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  1. TCLA Community Assistant

    Silver Circle to Magic Circle Lateral Post-Qualification

    I would expect most MC firms will be be focused on offering their own trainees transactional NQ roles. There will be sporadic demand if a department has a poor application/acceptance rate, but to be frank what firms tend to do in this situation is either take on more trainees on rotation as an...
  2. TCLA Community Assistant

    Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

    Hey @futuretraineesolicitor - I will get to this when I can. It's a very busy time in the forums (and with my work outside of TCLA) so might not be able to get back to this immediately.
  3. TCLA Community Assistant

    Applying for a training contract after 3/4 years as a mature candidate

    This is going to sound brutal, but I want to try and explain it as simply as possible. The big question for candidates who completed the LPC more than 3-4 years ago when they apply to firms is why haven’t they secured a TC yet? The individual clearly had intentions to pursue a legal career by...
  4. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    I don’t think you need to do huge amounts of preparation. If you know the associate’s name, try and do a bit of digging to see what they have worked on but it’s not an issue if it’s difficult/impossible to find that out on the internet alone. The main thing is just to show your interest during...
  5. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    I think many just try different types of firms and eventually get the right match. But yes, I have seen plenty of people not make it into law. Interestingly many of them seem to have highly successful careers in other industries/sectors. Law isn’t the be all and end all. But there are plenty of...
  6. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    I know enough people who have done this. The key is showing a development in your application in the period between your applications. If your application is near enough the same, the view is if you were unsuccessful last time, then there is less rationale to bring you through further than last...
  7. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    Ok - if they made it clear the AC was only for the VS then it might not be an error and as you have said, slightly different benchmarks/requirement have been applied. No harm in checking though.
  8. TCLA Community Assistant

    Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

    I’d include as much variety as possible, but ensure you do detail your impact on those experiences (and not skimp on that detail).
  9. TCLA Community Assistant

    Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

    Then add them to the work experience section, but include little to no detail.
  10. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    This is slightly different from the other post as you weren't told you had secured an interview, you were just told you could reapply. Slaughters were not giving you any guarantee of an interview, just advice that they thought you could be in a good position if you did reapply. With the other...
  11. TCLA Community Assistant

    Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

    You should include them, but personally I wouldn't put them in a work experience section as you haven't done them. Include them in an "additional information" section or very briefly reference them in something like a motivational question - e.g. "I am also looking forward to two summer...
  12. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    I'd call them to ask why the change of heart. Part of me thinks this could be a human error and that it might just be worthwhile checking with them.
  13. TCLA Community Assistant

    Work experience part of applications

    I don't think you really have to explain the responsibilities of a waitress - its going to be obvious to your reader. I would just focus on your achievements within the role or any additional responsibilities you were given (e.g. additional responsibilities: cashing tills, training new staff...
  14. TCLA Community Assistant

    How Important Are A-Levels?

    To follow on from @George Maxwell 's post, the mini pupillages and chambers' awards could be more of an issue than the A-level grades, especially if you are claiming the mitigating circumstances in applications. However, this is a major assumption. It could be 101 other reasons why your...
  15. TCLA Community Assistant

    Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

    Screenshots will be sufficient if it is clear it is from the university (e.g. it has the university's name/logo on the screenshot).
  16. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    Given the word count, I would just focus on the qualities and why they are important. If you are going to try and reference how you have done this, you have to do it exceptionally briefly (e.g. in a sentence). I would go over quality answers rather than trying to put in too much content with...
  17. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

    Use the year the course/module/assessment ended.
  18. TCLA Community Assistant

    Turning down a Training Contract?

    Lots of paralegal roles are fixed-term contracts, so leaving a role several months after it started wouldn't necessarily look bad - it could just be assumed it was a contract role. No one would know you had a TC with the firm in question unless you disclosed it to them. Personally, I don't...
  19. TCLA Community Assistant

    Turning down a Training Contract?

    This is a very personal decision, but if it was me I would raise it with the other equity partner, especially if you frame it in a way that is "I am not happy working here and I am considering not going forward with my TC and he is the reason why". The other partner might not be able to do much...
  20. TCLA Community Assistant

    Turning down a Training Contract?

    When you say it is a small team, do you mean the firm as a whole or just the department you are currently allocated to?

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