’ve linked a thread I made on this in the past to help - https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/guide-law-firm-practice-areas.9404/

It’s worth also reaching out to people that work in any practices that stand out to you and learn more about them directly from these people. It helps to solidify and tailor your applications better. They will be able to tell you more up-to-date things such as changes currently affecting the sector, changes that could potentially impact clients and why, etc.

 

[Amma Usman]

just recieved an interview for linklaters' 'get ahead' progamme.

does anyone have any insights into this?

Has the firm told you any specific things/elements to prepare for?

 

[aphelion]

Do you need to be a real social butterfly to convert a VS? I'm on my second vac scheme in a row and already exhausted and I can feel myself not putting myself out there as much as I did on the previous one. I'm starting to worry that my relative lack of networking is going to be a deakbreaker especially compared to what I'm seeing from my fellow vac schemers, who seem to be closer with their supervisors and others in the department.

 

[jta227]

Do you need to be a real social butterfly to convert a VS? I'm on my second vac scheme in a row and already exhausted and I can feel myself not putting myself out there as much as I did on the previous one. I'm starting to worry that my relative lack of networking is going to be a deakbreaker especially compared to what I'm seeing from my fellow vac schemers, who seem to be closer with their supervisors and others in the department.

I would say you should put yourself out there - the scheme isn't only for you to do tasks for 2 weeks. That being said you shouldn't network simply for networking's sake i.e. you should have [good] questions to ask and be interested in people, also bring a notebook everywhere unless it's not appropriate. I have heard of candidates who spent their whole scheme having coffee chats and didn't convert their VS, and those who had them sparingly and did convert. There isn't really a one-size-fits-all method—just avoid pointless conversations (if you're scheduling time for a chat specifically) as lawyers' time is valuable. Obviously this also depends on the firm as they may have different assessment components they're looking for - but generally as long as people have a positive impression of you you should be fine in that regard.

Good luck with the VS and good luck with the results from the previous one as well!

 

[FM302989]

Just received a video interview invite for a PARALEGAL role 🤣 🤣 🤣 . For a firm nobody will have heard of as well💀

I started my career as a Paralegal in a small regional firm of less than 10 people. Now I'm 2 PQE at a top 100 firm. I wouldn't be here without the skills, experience and knowledge gained from that first role

 

[FM302989]

are there any good podcast recs? i'm tired of reading articles lmao

BBC Wake Up to Money every morning. Available on Spotify and Apple

 

[EG3]

They asked some stupid question last year 'if you could have any superpower'.

This year it was 'if you could invite anyone from the past/fictional to dinner' 😂

 

[BillSikes]

I started my career as a Paralegal in a small regional firm of less than 10 people. Now I'm 2 PQE at a top 100 firm. I wouldn't be here without the skills, experience and knowledge gained from that first role

Tbh I don't see the relevance of this response to my original post. The point I'm making is that a video interview for a paralegal role, that won't be the most competitive, is excessive.

 

[FM302989]

Tbh I don't see the relevance of this response to my original post. The point I'm making is that a video interview for a paralegal role, that won't be the most competitive, is excessive.

An interview is an interview mate; plus that saves you commuting into an office. Paralegal jobs can be quite competitive so be prepared. Good luck!

 

[3000to1shoteverytime]

Tbh I don't see the relevance of this response to my original post. The point I'm making is that a video interview for a paralegal role, that won't be the most competitive, is excessive.

I think you may be underestimating how competitive paralegal jobs are these days too.

 

[Amma Usman]

Do you need to be a real social butterfly to convert a VS? I'm on my second vac scheme in a row and already exhausted and I can feel myself not putting myself out there as much as I did on the previous one. I'm starting to worry that my relative lack of networking is going to be a deakbreaker especially compared to what I'm seeing from my fellow vac schemers, who seem to be closer with their supervisors and others in the department.

I completely understand how intimidating these situations can feel at first, but it’s important to be socially active. It’s a big part of the job as a lawyer, so you need to showcase that skill and demonstrate that you can build rapport with people quite easily.

