TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Andrei Radu]

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?

If it is impossible to change the topic, I would try to look for indirect effects this could have on the firm. Competition law does not operate in a vacuum, and an important development could cause a chain of effects that end up being relevant for many law firms that do not have competition practices. For instance, if the merger control regime in a given jurisdiction becomes significantly more restrictive, this could lead to (i) a decrease in big-ticket dealmaking and (ii) an increase in complex corporate carveouts for the deals that do go through - which could benefits firms specializing in this type of transaction. If a given merger control regime becomes more relaxed (as will likely be the case in the US), the opposite effect could be observed, benefiting law firms operating generalist M&A practices.

Besides merger control, we could again infer some wider impacts. If the courts/antitrust authorities become more active in enforcing abuse of market dominance/cartel rules, this could lead to renegotiations of many current commercial agreements that are in breach of that (such as many of the contracts made by Visa and Mastercard), which could once again benefit firm's transactional departments. Finally, at the most general level, if the competition law regime is successful in increasing competition in the market, the smaller players in many industries could benefit, which could then lead to them being in a position to give work to many law firms.

 

[lawstudent5]

Are you wanting to be considered for an alternative opportunity (e.g. later VS or Direct TC process) with the firm or are you just reneging?

I could perhaps say that I would like to be considered for their winter vac scheme. I have 2 more summer vac schemes with firms I prefer and hope to get a TC from one of them, but as nothing is certain I don’t want to burn bridges.

 

[c.li]

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

got a VS offer from orrick last week, but also think no news is good news for now

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

Does anyone know what strengths cappfinity tests assess? Just got back a couple of feedback reports and they say wildly different things...

 

[helenaskelton]

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

Hey! They said they'd reimburse but it might take a while because they have a huge backlog. But you'll deffo hear back.

 

[helenaskelton]

Did anyone else get a Mishcon PFO yesterday?

Was this post AC?

 

[EA95]

In terms of impact as to recruitment and retention, while it remains to be seen how pervasive it is, there are certainly arguments to be made that there will at least be some negative effect on the firms who have gotten most media attention for striking a deal (as of now, Paul, Weiss, Skadden, Milbank, Willkie, and if rumors are to be believed, Kirkland). We have already seen a number of Skadden associates quit, and there are reports of widespread internal discontent. On the partner side as well it is thought that there might be lateral moves from (i) the partners with strong connections to the Democratic Party (such as Kamala Harris' husband, Douglas Emhoff, who is a partner at Willkie) and (ii) the star litigation partners (as many argue striking these deals under the threat of potentially illegal executive orders could damage firms' reputations on the contentious side, especially for representation in cases involving Government interests). Nevertheless, this will likely depend on how many other firms strike their own deals or change their DEI policies, as if this becomes the status quo in the industry, practitioners may have no choice but to accept it.

On the recruitment side, some argue that the firms that have struck deals will become less attractive and thus lose out on top talent, particularly in the US - where there is a lot more competition between firms to recruit candidates with high GPAS from target universities (which is why they employ the 'campus interviews' system). It is however unclear how much the firms themselves will change their recruitment policies in regards to DEI and use of contextual data: as I have seen it reported in the press, the firms generally seem only to say that as part of the deal with the US Administration, they have affirmed their commitment to being compliant with federal anti-discrimination employment rules. Nonetheless, presumably these firms already considered themselves to be compliant before they struck the deal; so perhaps this involves a commitment to compliance with a different interpretation of said rules. Since the details of the agreements have not been published, little can be said as to what this interpretation could be and how major a revision of recruitment policies it requires.

Finally, on the question about impact to recruitment policies of satellite offices, it is again difficult to opine with any level of certainty. If US firms have large satellite offices and if keeping current recruitment policies keeps them in better standing with the relevant foreign government and their foreign practitioners (which would both likely be the case in London), it is plausible this could happen. In my view it is unlikely that the US Administration would be too interested in the employment practices of firms in foreign jurisdictions.

Thank you for this Andrei, like you have stated, I doubt these issues would affect their satellite offices (mainly London) in terms of recruiting policies, but it’s quite interesting how they have removed/ changed their DEI policies or reworded them, to appease the Trump admin.

Also wouldn’t this potentially affect client relationships, considering some of these client companies may be invested in some of these causes which have now be compromised, and now may not seemed to be aligned with these firms.

On a surface level, it seems like a targeted measures towards firms, that were aligned with the Democratic party, i.e., the Paul, Weiss Partner whose name escapes me (I think his name is Brad something).

 

[icebear]

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

yep heard today at around half 4, got the VS for bristol!

 

[BonanzaBih_]

Hi does anyone know if the AS Sky Work experience is paid? Thank you!

 

[andrecsaa]

Does anyone know what strengths cappfinity tests assess? Just got back a couple of feedback reports and they say wildly different things...

Just guessing, since I haven’t passed a single cappfinity test yet either, but I think each firm tailors the test based on their own core values.

One firm might prioritise adaptability, drive, and teamwork, while another might focus more on ownership, attention to detail, and commercial awareness. So it can vary quite a bit depending on what the firm is looking for.

 

[jojo23]

Anybody heard from browne jacobson or BBC today?

 

[User5678]

Anybody heard from browne jacobson or BBC today?

Not heard post TI from BJ but they said they would get back week commencing 7 April with ac invites

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

Just guessing, since I haven’t passed a single cappfinity test yet either, but I think each firm tailors the test based on their own core values.

One firm might prioritise adaptability, drive, and teamwork, while another might focus more on ownership, attention to detail, and commercial awareness. So it can vary quite a bit depending on what the firm is looking for.

Thank you! If I don't manage to get a TC, my backup plan is to call myself an 'occupational psychologist' and invent new ways to torture law firm applicants. Seems very lucrative.

 

[User5678]

Hi all, sorry if this has already been asked - do you get a feedback report after the Mayer brown automatic SJT/verbal reasoning test? I gave the test just now but didn’t receive the report so I’m assuming it takes a day or two to receive it?

 

[jojo23]

Thank you! If I don't manage to get a TC, my backup plan is to call myself an 'occupational psychologist' and invent new ways to torture law firm applicants. Seems very lucrative.

Just make us do basic maths... it works every time with me🤣

 

[Maddy]

Hi everyone! In order to apply for Dubai or GCC training contracts, is it necessary to know Arabic? Or can we still apply? Does anyone have any idea about it?

 

[Charlotte139]

Gateley VS offer!!!

Gateley VS offer!!!

Same! Which office?

 

[g.cl.2020344]

Does any1 know if Orrick has given out all their VS offers? Still waiting post AC, over two weeks ago

 

[Ali2020]

Has anyone completed the sky group interview? Wondering what the format is in terms of timing and how it works interviewing with a group. Thanks!

 

[theruleofno]

Does any1 know if Orrick has given out all their VS offers? Still waiting post AC, over two weeks ago

I just got an offer yesterday! And from speaking to trainees they seem to give them out over a couple of weeks