TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[abbiewhitlock03]

literally in the exact position 😅 I'm assuming pfo since I saw someone say Links' last set of ACs are running next week

I saw that too 😅 I guess a PFO may be imminent...

 

[AS24]

Yes - you can renege on a job offer quite easily unless you have taken any financial support from them ahead of joining.

Thank you @Jessica Booker

 

[F2020202]

Most firms have virtual internships on Forage so if you haven’t completed those yet, they are a great way of demonstrating an interest in the firm. I think they also can count as work experience because you are completing trainee style work. I know all the Magic Circle firms have virtual internships on Forage. Some US firms and Silver Circle firms also have virtual internships on Forage. 🙂

Most firms host virtual events in partnership with other organisations (e.g., Legal Cheek, AllAboutLaw, TCLA, LawCareers.Net, etc.) which are also ways to show links to a firm. In most cases, these events are practice area webinars, application workshops and Q&A with some of the firm’s trainees, associates and partners. These events are really good for tailoring an application to each firm that you are looking to apply to. 🙂​

Thank you!!

 

[Bloo]

I just checked it, it is clearly nonsense/error.

The emails with the 'correct' order

1. a partner at 4pm yesterday (Tuesday) emailed to say they are meeting a client next Tuesday and has asked for a page of bullet points on cost impacts of new building legislation by next Monday midday, latest, to prep for said meeting.
2. you've been asked by an associate at 09:04 to compile a signature pack for a client to fund the deal in advance of 2pm bank closing
3. your supervisor has emailed at 09:01, marked urgent, saying that you need to download property for an unspecified number of titles from the Land Registry, from a spreadsheet, note the charges on those properties, compile this into an email, and send it to them "sufficiently in advance of 11am"
4. a trainee at 08:54 working on a new deal emailed to ask where is a template for property title red flags
5. a paralegal has some signed documents and asked yesterday at 7pm where to send them
6. graduate recruitment emailed yesterday at 5pm asking for a reply to a simple "which career fairs" could you attend by CoB today
7. a client email sent last night at 8pm saying that "following their purchase" last month, they want an email on the law on whether they have a right to drive over neighbouring land to access their property, and will then discuss by phone
8. an HR email to submit seat choices by next Wednesday at 3pm, sent this morning.
9. an HR survey on training effectiveness, specifically stated to take 20 minutes, and required by CoB next Monday, which was sent several weeks ago

Of these:

• item 1 is time-consuming, and not urgent, so is definitely in the wrong place
• items 2 and 3 are very urgent, and are clearly two top priorities. it's not really clear how long these will take, but I think they are in the wrong order, in that "sufficiently in advance" implies that this is not going to take you that long to do.
• items 4, 5, 6 can be answered quickly so should be. The priority order here is roughly correct, in that 4 & 5 might be holding people up.
• item 7 is time-consuming and can come after completing the trivial tasks and the two urgent tasks, and before item 1
• item 8 and 9 are probably in the wrong order? There might be reasons why you have not decided your next seat yet, and it's not clear why you'd answer this before you have to.

Overall it's a poor-quality task, as they don't give any feedback for their order, which I assume is down to a clerical/programming error.

I would go:

3
2
5
4
6
7
1
9
8

I was going crazy understanding this - thanks so much for looking at and giving such detailed comments!!

 

[NMA]

That means a lot - thank you. I mostly just need a break.

Just have to keep going mate, I was exactly in your position. After my 3rd VS that I didn't convert, I thought screw this. But it's true that if you can get a VS, you can get a TC, you just unfortunately have to keep applying and applying. All the struggle will be worth it in the end once you get that call - every now and then I look back at a memory from uni when I had to leave at 5am to get a 4.5 hour train to London to attend a whole day AC, commute back in the evening and get a rejection email right before I started a shift at my part-time job. The rejections are brutal, but experience is experience and you only need one to say yes.

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

Has anyone heard back from Stevens & Bolton or Fox Williams?

 

[seashanty]

Does anyone know the AC to VS rate for HSF?

 

[ohnoselim]

silly question but if a firm says i have until midnight on tuesday 25th feb to complete a VI, does this count the tuesday can i submit like tuesday midday?

i literally have little time for this because of back to back work so the only time to complete it is the tuesday, but is this safe to do?

someone pls confirm because my brain is all over the place

 

[billyonthespeeddial]

Does anyone know the AC to VS rate for HSF?

I've been told about 25-30%

 

[Jessica Booker]

silly question but if a firm says i have until midnight on tuesday 25th feb to complete a VI, does this count the tuesday can i submit like tuesday midday?

i literally have little time for this because of back to back work so the only time to complete it is the tuesday, but is this safe to do?

someone pls confirm because my brain is all over the place

is the video platform Launchpad? If so, they mean 23.59 on the date stated rather than 00.00

 

[ohnoselim]

is the video platform Launchpad? If so, they mean 23.59 on the date stated rather than 00.00

its amberjack

 

[M_m]

its amberjack

If this is for Mishcon, the reminder email they sent says the deadline is 23:59 on Tuesday 25th.

 

[ohnoselim]

If this is for Mishcon, the reminder email they sent says the deadline is 23:59 on Tuesday 25th.

so im fine to submit tuesday midday ?

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

has everyone heard back from goodwin post VI?

 

[RS Sanjanaa]

To anyone still waiting on Hogan Lovells, was told by grad rec recently that they're still running ACs and the final one will be on 18th March!

is this only for the VS or does it apply to the direct TC as well?

 

[NCTC2025]

is this only for the VS or does it apply to the direct TC as well?

VS. Am pretty sure they will run direct TC ACs for longer

 

[Chris Brown]

so im fine to submit tuesday midday ?

Based on what people have said on this thread, the deadline for the Mischon VI is 23:59 on Tuesday the 25th, meaning up until 23:59 on that day, you can sit and complete the VI. It is fine to submit Tuesday 11:59 or even 22:59 (one hour before). 🙂​

 

[jojo23]

I’ve made the decision that if I am to go through another cycle, I am avoiding firms that ask us to write an entire PhD thesis, only to then give us a generic automated PFO. If an application question asks for more than 300 words, it’s an automatic no from me. This is the point I am at after only one application cycle. 😂😂​

But...isnt travers smith's 2k word limit so refreshing 😮‍💨 surely you want to do it for the thrill right?🤣🤡

 

[Chris Brown]

But...isnt travers smith's 2k word limit so refreshing 😮‍💨 surely you want to do it for the thrill right?🤣🤡

I think more city law firms should follow in the footsteps of Travers Smith, White & Case and BCLP. 2,000 words is light work idk why there aren’t more firms asking us to write that much in our applications. Surely we’d all be doing it for the thrill!! 😖🤣​

 

[Woody Woodpecker]

so im fine to submit tuesday midday ?

Hi this is from the email. "This email is a reminder that you have until midnight (23:59) on Tuesday 25th February to complete the video interview that was requested earlier this week."