TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[trainee4u]

My current commute time is around 1 hour 20 minutes so was just wondering if that would be considered above the normal commutable distance range?

It's a normal commuting time; distance is possibly a different matter.

E.g., somewhere like Tunbridge Wells is a desirable commuter town, and is 54 minutes from London, which is going to be well over 1 hr 20 minutes door-to-door. A season ticket is £154/week.

OTOH somewhere like Coventry is not a commuter town, while being 58 minutes from London, due to the distance, and cost (£300/week).

 

[BuddyingLawyer744]

MoFO PFO -

 

[toad92]

For GD there are already 20 of us so they are probably looking for 2 more people.

so I have to be one of the best 2 on Friday ..... uh oh

 

[legaleagle11]

Was wondering whether anyone with a SH summer vac scheme has received their offer in writing following the phone call?

when did they call you out of interest?

 

[legaleagle11]

I thought SH hasn't sent out tests yet for summer, and they had only just sent out spring VS offers

I only applied for summer and did my test just under 2 weeks ago

 

[Babablacksheep]

Hey did anyone apply to the summer legal internship for bbc and heard anything back after the second stage?

A friend of mine had her final AC last week and they’ve all already heard back

 

[missfuturetraineemaybe]

For GD there are already 20 of us so they are probably looking for 2 more people.

Hey I’ll be on the scheme too, how do you know this?

 

[theruleofno]

Can anyone give any insight into Orrick's AC - its 6.5 hours but only has a written exercise and group presentation?!

It is literally just that. A one hour exercise, you get an hour and a half to prep for the presentation which is wayyyyy too long. The day is very chill tho.

 

[trainee4u]

Elena Jalali - 7252033

Control of non-qualified staff (section 43/99 order)

www.sra.org.uk

Interesting.
LLB (first class) from KCL
A*A*A* from elite London private school

Macfarlanes paralegal. Went to AC for TC in 2023. "repeatedly accessed information that was confidential and which she knew or ought to have known she was not entitled to access, namely documents including a Business Case Study Exercise, model answers and the mark scheme, for a training contract assessment day she attended in August 2023."

I can only assume this was accessible on the intranet/network. Lied about having done this (which is really dumb, because IT knows EVERYTHING).

Subject to a S43 order meaning that she cannot work for any regulated legal business without prior permission from SRA.

 

[Alturistic whale]

Anyone heard anything back from King & Spalding?

I remember reading that the next stage post-app would be in march and April

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi, sorry to ask again, but does anyone have experience of slaughters contacting referees and what it could mean/what they ask ?

It’s part of their early checking process.

They often check academic references in particular before deciding offers to ensure your grades are what you have said they are and that there aren’t any conduct issues with your time at university.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

This might be a silly question but do I need to let firms i am waiting to hear from that I’m going to be abroad the next two weeks, just in case they call (i hope) because of international call fees? I don’t want them to think i’m presuming an offer but also wouldn’t want them to incur a cost.

Can you just update your voicemail to say you are abroad and change your settings so you cannot accept calls?

This would be more productive than emailing them.

Dont worry about them incurring costs. They make hundreds of international calls daily - it’s not a cost they will even worry about.

 

[Alturistic whale]

Elena Jalali - 7252033

Control of non-qualified staff (section 43/99 order)

www.sra.org.uk

Interesting.
LLB (first class) from KCL
A*A*A* from elite London private school

Macfarlanes paralegal. Went to AC for TC in 2023. "repeatedly accessed information that was confidential and which she knew or ought to have known she was not entitled to access, namely documents including a Business Case Study Exercise, model answers and the mark scheme, for a training contract assessment day she attended in August 2023."

I can only assume this was accessible on the intranet/network. Lied about having done this (which is really dumb, because IT knows EVERYTHING).

Subject to a S43 order meaning that she cannot work for any regulated legal business without prior permission from SRA.

London is a small space, we have mutuals and I believe they are now working as a consultant in private equity/credit!

 

[tomsmitg]

It’s part of their early checking process.

They often check academic references in particular before deciding offers to ensure your grades are what you have said they are and that there aren’t any conduct issues with your time at university.

Ah, are they likely to have a decision before this check ??

 

[S7321]

It is literally just that. A one hour exercise, you get an hour and a half to prep for the presentation which is wayyyyy too long. The day is very chill tho.

Thanks for the insight. Assuming you took part in yesterday's, did you get a sense of how many ACs they're running and when they'll let people know whether they have an offer?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Honestly is this even real or is the bloke just engagement farming?

Literally zero reason not to name the firm.

Very likely real - I know Chris too and he wouldn’t make this type of stuff up.

These policies are very real. I have seen them, actioned them, and heard about them through people who have contacted me about them.

Having to pay back immediately is ridiculous - most people couldn’t do that. But claw backs are common. I have even seen them for people who have qualified but who choose to leave their firm upon qualification.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Ah, are they likely to have a decision before this check ??

Could be, but could easily be waiting for that information before deciding too.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes have rescinded offers in the past. Last year, I’m sure there were people who were told that they had failed the SQE but they had actually passed. Despite that, their TC offers were rescinded. They were future trainees at big city law firms. I think it’s a policy that TC offers get rescinded, but most law firms are generally lenient about it and allow at least 1 retake. @Jessica Booker will know more about rescinding offers and whether it’s common.​

I wouldn’t say “most” firms at lenient on resits. There are enough out there that do not allow resits and will rescind offers - whether they then clawback money is another matter though.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

They were probably applicants who flunked it hard - unless we are saying these firms rescind all TC offers?

Discretion is often applied based on circumstances.

But I wouldn’t say it’s only people who are flunking the SQE badly that are getting their TCs rescinded. Heard from enough people who failed only one of the FLK assessments and others who have only been a few percentage points off passing.

 

[Legal Wizard]

London is a small space, we have mutuals and I believe they are now working as a consultant in private equity/credit!

London? The whole legal profession!