TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[👩🎓]

Hi all! I know this is a thread for TCs but I have an upcoming paralegal interview and wondered what prep I should do? Is it similar to a vacation scheme/ training contract interview? @Jessica Booker I would appreciate any help/ advice on this. Thank you!

 

[Joey green]

Any news on Mayer Brown? I still havent received anything...

 

[chlawstudent]

Anyone heard from Arnold & Porter or Simkins?

 

[User5678]

Has anyone received the update email from Howard Kennedy? I cannot seem to find any attached questionnaire in the email so did people just reply to the email with all information they asked? Thanks

 

[AS24]

Has anyone completed a WFW VI? I submitted my app two weeks ago and received a VI invite this morning.

 

[zplookingforaTC]

Hiya, I have my Bakers AC this Thursday, anyone wanting to exchange advice? I have done Slaughters, Macfarlanes and White & Case AC. Willing to be of help

Also, if anyone is in my AC cohort please feel free to message

 

[ashleystcjourney04]

Received WFW VI this afternoon

 

[ohnoselim]

anyone know if theres a good chance in applying to RPC's direct route, having not done their VS?

 

[zonnonomo]

Has anyone completed a WFW VI? I submitted my app two weeks ago and received a VI invite this morning.

Received WFW VI this afternoon

congrats! i did this two cycles ago and at the time there were 3 very predictable questions along the lines of: why you, why the firm, commercial news story

although they might've changed since then, always a good idea to have talking points for these three Qs regardless

 

[lawzade02]

Hey everyone! Has anyone who applied to Dentons on the deadline day received an invitation for the online assessment?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

weird question but what do applicants carry for an AC? i know that no laptop/water bottles/stationery is needed but turning up without a backpack kinda makes it look like we're not really keen on the opportunity haha. as you can tell by the question, clearly it's my first ac

 

[gazdgazd11]

weird question but what do applicants carry for an AC? i know that no laptop/water bottles/stationery is needed but turning up without a backpack kinda makes it look like we're not really keen on the opportunity haha. as you can tell by the question, clearly it's my first ac

You come with a backpack. Take whatever stationery, water, whatever you need. But also no one will care if you come with a backpack or not

 

[emma.d]

Hi, can anyone attending the BCLP Real Estate talk this morning with Legal Cheek send me their notes afterwards? I can share notes from the Jones Day deals and Willkie disputes sessions that were yesterday. Thank you so so much

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

Hi! If I have completed the LPC, can I still apply for the direct TC? And if so, what is the starting date for it?

Hi, we have fully transitioned to the SQE, which means LPC graduates will need to take SQE2. This would be funded by the firm for future trainees and the earliest possible start date would be March 26.

 

[Tintin06]

weird question but what do applicants carry for an AC? i know that no laptop/water bottles/stationery is needed but turning up without a backpack kinda makes it look like we're not really keen on the opportunity haha. as you can tell by the question, clearly it's my first ac

I don't like carrying much really. Hands get very clammy very quickly. Backpacks can make your back sweaty. I don't think you need anything. They wouldn't assume you're bringing things. Most of it is provided there. Even water they'll usually give you. Just make sure your phone's charged. So you can easily navigate travelling.

 

[ambitiouscharacter]

BPP states on their website that their SQE course starts in September. Does anyone who is doing/has done the SQE with BPP know if the start date is always uniformly the 1st week of September? If so, I am wondering if missing the 1st week would be problematic, as I may not return to London until the 2nd week

Would appreciate any insight!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

BPP states on their website that their SQE course starts in September. Does anyone who is doing/has done the SQE with BPP know if the start date is always uniformly the 1st week of September? If so, I am wondering if missing the 1st week would be problematic, as I may not return to London until the 2nd week

Would appreciate any insight!

Hiya @ambitiouscharacter

Although I’m currently studying at ULaw, I remember that most of our induction activities and classes didn’t properly begin until later in September. From what I’ve heard from a few peers at BPP, their courses also tended to start around the middle or end of September rather than right at the beginning of the month. However, I’d still recommend reaching out to BPP directly to confirm the exact start date for your specific course, as it can vary slightly depending on the intake or location. If you’re planning to be back in London by the second week of September, you’ll likely be fine (just best to double-check to avoid missing anything important early on).

