General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[TCLA Community Assistant]

By the way, those applications that have charcter limits rather than word limits. spaces will be included within those character limits.

 

[Tushar]

Can somebody share here a successful Open Day application? I'd highly appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[Penelope]

Has anyone heard back after round 2 of the aspiring solicitors competition?

For anyone else still waiting, I just heard back! I’m through to the Quarter Finals, does anyone have any tips?

 

[lawgeek_301]

AC invite from Willkie Farr & Gallagher after completing VI - fyi for anyone else who applied I completed the VI on 15th October

Congratulations! I have to complete their VI this week, could you please tell me how it is like?

 

[Sekani Wraith]

Hi @Alice G, or anyone else that knows, does Freshfields consider open days as work experience? I know that some firms encourage you to put your open days in the work experience section and others don't, I am not sure which category Freshfields falls into.

 

[DrowninginSQE]

Hi @Alice G, or anyone else that knows, does Freshfields consider open days as work experience? I know that some firms encourage you to put your open days in the work experience section and others don't, I am not sure which category Freshfields falls into.

If you have more impressive work experience then that should be a priority. However, if you have open days it’s important to put that in but perhaps avoid US firms or firms that are drastically different because it makes your approach look quite scattergun.

 

[Sekani Wraith]

If you have more impressive work experience then that should be a priority. However, if you have open days it’s important to put that in but perhaps avoid US firms or firms that are drastically different because it makes your approach look quite scattergun.

Thank you, I have a vacation scheme at a US firm so maybe adding an open day from another US firm will do more harm than good.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Thank you, I have a vacation scheme at a US firm so maybe adding an open day from another US firm will do more harm than good.

Prioritse any work experience (part time jobs, volunteering etc) over an open day.

 

[Sekani Wraith]

Prioritse any work experience (part time jobs, volunteering etc) over an open day.

Thank you, but can't I mention them all? There isn't a limit on how many experiences I can include, I have 6 entries including the open day.

 

[Karin]

Thank you, but can't I mention them all? There isn't a limit on how many experiences I can include, I have 6 entries including the open day.

What I did in my applications was putting all of the open days into one entry - you can do this provided that you have more experiences (part-time/full-time jobs, internships etc.). I think there is usually not that much to say about each open day anyway, so I would just do the one entry, list the open days, and say that it shows you took the time to research what career in law is about and it helped you make the decision to pursue (commercial) law in (international/city/regional) law firm.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Thank you, but can't I mention them all? There isn't a limit on how many experiences I can include, I have 6 entries including the open day.

You can if you have enough space. It’s just what I would prioritise if you haven’t

 

[Sekani Wraith]

What I did in my applications was putting all of the open days into one entry - you can do this provided that you have more experiences (part-time/full-time jobs, internships etc.). I think there is usually not that much to say about each open day anyway, so I would just do the one entry, list the open days, and say that it shows you took the time to research what career in law is about and it helped you make the decision to pursue (commercial) law in (international/city/regional) law firm.

You can if you have enough space. It’s just what I would prioritise if you haven’t

Thank you both!

 

[George Rowe]

Can somebody share here a successful Open Day application? I'd highly appreciate it. Thanks!

I think if you sign-up to TCLA premium, they have a few examples uploaded.

 

[Velikilawyer123]

@Jessica Booker Jessica, when adding the formalities to a cover letter (my name, my address, the HR's name (if known), the firm's name, and the firm's address), should we also add a date below our own address?

 

[futureTS2025hopeful]

I attended an event where a Partner said Slaughter and May like the CV to be very factual, as opposed to skills-based.

I think I have some notes somewhere and would be happy to send them - if you want them, drop me a message!

Hi guys,

Silly question but what does it mean for a CV to be more factual, as opposed to skills-based?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

@Jessica Booker Jessica, when adding the formalities to a cover letter (my name, my address, the HR's name (if known), the firm's name, and the firm's address), should we also add a date below our own address?

yes, I would.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi guys,

Silly question but what does it mean for a CV to be more factual, as opposed to skills-based?

Factual means you just show what you have done, rather than lead with identifying skills and then attaching evidence/experience to those skills. Claiming skills isn’t actually factual - it is an opinion you developed those skill and that they are your strengths. Factual CVs are showing actual experience that can be verified (eg academics, work experience) and focus on what you actually did.

Factual just is another word from a traditional CV.

I don’t really like skills based CVs as it gets much more difficult to work our what you do when and in what order, or if just creates unnecessary repetition as people claim they skills, show evidence and then resort to a factual CV anyway.

 

[futureTS2025hopeful]

Ohh right thanks Jess! I didn't even know skills-based CVs even existed; I've been doing "factual" this whole time

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Ohh right thanks Jess! I didn't even know skills-based CVs even existed; I've been doing "factual" this whole time

In some industries they are far more popular, but law isn’t one of them!

 

[Sekani Wraith]

Hi @Jessica Booker I sent off my application for Akin Gump and I stupidly decided to read it again after I submitted it and I noticed one inconsistency in my capitalisation. In my work experience section, I wrote Baker Mckenzie with a lower case 'k' as the employer but then wrote it correctly with a capital 'k' in the details of the work experience. The rest of the app is perfect, probably one of my strongest apps ever, do you know if any firms will just reject your application if they find a mistake?