TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[TortillaTC]

anyone know if Fried Frank gives out watson glasers automatically or after reviewing your app?

Pretty sure it’s after they reviewed your app.

 

[Wannabe_Lawyer]

I imagine most TCs would go to VS candidates. In terms of %, I think they have 30 slots for both Spring and Summer VS (60 total). I think c50% of VS’ers (30/60) get a TC offer. 🙂

That is around 75-80% of TCs (30/40). Based on this, I think there are around 10/40 TCs available on the Direct TC route (c25%). There is a post that discusses VS:TC ratios:
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I could have sworn I saw 15 places per vac scheme on their website earlier in the app cycle and hence didn't bother applying to the vac scheme...Now when I've gone to check, it says 30 places. I think I might be losing my mind lol. Could any Baker McKenzie vac schemers confirm how many people were invited to the schemes?

 

[AlegalA]

This needs to be employment only. It needs to be all employment in the last five years.

thank you!

 

[F12M34L]

Anyone applied to Al Tamimi TC? Any response?

 

[Tintin06]

FYI - Fried Frank application rough timeline

1. Submit application (deadline was 23 May)
2. Critical reasoning test
3. First round interview (mid-end June)
4. Second round interview (early July)

Source: Fried Frank on LinkedIn

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hi @Amma Usman , could you pls explain how to go about answering the questions: "Why London?", "Why an international law firm?", "Why do you want to work in London?", "Why do you want to do international work?", "Why international law?". Asking this since I am based outside of the UK and will have an in-person AC soon. All these questions sound too similar to me honestly. But I feel that I will def get one of the above since I have no ties to the UK. Confused about which one of these questions wants me to talk about London as a city, the popularity of english law in commercial contracts etc. Thanks a ton.

 

[nooraaaa]

does anybody know if you are allowed to re-apply to Slaughter and May next year if you get rejected post AC for the direct TC?

It's generally discouraged on their website, unless they told you to reapply themselves.

 

[Legallywhatever]

Does anyone know if Burges Salmon are strict with their A-Level grade requirements?

 

[yk123489]

Hi @Amma Usman , could you pls explain how to go about answering the questions: "Why London?", "Why an international law firm?", "Why do you want to work in London?", "Why do you want to do international work?", "Why international law?". Asking this since I am based outside of the UK and will have an in-person AC soon. All these questions sound too similar to me honestly. But I feel that I will def get one of the above since I have no ties to the UK. Confused about which one of these questions wants me to talk about London as a city, the popularity of english law in commercial contracts etc. Thanks a ton.

Hi! If you do not mind me asking, where did you finish law school? Or rather, have you studied in the UK at all? I assume no, but still had to ask. I am an international student based outside of UK and never studied here, so I wanted to understand what are my chances of getting through to an AC with this background.

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Hi! If you do not mind me asking, where did you finish law school? Or rather, have you studied in the UK at all? I assume no, but still had to ask. I am an international student based outside of UK and never studied here, so I wanted to understand what are my chances of getting through to an AC with this background.

I have the same background as yours. No ties to the UK. I got my first AC ever quite recently so it’s definitely possible.

 

[yk123489]

I have the same background as yours. No ties to the UK. I got my first AC ever quite recently so it’s definitely possible.

Thank you! I wish you good luck. Would you mind sharing some advise on you success in securing an AC?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

Thank you! I wish you good luck. Would you mind sharing some advise on you success in securing an AC?

if u have specific questions regarding anything, please dm.

 

[AnAnonymousDuck]

hi @Jessica Booker

i am currently prepping my cv for slaughter and may's TC. I am a post grad so my education section takes up the whole full pages since they ask for every module grade. for my secondary i was educated outside of the uk so the grades for those are written in xxx/xxx format and i have about 11 subjects for A-level (my country's equivalent of them at least) as well as 6 for GSCE. This takes up quite a bit of space and imo is a bit hard to read. ive neatened it as much as possible but the amount of info is still sort of hard to read, is this likely to affect my chances?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

hi @Jessica Booker

i am currently prepping my cv for slaughter and may's TC. I am a post grad so my education section takes up the whole full pages since they ask for every module grade. for my secondary i was educated outside of the uk so the grades for those are written in xxx/xxx format and i have about 11 subjects for A-level (my country's equivalent of them at least) as well as 6 for GSCE. This takes up quite a bit of space and imo is a bit hard to read. ive neatened it as much as possible but the amount of info is still sort of hard to read, is this likely to affect my chances?

I think with Slaughter and May you put all your module grades into a seperate application form. If this is the case, you don’t have to list all the modules on your CV.

I don’t know if anyone who has applied to the firm can confirm this.