 

[Kodak123]

Hi @Jessica Booker, just to confirm if you havent started any onboarding process with a Firm, it will still be possible to renege?

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi there, I'm preparing to apply for the direct training contract at Burges Salmon and would really appreciate your thoughts on the three long-answer questions:

Why have you chosen to apply to Burges Salmon for a training contract and what attracts you to our firm?(1,000 characters – approx. 140 words)

What aspects of the solicitor role do you find most interesting? (1,500 characters – approx. 210 words)

Burges Salmon offers a six-seat training contract across a wide range of practice areas. Discuss 3 areas that you would be most interested in spending time in. (2,000 characters – approx. 280 words)

I’m conscious there’s some potential overlap between the questions. For example:
– Q1 will likely include mention of practice areas but should focus more broadly on the firm’s appeal — e.g. sectors, approach, and culture. I think I would include Culture here as it’s the only place I can include.
– Q2 is about the solicitor’s role, but I imagine some references to practice areas and sectors are inevitable. For example, I would say I like exploring novel solutions for clients in light of regulatory, social, and economic changes across diverse practice areas and sectors, then give example.

– Q3 is clearly focused on specific departments, but again, sector interests and the type of work involved are closely tied to why I’d want to sit in them.

I haven’t started drafting yet, but I’m anticipating a bit of back-and-forth editing to avoid repetition while still building a coherent picture across the three responses. How do you go about keeping the answers distinct but cohesive? Will it be trying to mention different practices / sectors in the 3 questions?

I also wondered how many points are realistically expected given the character limits. For Q1, would one detailed reason (or one detailed and one brief) be enough? Since Q1 would be the only question that I could mention culture, it may become the central point, but it looks a bit weak if it becomes the only major point in Q1.

And for Q2, is it fine to focus on just two aspects of the solicitor role, explored in depth?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Btw does anyone know if Burges Salmon recruits on a rolling basis? Checked the FAQ but didn't mention

Hiya @InterestInPublicLaw

This is a great start. Just to address your last question at the outset, Burges Salmon has historically recruited on a non-rolling basis. I think it's worth double-checking whether this is still the case, but from what I can tell they've consistently recruited on this basis in recent cycles.

For Q1, I think it would be great to mention culture here (in addition to whatever else you'd like to say). However, I would avoid making culture the sole focus. You could structure your answer with one paragraph on the firm’s sector strengths or standout client work (and this is where you should be quite specific (referring to particular rankings, clients, or cases if possible, rather than generalities about sector focus)). Then you can even follow with a paragraph covering both culture and even training style/opportunities.

In terms of Q2, I think focusing on two aspects of the solicitor role is perfectly fine and often stronger than trying to cover too many points lightly. Just ensure that for each point you go beyond generic statements. In particular, you'll want to convincingly show how and why the skill or aspect appeals to you, perhaps linking it to how you’ve seen it in practice (through work experience or commercial awareness).

On Q3, I think it’s important to be clear about what the question is asking. In particular, the question is about practice areas, not sectors. A practice area is the seat you're sitting itself (e.g. planning, tax, corporate). A sector, by contrast, is an area of the economy or industry (e.g. energy, infrastructure, or financial services) which may cut across several practice areas. If you are interested in a sector, you can certainly mention it, but you need to frame your answer around the specific seats/teams you would want to experience. For instance, an interest in the energy sector might lead you to choose seats like projects, construction, or planning. Avoid simply writing about sectors in the abstract. The firm is looking for evidence that you understand the nature of the seat work and are making choices based on that understanding.

While some overlap between the three questions is inevitable (and fine), I think it's in the framing of your answers that you will be able to avoid repetition. Use Q1 to establish why the firm appeals to you overall (with culture and sector strength), Q2 to show how you think about and approach the role of a solicitor itself, and Q3 to show that you’ve thought carefully about how to build a training contract that aligns with your interests and future goals.

I hope this is helpful and good luck with the application!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

anyone know if theres a good chance in applying to RPC's direct route, having not done their VS?

Hiya @ohnoselim

While the majority of RPC’s trainees do come through the vacation scheme, it's certainly possible to secure a training contract via the direct route. In fact, I know of several candidates (three from the last cycle alone) who were successful through the direct application route. I think it's very much worth applying if you are interested in the firm. Best of luck with your application!