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29 Oct 2025
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Join Isabel Elsey, Legal Recruitment Manager at BCLP, for a live Q&A session. Get details on secondments, innovation, growth areas, and everything else you’ve wanted to ask about life at BCLP!
I think in this case it would probably be fine to use application form answers as the foundation to answers in a VI, but it would be better to provide more detail or expand on the points made. There is a post that @Andrei Radu made recently on the forum which I think answers this question, so I...
To my understanding, the general expectation in a VI is to expand on written application answers and not to simply memorise and regurgitate what is already written (the person who read the application is most likely the person reviewing the VI so they can identify this quickly). I also don’t...
I’m not sure if this was intentional, but there’s no need to be rude my friend. It’s really not that serious lmfao. Like you said, it’s a vacation scheme, not suits. I think classism plays a role in a lot of the discussions around what is and isn’t appropriate to wear, in the context of city law...
That’s fair enough, but it’s also important to remember that not everyone can afford to spend £100s on perfectly tailored suits, which would of course look a lot more presentable than a regular suit. I don’t think anyone can or should draw a conclusion on someone’s character based on what they...
It seems people also judge others based on the material, size (fit), brand and price of their suit as well. Idk why it’s like this lmao. It’s probably a classism thing. 🫤
I second this. I have been to funerals where the people in attendance were all wearing white instead of black. I think they were from an Islamic faith background where it’s part of their religion or culture to wear white garments, although I’m not fully sure if this is the case. 😅
I went to a...
I think they recruit up to 50 trainees per year, across two intakes (March and September). To my knowledge, they hold 3 VS’ (Winter, Spring and Summer), with around 25 people per VS. In total, there will be about 75-80 VS’ers. I think they make TC offers to around 50% of all VS’ (i.e., 40/80...
I have another (possibly silly) question about VS’ and how they work. What kind of clothes are appropriate to buy and wear for a VS (for a guy)? I think the expectation is that it needs to be professional attire or workplace clothes, but what does that even mean? 😅
What kind of things does this...
This might sound like a very dumb question but is there any kind of template or ideal structure to use in an email when scheduling “coffee chats” with lawyers in a firm during a VS? Would it change depending on whether it’s a trainee, associate or partner (i.e., more formal if it’s a partner)...
I think it might just mean UK-HQ firms, including the magic and silver circle. I think if a firm has a larger intake of trainees and recruits a significant number of TC candidates through the DTC route (50% or above), then it’s more likely for people to secure TC, as opposed to a US firm like...
I have been thinking about this question today because I have never actually drank coffee and I don’t think I’m prepared to suddenly change that for a VS lmao. I hope it’s okay to drink a non-coffee beverage. 🥲
Hi @Jessica Booker,
If a firm stipulates that all future trainees should do the SQE together (in-person) at BPP or ULaw London (depending on who they have partnered with), and they offer a maintenance grant worth X (e.g., £20,000), is it ever possible for firms to offer additional financial...
I think quite a few of us received SH VS offers on Monday. I am not sure exactly how many VS offers SH plan to make across all of their VS’, but I know at least 6-7 people on this forum got VS offers from them so far (all sent out on Monday). I think I read somewhere that it’s between 10-15 per...
I’m sorry to hear about the VS application PFOs this cycle. I can imagine it has been incredibly disheartening to feel like the efforts put in have gone to waste. I don’t know if this will help in any way, but I am of a very similar age to you. I only began applying for VS after I had already...
This might sound like a silly question, but how do people prepare for VS? How do you know what to do during a VS? Is there anything that I should be doing now in advance of a VS? I haven’t worked in a city law firm before so I’m starting to overthink this whole process lmao. Any advice would be...
Has anyone heard back from Paul Hastings for the SVS with an interview invite? I think the application deadline was 2nd March. This is the final firm I am waiting to hear back from for VS applications this cycle! 😅
I’m assuming this is for SH. If it is, I don’t think you should assume PFO this early! While they do review applications on a rolling basis, they do not make any offer decisions until after the final deadline. The deadline for SH was the 28th of Feb, which was around 2 1/2 weeks ago, so it...
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