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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 it might suggest a disadvantage but I am not really sure. I think that the best thing is to reach out to future trainees on LinkedIn and ask them directly as I think they will be able to tell you more about this.
Hey @paulzhou99, I am so sorry for your situation and being an international student myself I can understand the struggle with visa and vacation scheme applications. Unfortunately, I am afraid law firms will not allow you to do any vacation schemes if you do not have a student visa or a right to...
Whenever approaching questions like this, I always made sure I was targeting a practice group that was very strong at the firm, to show my interest in that particular field and the firm itself. I think they mean technology group, white collar crime group, life sciences group, I remember that...
Hey @laby201, I totally understand your concerns and I was in your same shoes last year when I was applying for my same cycle, being even confused about the meaning of commercial awareness altogether. I think that something that really helped me at the beginning of my journey was starting with...
I personally believe that you have plenty of chances of getting a vacation scheme offer! There are many firms out there that accept BBB or accept extenuating circumstances (if you have any) so I think you should not be discouraged by that. I myself am an international student who applied for...
I think that it will depend on which subjects the lower grades are in. However, I would not let this discourage you as law firms are more and more trying to utilise an holistic approach to their application review procedures and I honestly think that, as long as, you graduated with a 2.1 you are...
Congratulations! Massive achievement!! In terms of general tips I would say to
know the firm inside and out: be very aware of the deals, clients, practice areas they excel at and specialise in, that will give you an advantage in case you have a written case study or something along those...
Hey @NJS, whenever I was researching firms I used a template that looked at these different aspects:
Practice Areas: Determine whether the law firm specialises in the specific area of law that matches your interests.
Reputation and Track Record: Research the firm's reputation by checking...
all my Acs were virtual so I've never experienced an AC in person (apart from my TC interview during my vacation scheme which was in person). From my experience, as long as you are true to yourself and you speak your truth and you are a confident and nice person, you will build a rapport with...
Hey @M0M007, I do not think there is any difference in doing it online or in person, it really depends on your circumstances and some law firms allow both because they understand the circumstances of students, so I would not worry about it too much. I understand that it might seem better to...
Congratulations, this is a massive piece of news! You should be so proud of yourself!
In terms of tips for an assessment centre, what I would suggest is:
Research the Firm:
Familiarise yourself with the law firm's culture, values, practice areas, and recent news.
Understand the firm's clients...
I think that it is important to treat it like an actual interview, so dress smart casual and prepare really hard for your answers.
Some tips that I would give are:
Preparing for a video interview for a law firm application is crucial, as it can significantly impact your chances of landing a job...
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