2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Daniel Boden]

Huge!!! Many congrats mate! PM me and I'll send over some stuff that may help from when I interviewed in 2019

To all those who have messaged me re Weil (or have thought about messaging me) please see the thread that I have just created which should hopefully allow more people to benefit from my 'knowledge'/'experience'.

https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/weil-assessment-centre-tips.3222/#post-50612

Hope it helps and best of luck to you all!

 

[mpongo]

Haha I actually did this last year during VS interview (unsuccessful)!

I think I said something along the lines of, just because I have applied to one firm doesn't detract from advantages/disadvantages of others etc.

It's really important to use that question to your advantage. So even if you have applied to a wide array of firms, if you give a few similar firms that will help a mile. It will show them that you've really thought about where you are applying and why you think their firm would be a good fit for what you're interested in.

To be fair, I think I was a bit when I got asked first

 

[Kelly_]

if we haven't heard from Kirkland & Ellis by now are we to assume it's bad news?

I haven't heard anything either, and was wondering the same thing!

 

[Han.louise]

Just got accepted for a AC with Burges Salmon, if anyone has any tips please let me know, as this will be my first AC!)

 

[33c]

I haven't heard anything either, and was wondering the same thing!

If you don't mind me asking, have you been sent the VI? someone else on here said it was automatic but I wasn't sure

 

[Zoo]

To all those who have messaged me re Weil (or have thought about messaging me) please see the thread that I have just created which should hopefully allow more people to benefit from my 'knowledge'/'experience'.

https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/weil-assessment-centre-tips.3222/#post-50612

Hope it helps and best of luck to you all!

Great idea for a thread @Daniel Boden ! My TC’s with Weil so I’m also happy to answer any questions too- in case Daniel’s been inundated

 

[NikkiT]

3. Please outline the reasons why you wish to pursue a career in commercial law at Osborne Clarke. Within your answer you should also include details of how you have developed your skills through your hobbies and interests. (500 words max)*

In this question, can you make reference to development through work experience/current role? Or would it not work because the question says 'hobbies and interests'?

 

[chromaticaqueen]

NEVER GIVE UP!! You have so got this and everyones journey to a training contract has a different timescale

Out of interest, when did you apply to TW?

Thank you for the encouragement, means a lot! I applied for TW on 7th January and got the game invite on 12th January - super quick turnaround!

I applied earlier than you for mishcon and still no reply. Hate it tbh because Mishcon was high up on my list and my application was one of my strongest

Me too! So love that firm. Fingers crossed for you too.

Applied to Mishcon on the 26th and haven't heard back either, I feel like there's so many applications this year they're just working their way through them all!

Hope they get to ours soon! x

 

[C]

Just got accepted for a AC with Burges Salmon, if anyone has any tips please let me know, as this will be my first AC!)

Hi! I completed an AC for Burges' winter vac scheme. The following advice is for you and anyone else who got accepted onto the AC (I see a few people who said they were accepted on this thread earlier!)

So my AC was over two days and involved a written exercise, a WG test and a 45 minute partner interview.

Best way to prepare for the written exercise is to practice as many commercial case studies you find online. I found the TCLA practice ones super super helpful. The one they give you shouldn't stray too far from all the practice ones available online. The key is to present it well later on. Make sure your commercial awareness is up to scratch and bring in lots of real life examples to enhance your answer by backing your reasoning. Be prepared for any follow up questions. Also say something other than what you wrote on the exercise.

The interview is great, the interviewers I had were super friendly. Standard questions - why law, why you, why Burges and a few competency based ones. Tip: make sure you have researched Burges, their deals and their practices inside out. Also make sure you have prepared a few questions yourself to ask.

As for the WG test, constant practice is the only way!

Best of luck

 

[Daniel Boden]

Great idea for a thread @Daniel Boden ! My TC’s with Weil so I’m also happy to answer any questions too- in case Daniel’s been inundated

In that case, I'll stick to Gibson Dunn and leave Weil to you haha

 

[Tintin06]

I didn't get a Travers TC but as the summer deadline is approaching, I'll try to answer any questions people have about the firm.

 

[Jessica444]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if Baker McKenzie has started giving out WG invites for their summer vac scheme? Thank you!

I applied in early December and haven’t heard anything yet. I haven’t seen anyone else say that they have either

 

[Staples]

3. Please outline the reasons why you wish to pursue a career in commercial law at Osborne Clarke. Within your answer you should also include details of how you have developed your skills through your hobbies and interests. (500 words max)*

In this question, can you make reference to development through work experience/current role? Or would it not work because the question says 'hobbies and interests'?

I really hope you can reference work experience because that’s what I did! (to be fair I used both work and non-work experience, like hobbies etc)

 

[collie_121]

I really hope you can reference work experience because that’s what I did! (to be fair I used both work and non-work experience, like hobbies etc)

Don't even worry about it, I did the exact same. I maybe referenced one hobby and the rest work experience

 

[futuretraineecity]

Anyone heard back from Weil that applied in January?

 

[21wajsz]

Anyone heard back from Weil that applied in January?

I applied on the 7th but have not heard anything as of yet!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if Baker McKenzie has started giving out WG invites for their summer vac scheme? Thank you!

EDIT: I am really sorry but does the disagree vote mean that they have not given out WG?

yes - I think lots of our members are using the disagree voting system to basically say “no” but it’s hard to know whether that is “no - I haven’t heard” or “no - that isn’t the case”.

 

[NikkiT]

Don't even worry about it, I did the exact same. I maybe referenced one hobby and the rest work experience

@collie_121 @Stefano - that is reassuring, I am too! Can I ask how you approached the question on what differentiates the firm from others you've applied to?

 

[zlegal]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if Baker McKenzie has started giving out WG invites for their summer vac scheme? Thank you!

EDIT: I am really sorry but does the disagree vote mean that they have not given out WG?

I applied end of December and got the WG invite this evening.

 

[collie_121]

@collie_121 @Stefano - that is reassuring, I am too! Can I ask how you approached the question on what differentiates the firm from others you've applied to?

I just talked about 3 of their USPs and the sort of schemes/awards that evidence this and how they give the firm a competitive advantage. I then did a short concluding sentence at the end of each paragraph as to why I favoured OC in this respect over the other firms I applied to. Hope this helps!