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  1. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @Maddy Great question (it’s one that comes up often for those considering training contracts in the Middle East). From what I’ve seen, many firms offering training contracts in Dubai or the wider GCC region do look for candidates who have a working knowledge of Arabic. Some explicitly...
  2. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Heya @Logan1101 Having been in a similar situation before, I understand where your frustration is coming from. It’s disheartening to secure competitive internships and then find they don’t translate into more long-term opportunities at those organisations. But I don't think it follows that...
  3. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @member7830 I just wanted to include the following thread by @Amma Usman which beautifully sets out how you can go about researching firms and their competitors. Hoping this helps you get a start. Let us know if you have any other questions :)
  4. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Well done you two! Hope the scheme goes so well for both of you! (I also went to Manchester for the first time last month and fell in LOVE with that city 😭🥰🔥😩😳😩🥰🥰😭♥️♥️😭🥰🔥).
  5. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @ad. This is definitely a strategy I took during my final application cycle. Even though I had three vacation schemes lined up back-to-back, I still continued to draft direct training contract applications to firms. This wasn't just to hedge my bets, but also because these were firms that...
  6. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @allenpopi I think it really does depend on the context of the written exercise. If the task is framed as a memo, especially to a partner or client, starting with an “Executive Summary” is not only acceptable but often expected. It shows you understand how to frontload key information in a...
  7. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    Hiya @Babablacksheep Absolutely, I think it’s completely possible to get through the application stage without having paralegal or vacation scheme experience. In my first application cycle, I was invited to interview at a range of firms, including Bird & Bird, Dentons, Farrer & Co, and Norton...
  8. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    Hiya @RS Sanjanaa Yes, Wedlake Bell definitely does consider direct training contract applicants seriously. I’ve known several career changers who weren’t able to do the vacation scheme (often due to scheduling issues and the inability to take sufficient annual leave) but were still invited to...
  9. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @abbiewhitlock03 Well done on securing both opportunities! I think @Jessica Booker would have more to add here, but I definitely think it’s worth reaching out to Paul Hastings to ask if you could be considered for the direct training contract route instead. As I've mentioned before, a good...
  10. Ram Sabaratnam

    Assessment Centre

    Hiya @GabbyPalinskaite Congrats on getting to the AC stage! In terms of general prep, I’d start by making sure you’re confident on the usual motivational and competency-based questions that come up frequently during law firm interviews. It’s worth having well-thought-out answers to things like...
  11. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @Maddy I’d say it’s definitely worth reaching out to Kilburn & Strode’s graduate recruitment team directly before submitting an application, just to be sure. I’ve had a quick look through the government’s register of licensed sponsors for skilled workers (you can find it here if helpful)...
  12. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @sc13 Looking back, I think there were a few key changes I made that helped me convert later VS schemes. Interestingly, the feedback I received from earlier schemes wasn’t really about the quality of my work, but rather about my soft skills and how I came across more broadly. There were...
  13. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @M_m Although I try not to get too bogged down with this question, I think it really depends. Some people do convert their very first vacation scheme (I know a few! Not me though, lol), and for others, it takes a second or third go. I've also never seen conversion stats disaggregated to...
  14. Ram Sabaratnam

    LLM (SQE1+SQE2) at ULaw or BPP

    Hiya @sarahfw Completely get why this might be playing on your mind (notwithstanding all the unfortunate LegalCheek coverage of the issue). However, I’ll have to echo what @Jessica Booker has already said: unfortunately, clawback clauses do exist, and there have been instances where firms have...
  15. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @CupOfTea17 I think you're right to question whether the Spring Statement (which is fundamentally a fiscal policy update) would count as a change in the legal industry per se. Most of the content in the Spring Statement (e.g. updates on inflation, tax thresholds, public spending plans)...
  16. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Well done! What an amazing way to start off your week!?
  17. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    Hiya @badmintonflyinginsect First of all, congratulations on your vacation scheme! Just wanted to chime in, but I'm sure that both @Amma Usman and @Andrei Radu would have some stellar advice for you as well. Although everyone’s experience can be a bit different, in my case, I’ve found that the...
  18. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @FCL25 Given that the word limit for the Shoosmiths application questions is 300, I think it's worth discussing more than one skill. While the prompt says to focus on one experience, I don’t think that restricts you to just one skill. I think @Andrei Radu and @Amma Usman would have more...
  19. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @Chris Brown Just wanted to add to the excellent comments by @Andrei Radu. Loved his point that the vac scheme is particularly useful in helping you feel out the more intangible aspects of a firm. In my case, there were a few key things I paid attention to during my schemes. One was how...
  20. Ram Sabaratnam

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hiya @amy2602 Just wanted to add to the sage advice of @Jessica Booker! As she mentioned, the start date of your training contract depends quite a bit on the firm. Most firms tend to recruit trainees around two years in advance, so if you’re doing a vacation scheme this year, it’s likely you’d...

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