2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Celestie]

To add to this, if a lot of TCs are being given to first years, what are CC evaluating? Surely at the time of application the first years won’t have many undergraduate grades. Are they assessing candidates based almost solely on A levels? It’s just such a strange method of recruitment in my opinion.

I wonder their reasoning behind signing 18/19 y/os into contracts?
Fair enough if you know what you wanna do... but if you asked me what I wanted to be in first year, it would be in the cast of the Shrek musical. Not a lawyer yet.

 

[Andrew M]

I ... kinda feel like if you want a certain mould of a lawyer, you get them young and train them up. It feels like a control thing.

To me, this is remarkably short sighted, especially in a world in which diversifying intake has become key, but if you are CC and have several thousand applications for one place, you can afford to do it.

I hate it and I wouldn’t want to work there at all.

I've worked with a few students at my university who secured a TC with CC through the Spark scheme. All I can say is... good luck to them.

 

[Celestie]

Btw, I would still like to congratulate anyone/everyone who gets a TC with CC. It is still an amazing accomplishment, even though I do not agree with the values/procedures of the firm.

 

[JayB]

Really not sure what their thinking is behind it precisely but it seems to be age based primarily...
Class action lawsuit TCLA squad?

Representation of the TCLA community ^

I also find CC’s recruitment process to be very odd. They recruit largely from their SPARK scheme, most of my friends secured TCs this way from CC. I emailed GR regarding this whole new recruitment process still no response to this day haha, and they are ranked number 1 for graduate recruitment.. lol! They must be doing something right.

 

[M1999]

Wonder why CC pretty much only take penultimate students now for vacs and direct tc’s. Seems a bit discriminatory imo. Why is someone in their second year of uni better qualified to apply than someone in their final year/who’s graduated? They could all pretty much still start at the same time too, even if it was a year later.

I agree. It's also pretty bad to lock in first years for 3-4 years before they are able to start their contract, before they've even had a chance to look at other firms. Can't imagine it results in satisfied trainees at all. It's also kind of rude to act like graduates are 'washed up' and no one wants us, and that there are incredibly talented people who were just born a good lawyer who are better so they need to lock them in. I think its a bad move on their part, but they're missing out I guess!

 

[Abbie4329]

I agree. It's also pretty bad to lock in first years for 3-4 years before they are able to start their contract, before they've even had a chance to look at other firms. Can't imagine it results in satisfied trainees at all. It's also kind of rude to act like graduates are 'washed up' and no one wants us, and that there are incredibly talented people who were just born a good lawyer who are better so they need to lock them in. I think its a bad move on their part, but they're missing out I guess!

I can’t imagine CC are getting much good feedback from this approach. It sounds like quite a few people have questioned their method. I’d be interested to see if they change their stance especially with A levels and first year grades being less reliable in the current climate (eg. teachers handing out grades).

 

[JayC]

If anybody has advice on W&C's video interview, please pm me!

Congrats! What date did you apply?

 

[Future CC Trainee]

I think it was not a great PR move, but I doubt what they are doing in practice in terms of prioritising penultimate year students is unique among most firms.

 

[corplaw0702]

Congrats! What date did you apply?

october

 

[tractor12]

Representation of the TCLA community ^

I also find CC’s recruitment process to be very odd. They recruit largely from their SPARK scheme, most of my friends secured TCs this way from CC. I emailed GR regarding this whole new recruitment process still no response to this day haha, and they are ranked number 1 for graduate recruitment.. lol! They must be doing something right.

Where do you see grad rec rankings?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

If I'm addressing a cover letter to a woman who I do not know the marital status of am I right in assuming I use Ms.?

Safest thing is not to use anything.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Where do you see grad rec rankings?

Times Top 100 Graduate Employers

 

[sibs23]

I'm making a last minute application to Macfarlanes and wondering if anyone had any advice for structuring the 'Achievements' question please. Torn between either providing one detailed example using STAR or three smaller examples which each demonstrate a particular quality. I appreciate there is no wrong answer, but is the firm looking for us to state the quality or is it better to show not say?

 

[Asil Ahmad]

I'm making a last minute application to Macfarlanes and wondering if anyone had any advice for structuring the 'Achievements' question please. Torn between either providing one detailed example using STAR or three smaller examples which each demonstrate a particular quality. I appreciate there is no wrong answer, but is the firm looking for us to state the quality or is it better to show not say?

Good luck with applications and I used STAR for that question.

 

[LS12]

Safest thing is not to use anything.

For Orrick they ask you to address your covering letter to Sushila Nayak. Shall I just say Dear Sushila Nuyak then?

 

[JayC]

Safest thing is not to use anything.

Apologies but I don't know what you mean by this - just don't address them at all?

 

[AspiringSolicitor]

For Orrick they ask you to address your covering letter to Sushila Nayak. Shall I just say Dear Sushila Nuyak then?

This is what I did

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Apologies but I don't know what you mean by this - just don't address them at all?

Dear Jessica

is better than

Dear Ms Booker

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

For Orrick they ask you to address your covering letter to Sushila Nayak. Shall I just say Dear Sushila Nuyak then?

"Dear Sushila" is fine if you wanted to use that

Ms/Mr/Mrs is a really old tradition which is pretty much dead and buried these days.

 

[JayC]

"Dear Sushila" is fine if you wanted to use that

Ms/Mr/Mrs is a really old tradition which is pretty much dead and buried these days.

I have to say, it's very interesting to me that you say this as I have always been under the impression that it is a big no-no to call a professional by their first name - I am often myself addressed as 'Mr' in an e-mail even though I'm a student! I trust you though, so if you think the first name is better I will use that