I appreciate that this ability takes time to develop, but a simple greeting like, “Hi, I’m part of the vacation scheme cohort, currently sitting in X department with X,” is a great place to start. From there, people usually begin asking about your experience, you ask them about theirs, and the conversation tends to flow naturally.

It’s definitely a skill that takes practice, but it’s one you need to work on and visibly demonstrate throughout your scheme. Being good on paper but lacking social engagement can potentially affect your chances of conversion.

Also, the way you come across matters. Sometimes, in trying to make a good impression, people can be overly eager, speak too quickly, or even accidentally interrupt the other person. That can come off as disrespectful and affect the tone of the conversation, especially in a professional setting. It’s something worth being mindful of.

Best of luck with the scheme!

 

[Tangcy]

Hi guys, i have a question to ask. I was wondering how does a firm PEP or a firm revenue can affect a trainee or a vac schemer? More importanly, how does this link to me as an applicant for a firm vac scheme or TC? How do i link this information to my "why this firm" question?

 

[trainee4u]

Hi guys, i have a question to ask. I was wondering how does a firm PEP or a firm revenue can affect a trainee or a vac schemer? More importanly, how does this link to me as an applicant for a firm vac scheme or TC? How do i link this information to my "why this firm" question?

I don't think revenue & PEP affect vac schemers directly. PEP will point to higher pay (and longer hours), which is somewhat relevant for trainees, although you typically only get paid the big bucks after qualification.

I'm not sure why you are mentioning these, but it's not something that's generally discussed on an application form except insofar as it points to things about the firm - e.g., a firm with $3 million PEP is getting the biggest deals and best work, so that's something you'd be excited to work on. A firm whose revenue is growing 20% YoY is one that is thriving and you're obviously keen to join a firm that's on the up. A firm with massive revenue like Dentons that isn't a PEP leader then you've got huge numbers of lawyers, lots of varied work, dozens of offices, etc.

 

[trainee4u]

An interview is an interview mate; plus that saves you commuting into an office. Paralegal jobs can be quite competitive so be prepared. Good luck!

not clear whether it is - a "video interview" usually means one of those prerecorded things - it demonstrates a lack of effort on behalf of the recruiting firm. A Zoom/Teams interview over video with an actual human being is better than commuting into an office, but I wouldn't refer to it as a "video interview".

 

[FM302989]

not clear whether it is - a "video interview" usually means one of those prerecorded things - it demonstrates a lack of effort on behalf of the recruiting firm. A Zoom/Teams interview over video with an actual human being is better than commuting into an office, but I wouldn't refer to it as a "video interview".

Firms (especially ones of a smaller size) wouldn't be doing this when hiring staff. I reckon this is something unique for firms with TC recruitment streams as it helps with the volume of applicants, although I agree they are naff

If it's a Teams/Zoom call, this kind of interview is typically called a 'video interview'. Can't think of a better term for it. I tend to see these used as a first round before an in-person invite is made with firms as well so I suppose it may be helpful to find out the full process and how many 'steps' there are

 

[trainee4u]

Firms (especially ones of a smaller size) wouldn't be doing this when hiring staff. I reckon this is something unique for firms with TC recruitment streams as it helps with the volume of applicants, although I agree they are naff

If it's a Teams/Zoom call, this kind of interview is typically called a 'video interview'. Can't think of a better term for it. I tend to see these used as a first round before an in-person invite is made with firms as well so I suppose it may be helpful to find out the full process and how many 'steps' there are

In a TC context the Teams/Zoom interview is IME referred to either as a "virtual interview" or a 'teams/zoom interview', to distinguish from the more common "video interview" pre-recorded type.

I guess @BillSikes can clarify what he means.

 

[James Wakefield]

Hi all, I’ve got a 2-week vac scheme coming up and was wondering if that’s long enough to consider asking to do any pro bono work/ or see what they do?

Is this a good idea? I know pro bono isn’t core to any firm’s business, but would be interested in any views on this?