is anyone else waiting to hear from Mayer Brown
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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Still not heard from KN. Has anyone received a PFO from them yet?
Omds this is funny, I’m using this nowour unique way of saying rejection (please f off)
Ah, thanks! And all the best.
Applied last week as well but yet to receive.. hopefully it’s going by batches
For those of us still waiting for Ashurst, it’s defo a PFO cos I just saw this post on LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com
They done all their ACs and are doing final ints next week. The week after (May 29) will be PFOs!
Every year around this stage of the cycle, I hear the same thing from aspiring lawyers: “I’ll just wait until next year.” Vacation scheme applications close. People see others announcing offers on… | Ayaz Saboor
Every year around this stage of the cycle, I hear the same thing from aspiring lawyers: “I’ll just wait until next year.” Vacation scheme applications close. People see others announcing offers on LinkedIn. Confidence drops. And suddenly they convince themselves the cycle is over. I...
They done all their ACs and are doing final ints next week. The week after (May 29) will be PFOs!
For those of us still waiting for Ashurst, it’s defo a PFO cos I just saw this post on LinkedIn:
Every year around this stage of the cycle, I hear the same thing from aspiring lawyers: “I’ll just wait until next year.” Vacation scheme applications close. People see others announcing offers on… | Ayaz Saboor
Every year around this stage of the cycle, I hear the same thing from aspiring lawyers: “I’ll just wait until next year.” Vacation scheme applications close. People see others announcing offers on LinkedIn. Confidence drops. And suddenly they convince themselves the cycle is over. I...
They done all their ACs and are doing final ints next week. The week after (May 29) will be PFOs!
If that’s the case it’s an absolute shame to leave so many people in radio silence for months. Really bad form.
Is it possible to close the assessment after completing the sjt part of the reed smith assessment to complete the video interview the next day or not?
Been on my mind for a while, sorry for the vent. Please ignore if you’d rather not read it because it details my frustrations with the process.
The threshold for getting a TC is ridiculously high, to the point that it doesn’t feel like the effort I put in is worth the payoff anymore. You put effort into researching a firm, make tailor made applications to each of them, and they reject you without even reading your applications if you fail a test or without any feedback or reasoning on why they rejected you. The process is as opaque as an AI until you clear 4-5 obstacles as if you’re in a freaking video game to get to an interview. Also, firms asking you to not use AI in the application is also such massive hypocrisy, since they definitely employ AI when reviewing applications and claim to want someone who can leverage legaltech.
I’ve seen so many posts this past month on LinkedIn of people from Oxford and Cambridge who haven’t even studied law getting TCs with leading law firms, and I just wonder what I’m lacking with each such post I come across. Is pedigree and being from a well-recognised school all that matters? Is having low A Levels truly such a huge setback that you’ll never move past it in your life? Is a 2:2 really the hill where ones talent goes to die on? How do you cover the aspects of your life which made you who you are and which firms claim they want to know over a 300 word answer? How hard do you have to work to get an interview where for the first time in the process, you get to interact with an actual human being? You never know, because they never tell.
I know firms receive thousands of applications for less than 50 places. I realise the limitations of being a human. But I’ve realised these firms don’t. They lay out expectations which anyone with a non-linear path would struggle with, and then claim they want to give you a shot. Every webinar, every training session, where someone encouraged me to continue applying all seems patronising to me now. I’m exhausted of putting in the work when I don’t even know why it isn’t materialising.
The job should have been the slog, but now you need to put it 2,3 who knows how many years to even get it in the first place. I’d like to believe I’m capable and competent, but this process has just made me lose all faith in myself ATP.
The threshold for getting a TC is ridiculously high, to the point that it doesn’t feel like the effort I put in is worth the payoff anymore. You put effort into researching a firm, make tailor made applications to each of them, and they reject you without even reading your applications if you fail a test or without any feedback or reasoning on why they rejected you. The process is as opaque as an AI until you clear 4-5 obstacles as if you’re in a freaking video game to get to an interview. Also, firms asking you to not use AI in the application is also such massive hypocrisy, since they definitely employ AI when reviewing applications and claim to want someone who can leverage legaltech.
I’ve seen so many posts this past month on LinkedIn of people from Oxford and Cambridge who haven’t even studied law getting TCs with leading law firms, and I just wonder what I’m lacking with each such post I come across. Is pedigree and being from a well-recognised school all that matters? Is having low A Levels truly such a huge setback that you’ll never move past it in your life? Is a 2:2 really the hill where ones talent goes to die on? How do you cover the aspects of your life which made you who you are and which firms claim they want to know over a 300 word answer? How hard do you have to work to get an interview where for the first time in the process, you get to interact with an actual human being? You never know, because they never tell.
I know firms receive thousands of applications for less than 50 places. I realise the limitations of being a human. But I’ve realised these firms don’t. They lay out expectations which anyone with a non-linear path would struggle with, and then claim they want to give you a shot. Every webinar, every training session, where someone encouraged me to continue applying all seems patronising to me now. I’m exhausted of putting in the work when I don’t even know why it isn’t materialising.
The job should have been the slog, but now you need to put it 2,3 who knows how many years to even get it in the first place. I’d like to believe I’m capable and competent, but this process has just made me lose all faith in myself ATP.
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White & Case VI invite, I'm ecstatic!!! FYI I applied and completed WG+SJT exactly a week ago. If anyone has any insights, please PM me, I can trade for Moore Barlow VI, Bevan Brittan VI (or if you feel gracious, share with everyone!)
Hey, I completely understand your feelings of frustration with the process and in fact perseverance and willing to try again are attributes that firms look for.
Regarding AI, it is a good tool to help you formulate your ideas or rephrase sentences or check for SPAG and is a massive advantage to use it this way and it will not be looked down upon if you do.
I also think you should try not to compare yourself with people you see on LinkedIn or elsewhere, I say this as a law student who goes to what is considered one of the best universities in the UK and I used to feel disheartened when I would see people in my year or from 'worse' (want to caveat that no university is bad, you should never feel bad about your educational and institutional background!) universities get vac schemes or TCs, but I think it is really important to remember that another applicant is never the reason why someone doesn't get the TC. No matter how many applications a firm gets if they are the right fit for you and you for them you will get the offer.
Well done.
They use a range of questions and it is random which ones you get. Good luck!
Okay back to the applications again. I got some trauma after spending hours for Perkins Coie app and getting rejected by AI because of ticking the visa box but time to go back to work
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