TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[AnAnonymousDuck]

Hi @Jessica Booker @Amma Usman @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam

I have an AC next week where i have to give a presentation based on an answer I provided in my application for a ‘please describe a current news story which is of interest to you and why.’ I decided at the time to use an answer that I had used previously related to competition as I was best able to link it back to myself and my prior experience.

The firm’s London office does not offer a seat in competition nor have a practice area in it. A lot of advice I have seen online for this AC says that candidates should expand on their commercial story and that it is really important to explicitly link it back to the firm and not just rely on knowing the topic well.

I am struggling to find ways to link it back to the firm since they don’t work in competition law and don’t really know how to approach this? Does anyone have any advice?

 

[cwhite233]

Anyone know if the following deadline from Winston and Strawn means midnight tonight (eg Sunday evening) or midnight tomorrow (eg Monday evening)? So confused by this language!

The deadline to complete this task is midnight on Monday 7th April 2025.

 

[trainee4u]

Anyone know if the following deadline from Winston and Strawn means midnight tonight (eg Sunday evening) or midnight tomorrow (eg Monday evening)? So confused by this language!

The deadline to complete this task is midnight on Monday 7th April 2025.

dodgy drafting!

Conventionally style guides suggest it means the end of Monday.

However, it's poor to use in this context, which would be better expressed as 23:59:59 (cf. 00:00, which is unambiguously then Sunday night into Monday morning)

 

[tosin4774]

How do I answer, " What has attracted you to the role of campus ambassador at Hogan Lovells? " Should I make it relate personally to me, the firm, or both, @Andrei Radu?

 

[stulaw345]

anyone heard from Stevenson Harwood? if so, how long did they give you until the interview

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

How do I answer, " What has attracted you to the role of campus ambassador at Hogan Lovells? " Should I make it relate personally to me, the firm, or both, @Andrei Radu?

I would ensure both are covered. It’s important to make the focus on the brand ambassador role though - the answer should not talk about the firm or opportunity as if it is a TC or VS opportunity.

 

[tosin4774]

I would ensure both are covered. It’s important to make the focus on the brand ambassador role though - the answer should not talk about the firm or opportunity as if it is a TC or VS opportunity.

Thank you

 

[Chris Brown]

Hi @Andrei Radu,

I hope you are keeping well.

Breezy has an interview coming up with Paul Hastings for their Phirst Steps SVS. I am asking the following question on his behalf. He is away on a Spring VS at the moment. I think he asked you similar questions on this forum before re Paul, Weiss and Willkie, to which you gave really good answers. I have copied it below:

‘How would you describe Paul Hastings’ position in the City of London? Who are the firm’s closest competitors in relation to (1) the firm’s core practice areas and (2) other US BigLaw firms in London? What makes Paul Hastings unique compared to its competitors?

Could you explain the difference between debt and equity capital markets? Is this the same as PE? Could you also explain what capital markets: securitisation and capital markets: high yield products are? Please help.’​

 

[BobThebIlly]

anyone heard from Stevenson Hardwood? if so, how long did they give you until the interview

Bro im still waiting on them 💀💀 they haven’t even given the test or a PFO so idk if I should email them

guessing a PFO since I applied for the summer

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Anything form Orrick post AC? Ik someone got an offer so idk if no news is PFO or offers r going out slowly? A future trainee I spoke to said last year offers went out across a week and a half so idk whether to keep my hopes up

 

[bluescarf]

Happy Monday everyone
Has anyone heard from PMC post DTC app?

 

[laila03]

Has anyone heard from VWV post-ac? Been 3 weeks since the london one and i thought we were supposed to hear after 2..

 

[JasmineM9]

Morning everyone, I have a bit of a silly question. How do you actually build your commercial awareness? I have signed up to newsletters such as Little Law and Non-billable which I am trying to be more consistent with my reading. I just realised that I have been passively reading without retain the information 🤣 Any tips to improve your commercial awareness and how to think more commercially are welcome 🙏

 

[OliverTwist]

Has anyone that did the Mishcon AC emailed in with train ticket for reimbursement and gotten a reply?

