TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

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George Maxwell

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I'm reapplying Bird & Bird, last year my application got through initial screening and was sent the test. Should I be rewriting my answers to "what will be the greatest innovation to influence the firm in the next 5 years and why?" and "what do you understand to be the biggest opportunity for one of the sectors in which we specialise?" The former spanned developments over 5 years!
Hi @Veep9,

This is a great question.

In my opinion, I would rewrite your application for this cycle. A lot has happened in the last year such as the development (and fallout) of the global chip shortage, the confirmation that WFH is at least a medium-term trend, as well as the boom of cryptocurrency (for example, El Salvador's decision to adopt it as legal tender). This is of course, non-exhaustive, and not necessarily relevant to your answer, but I just wanted to demonstrate that lots could be brought in that may have seemed less relevant last cycle. Even if the themes you use are the same, bringing in more recent examples of it demonstrates that you are engaged with the (commercial) world. I worry that if you reuse your previous application, recent events may make it seem less applicable or interesting. By all means, I think using your answer from last year is a good idea, but build and develop on it, perhaps using your experiences in the meantime to qualify why you have chosen to approach these questions in that way.

Very happy to help out wherever I can if that would be useful!
 
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Veep9

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    Hi @Veep9,

    This is a great question.

    In my opinion, I would rewrite your application for this cycle. A lot has happened in the last year such as the development (and fallout) of the global chip shortage, the confirmation that WFH is at least a medium-term trend, as well as the boom of cryptocurrency (for example, El Salvador's decision to adopt it as legal tender). This is of course, non-exhaustive, and not necessarily relevant to your answer, but I just wanted to demonstrate that lots could be brought in that may have seemed less relevant last cycle. Even if the themes you use are the same, bringing in more recent examples of it demonstrates that you are engaged with the (commercial) world. I worry that if you reuse your previous application, recent events may make it seem less applicable or interesting. By all means, I think using your answer from last year is a good idea, but build and develop on it, perhaps using your experiences in the meantime to qualify why you have chosen to approach these questions in that way.

    Very happy to help out wherever I can if that would be useful!
    Thank you! I suspected this was true, but seeing it set out like that is the kick I probably needed!
     
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    IzzyAn_na

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    Aug 13, 2020
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    I'm reapplying Bird & Bird, last year my application got through initial screening and was sent the test. Should I be rewriting my answers to "what will be the greatest innovation to influence the firm in the next 5 years and why?" and "what do you understand to be the biggest opportunity for one of the sectors in which we specialise?" The former spanned developments over 5 years!
    I didn’t really, I refreshed a few stats to be more current but the rest I kept the same and managed to get past the app stage again if that’s reassuring!
     

    Jessica Booker

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    AvniD

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    Hi everyone so Osborne Clarke’s VS app has ‘Please describe a current business issue or opportunity for organisations operating within one of our sectors’ - now I would like to talk about ESG investing/have a good topic and answer. However, OC also have another question on the app saying “please outline why you want to work at OC - how have you developed your interest in commercial law through experience’ - in this answer I have mentioned my interest in energy and my desire to further this at OC as Energy is one of their core sectors.
    Are these answers too similar? Should I pick a different news story to go with?
    It will not be the same answer/will present different points, but it is reiterating my interest in the energy sector. Is this too focussed/ not showing my ability to be interested in multiple sectors? Thanks
    Hi @Hele25!

    The crux of the two questions is different- the first is sector-specific and the second is specific to your motivations- which, depending on your drafting, will result in different answers, even if they have energy in common. I would, however, mention at least a couple of areas that I'm interested to work in at the firm while answering the second question but would not feel the pressure to leave out energy just because it was the focus of the first question.

    I hope this helps!

    Best,

    Avni
     
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    aishwaryakarunakaran

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    Hi guys, I had a question regarding Norton Rose Fulbright. Has anyone heard from grad rec that the firm does not like to be referred to with the abbreviation NRF? Anyone who may have used it, have you been successful? Thanks so much in advance!
     

    JM1998

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    Hi guys, I had a question regarding Norton Rose Fulbright. Has anyone heard from grad rec that the firm does not like to be referred to with the abbreviation NRF? Anyone who may have used it, have you been successful? Thanks so much in advance!
    I used NRF not Norton Rose Fulbright in my cover letter and got through the app stage, so I don’t think they mind it
     
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    OB

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    I'm reapplying Bird & Bird, last year my application got through initial screening and was sent the test. Should I be rewriting my answers to "what will be the greatest innovation to influence the firm in the next 5 years and why?" and "what do you understand to be the biggest opportunity for one of the sectors in which we specialise?" The former spanned developments over 5 years!
    I sent the same answers and got sent the test again. Haven't heard back since the test though :/
     
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    Veep9

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    I didn’t really, I refreshed a few stats to be more current but the rest I kept the same and managed to get past the app stage again if that’s reassuring!

    I sent the same answers and got sent the test again. Haven't heard back since the test though :/
    Thank you, @IzzyAn_na and @OB! I read over mine after @George Maxwell ’s reply to me and can definitely see room for improvement so I’ll edit mine but stick to the same topics generally.
    Hi guys, I had a question regarding Norton Rose Fulbright. Has anyone heard from grad rec that the firm does not like to be referred to with the abbreviation NRF? Anyone who may have used it, have you been successful? Thanks so much in advance!
    I once heard them say they don’t mind NRF if properly defined at the start - so “…Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) …” - but they dislike being referred to as Norton Rose and really bristle if Fulbright is spelled incorrectly, like with two l’s.
     
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    Hele25

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    Hi @Hele25!

    The crux of the two questions is different- the first is sector-specific and the second is specific to your motivations- which, depending on your drafting, will result in different answers, even if they have energy in common. I would, however, mention at least a couple of areas that I'm interested to work in at the firm while answering the second question but would not feel the pressure to leave out energy just because it was the focus of the first question.

    I hope this helps!

    Best,

    Avni
    Thanks so much, this really helps! :)
     
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    Jaysen

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    @Jessica Booker @Jaysen

    Hi guys - how many questions would you recommend to ask at the end of an interview? Is 1 perfect, or is it advisable to keep going until the interviewer calls time?

    If you have just one genuine question to ask, that's absolutely fine. I wouldn't ask more questions for the sake of doing so.

    If you do have more questions, I will say more than three/four would be pushing it.
     

    aishwaryakarunakaran

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    Thank you, @IzzyAn_na and @OB! I read over mine after @George Maxwell ’s reply to me and can definitely see room for improvement so I’ll edit mine but stick to the same topics generally.

    I once heard them say they don’t mind NRF if properly defined at the start - so “…Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) …” - but they dislike being referred to as Norton Rose and really bristle if Fulbright is spelled incorrectly, like with two l’s.
    That's really helpful, thanks so much!
     
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