TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5
- Thread starter TCLA Community Assistant
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Feeling disregarded and left behind. I'm just going to enrol on an SQE course and hope for the best at this point.
it does say "all applications will be reviewed after this date", so I would suggest it's almost certainly 23:59
Can anyone that has previous experience with Dorsey or specific knowledge of the firm DM me please? I’d really appreciate it and can offer advice about SH and Hogan Lovells (reached AC before with both). It’s literally impossible to research the firm due to its size in London and very limited info online (trying to make the most of their website)
I think it'll be overall? I'm going to do it tmr morning hopefully it'll go well
Sorry I dont have any previous experience with the firm but just wondering if you received a first-stage interview invite?
Haven't done mine yet but I'm sure you did better than you think!
We usually get stuck on our mistakes and don't give enough credit to the parts we did well
I would assume they'd take in your answers in a holistic approach, such as your overall performance - even if you think you've messed up maybe they'll consider how you did in the next one as a "how did they bounce back"
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hi there,
I’m unsure about this, but I do know that generally, prep time is limited. I have only ever heard of one firm, SH, that has unlimited prep time. However, in any case, feel free to email the recruitment team to confirm this.
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Hi there. If you haven’t already come accros these in your formative research, here are a few sources to help -
Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Corporate/M&A | Chambers USA Profile
Gain insights on the legal knowledge of Dorsey & Whitney LLP in the practice area of Corporate/M&A department and discover their rankings.
chambers.com
Commercial Litigation Attorney Aymen Khoury Joins Dorsey & Whitney in London
The London office of international law firm Dorsey & Whitney has strengthened its commercial litigation team with the appointment of new partner, Aymen Khour...
www.businesswire.com
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I’m really sorry to hear that you are feeling this way. I totally understand how stressful the process can feel at times, but I really just want you to know that everything will be okay - regardless of how it may feel like right now. I always ay this - the mere fact that you are still in the process is a sign that something great will come out of it eventually. I also trust that if you do decide to enrol on the SQE course right now, it means you have evaluated all the key considerations that are important to you, so I am sure you will do great in it. Please do not feel left behind at all, as you are exactly where you need to be and will get to where you want to be by constantly pushing through. Please remember to take it easy though, and take breaks when you need to, to avoid burnout.
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Haven't done mine yet but I'm sure you did better than you think!
We usually get stuck on our mistakes and don't give enough credit to the parts we did well
I would assume they'd take in your answers in a holistic approach, such as your overall performance - even if you think you've messed up maybe they'll consider how you did in the next one as a "how did they bounce back"
You’re such a positive force @ssszzg , and this is so true! It would be very rare for a candidate to precisely nail all questions. Think of it this way, and from a very simplistic and logical perspective - there are certain things any given individual prefers to talk about, than others. This is likely the case even if they have a good grasp of several topics. It’s the same logic when applied to video interviews - there will be some questions one may nail better than others, some questions where better examples will be given, and some answers that will naturally sound more enthusiastic than others. This does not mean that a law firm will immediately send out a rejection - all answers will likely be looked at holistically. So in short, nothing to worry about in my opinion!
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If you haven’t received it yet, I suggest following up with an email stating this promptly, including how it didn’t end up in your junk/spam folder.
Thank you so much!!Hi there. If you haven’t already come accros these in your formative research, here are a few sources to help -
Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Corporate/M&A | Chambers USA Profile
Gain insights on the legal knowledge of Dorsey & Whitney LLP in the practice area of Corporate/M&A department and discover their rankings.
Commercial Litigation Attorney Aymen Khoury Joins Dorsey & Whitney in London
The London office of international law firm Dorsey & Whitney has strengthened its commercial litigation team with the appointment of new partner, Aymen Khour...www.businesswire.com
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Before accepting any offer, try to find out whether the role is paid hourly or comes with overtime, as this can make a significant difference to your total pay. Some firms offer fixed salaries with no overtime, even if you're expected to work extra hours. Others do pay overtime, which can substantially boost your earnings, sometimes by 20 to 30 percent above your base salary, occasionally even surpassing trainee solicitor pay.
Entry-level salaries can vary widely. With little or no experience, base pay can reach up to £32,000 to £34,000. In firms where overtime is paid, some paralegals earn over £40,000. Generally, I do know of a couple of US firms that pay around 50k as well.
Law firms generally pay more than other sectors, so there’s a good chance they’ll offer you a competitive salary, especially if they’re investing in your training and development via the paralegal role. Even if you listed a lower expected salary on your application, firms often offer more if they think you're worth it, since underpaying risks early leave.
If the offer doesn’t meet your expectations, consider asking whether overtime is paid, if you’ll be eligible for a bonus, typically after six months, whether there’s a salary review cycle, and what the benefits package includes. Some firms offer flexible perks that, if unused, can be paid out as extra taxable income.
Get all the details before making your decision, as you might be surprised by the full package.
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I presume different companies may have different ways of grading these, perhaps through a metric or a numerical scale, though this may not be disclosed to applicants. In my personal opinion though, I can imagine how difficult it will be to precisely mark something like a recorded written statement by an individual, in which case I presume everything will just be looked at holistically.
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Just to thank you all on this forum (especially @Ram Sabaratnam and @Amma Usman and previously Jessica Booker) for the help and the chat over the past year or so and to let you know that following my vac scheme I have received a training contract offer at the London office of a US law firm and will therefore start my PGDL/SQE this September!
Hang on in there! My advice is to keep plugging away. I think the advice of 10 or so targeted applications no longer stands good in today's ultra competitive market unless you are lucky. Do the research but apply for as many as you can. And definitely refine your answers to match the values they admire and skills they seek in their employees. This strategy worked for me. In the true random nature of the competitive nature of these applications I got this offer the same day as being rejected first round for a regional firm!!
Please don't message to ask which firm. The intake is small enough that it would be quite outing and I do want to retain the anonymity this forum brings.
I may hang around a while longer to throw in my gems of wisdom for what they may be worth!!
Hang on in there! My advice is to keep plugging away. I think the advice of 10 or so targeted applications no longer stands good in today's ultra competitive market unless you are lucky. Do the research but apply for as many as you can. And definitely refine your answers to match the values they admire and skills they seek in their employees. This strategy worked for me. In the true random nature of the competitive nature of these applications I got this offer the same day as being rejected first round for a regional firm!!
Please don't message to ask which firm. The intake is small enough that it would be quite outing and I do want to retain the anonymity this forum brings.
I may hang around a while longer to throw in my gems of wisdom for what they may be worth!!
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