 

[hawkins19]

does anyone know how many VS places there are for milbank?

 

[NJS]

Anything form Orrick post AC? Ik someone got an offer so idk if no news is PFO or offers r going out slowly? A future trainee I spoke to said last year offers went out across a week and a half so idk whether to keep my hopes up

They said they might still invite people back to an interview, strange then didn’t interview in the first place really, but I’m not sure how to think now

 

[g.cl.2020344]

They said they might still invite people back to an interview, strange then didn’t interview in the first place really, but I’m not sure how to think now

I think they are going straight in w/ offers, some1 messaged me to say they got one, but maybe some ppl will have interviews idk?

 

[bruno17]

Has anyone heard from VWV post-ac? Been 3 weeks since the london one and i thought we were supposed to hear after 2..

Not yet! They said end of March / beginning April so I would guess this week. Let me know if/when you do hear

 

[NJS]

I think they are going straight in w/ offers, some1 messaged me to say they got one, but maybe some ppl will have interviews idk?

Probably not good news then, I assume they'll give the offers out in one go... sad

 

[EA95]

Morning everyone, I have a bit of a silly question. How do you actually build your commercial awareness? I have signed up to newsletters such as Little Law and Non-billable which I am trying to be more consistent with my reading. I just realised that I have been passively reading without retain the information 🤣 Any tips to improve your commercial awareness and how to think more commercially are welcome 🙏

I have just jotted down my understanding of Commercial Awareness. I hope this helps:

*Commercial Awareness*

Commercial Awareness in its simplest form means understanding how current events and trends, in economics, politics and global trends affects and impacts the corporate/commercial/business world and their operations, i.e., businesses, global companies, Law firms, investment bankers, stock brokers etc.

The key breakdown in particular for those aspiring to become corporate/commercial lawyers is put in to 3 categories. These are as follows:

- Why does this particular news impact a client (company)?

Example – Trump administrations global tariffs, in particular 37% on imports from Bangladesh, and 49% on Cambodia could potential be hugely impactful on huge companies who may have set up clothes factories in Bangladesh and Cambodia, as cost of labor i.e., material and machinery, and work labor may be cheaper to set up there as opposed to setting up in the US or in Europe, when they were initially setting up shop.

- How does this particular news impact a client (company)?

Example – these huge tariffs will affect the pricing of imports to America, therefore potentially impacting sales.

- What could this mean for the firm?

Example – in this particular instance, it could mean work in helping these companies navigate their way through these tariffs, this could potentially be work for the tax and finance practice area. Similarly, this could also result in the firm being instructed to deal with negotiations for relocation and setting up shop for these factories in a different environment and different jurisdiction with fewer tariffs, which could mean work for practices such as tax and real estate, finance, and corporate.

Ultimately, Commercial Awareness allows lawyers to anticipate client needs, offer practical and proactive solutions and understand the broader implications of legal and business decisions.

Things to use that would help improve your Commercial Awareness:

News Outlets:

- Financial Times.
- Times articles.
- Legal Cheeks news.
- ChatGPT.
- Google News alert.
- Bloomberg.
- CNBC.
- Economist.
- BBC Business.
- City AM.

Podcasts:

- Watson’s daily.
- FT news briefings.
- BBC wake up to money.

Also speak to someone in order to improve Commercial Awareness, for example talk about the news and conversate with them, understand the terminology used in these articles to improve your Commercial Awareness and be able to understand how this news affects clients and firms.

Finally, Commercial Awareness is a skill that will constantly need to be improved, from newbies who are trying to understand the concept to experts who advise on potentially the biggest deals, and so please do not be discouraged and keep working hard to improve this skill.

You got this 💪🏾

Also if this breakdown is wrong, please help and improve it. Any advice would be appreciated.