 

[AnAnonymousDuck]

I think with Slaughter and May you put all your module grades into a seperate application form. If this is the case, you don’t have to list all the modules on your CV.

I don’t know if anyone who has applied to the firm can confirm this.

The firms website says this in the FAQ bit: "
Yes - please include all your academic results on your CV, as well as on your application form.

On your CV, you should list these in chronological order, starting with the most recent. This doesn’t need to take up too much space- you can list them horizontally.

You will also need to include all these results on the online application form that you’ll complete to submit your CV and cover letter. Please make sure that you include all completed module results for undergraduate and postgraduate study – even if they don’t count towards your degree."

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

The firms website says this in the FAQ bit: "
Yes - please include all your academic results on your CV, as well as on your application form.

On your CV, you should list these in chronological order, starting with the most recent. This doesn’t need to take up too much space- you can list them horizontally.

You will also need to include all these results on the online application form that you’ll complete to submit your CV and cover letter. Please make sure that you include all completed module results for undergraduate and postgraduate study – even if they don’t count towards your degree."

Thank you for clarifying.

I read this as that you need to put all your overall results on your CV but not a breakdown of the modules, as these will be on the online application form. I could be wrong though.

Normally with changes in formatting, even extensive academic results can usually be presented in no more than half a page of a CV, so I would look at the formatting/line spacing and see if this helps to condense it down if you want to keep it all in.

 

[AnAnonymousDuck]

Oui

Thank you for clarifying.

I read this as that you need to put all your overall results on your CV but not a breakdown of the modules, as these will be on the online application form. I could be wrong though.

Normally with changes in formatting, even extensive academic results can usually be presented in no more than half a page of a CV, so I would look at the formatting/line spacing and see if this helps to condense it down if you want to keep it all in.

i have condensed as much as possible but i have a total of 5 academic entries (two post grads cos it was a dual program, one undergrad, a level equivalent and gcse equivalent). My line spacing is 1 and paragraph spacing is 0. My whole cv is 2 pages exactly so within the limit but the whole first page is basically module results.

My work experience and other fits on the second oage but i had to condense a fair bit.

Since they are such a grade-focused firm, is this normal? Is there anyone who got thru to interview who did the same thing?

 

[InterestInPublicLaw]

Hi all, I am writing direct TC applications to TLT and BCLP and I would appreciate your insights on the following questions:

TLT:

What are the benefits to TLT of having a sector approach and why?

• I know generally that a sector approach allows firms to understand thoroughly the industries they operate in, allowing them to provide more tailored solutions. This also allows them to focus on investments in those sectors and improve their reputation more quickly. But I'm kind of struggling to think about how to stand out in this question. How would you answer this to stand out?
• Also, I didn't attend a TLT info session - is there something that I should bear in mind in terms of TLT apart from what I can find on their website, TCLA, Legal Cheek and Chambers Student?

The legal landscape is always changing and at TLT we value lawyers who are future ready. What do you perceive to be the biggest challenges facing trainee solicitors in the next 5 years and how will you manage this?

• I guess we know some challenges for the legal industry as a whole, but I'm not sure how I should focus on trainee solicitors. ChatGPT suggests (1) navigating Legal Tech and AI and (2) mental health concerns as the pay war for trainees and NQs continue. However I'm not sure how that can be specific to trainees. Do you have any insights?

BCLP:

What is your understanding of how a business generates and maintains a profit? (Please provide examples) (500 words)

This question is quite wide. Do you think I should focus more on business models / ways business generates and maintains a profit similar to BCLP, and maybe perhaps BCLP's sectors? Do you think it would be fine if I focus more on my work experience which informed me of how businesses profit so that it's more personal / unique in my answer?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Oui

i have condensed as much as possible but i have a total of 5 academic entries (two post grads cos it was a dual program, one undergrad, a level equivalent and gcse equivalent). My line spacing is 1 and paragraph spacing is 0. My whole cv is 2 pages exactly so within the limit but the whole first page is basically module results.

My work experience and other fits on the second oage but i had to condense a fair bit.

Since they are such a grade-focused firm, is this normal? Is there anyone who got thru to interview who did the same thing?

Feel free to PM me a copy of your CV and I’ll have a quick look over it. I suspect there is an easy way to cut this down. I wouldn’t expect an academic section to take up this amount of space.

 

[adrian_nlh]

does anybody know if you are allowed to re-apply to Slaughter and May next year if you get rejected post AC for the direct TC?

When I did my VS at Slaughter, I did hear from a few people who had applied multiple times for the DTC. One woman applied thrice, and got it on her third try.

I think it's extremely rare though, and in any case you have to show that there has been a drastic change in your career/academic prospects that should allow them to assess your application again.