2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Jessica Booker]

for kirkland's cover letter, do you have to address it to anybody?

 

[bendico1860]

Hi, as a general rule of thumb, for how much of the Christmas/new year period do firms halt the recruitment process ?
Thanks!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, as a general rule of thumb, for how much of the Christmas/new year period do firms halt the recruitment process ?
Thanks!

There isn’t a general rule of thumb. Depends how many people are working in the grad rec team and what other responsibilities they have.

 

[bendico1860]

There isn’t a general rule of thumb. Depends how many people are working in the grad rec team and what other responsibilities they have.

Thanks for getting back so quickly - I guess I'm really asking if I should check my email over the next ten days or if firms will only get back after the 3rd?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks for getting back so quickly - I guess I'm really asking if I should check my email over the next ten days or if firms will only get back after the 3rd?

well there is no point checking the 25/26/27/28 no one will be working then. Same goes for the 1/2/3.

 

[Veep9]

I’m likely overthinking this but, for a “talk about a news article you’ve recently read and how it’s relevant to the firm”-type application form question, if the firm has published a blog post on the news item in question, that would not be a disadvantage, right?

Following on from that, would you refer to the blog post? So, in talking about the impact on the firm’s clients, could one point (of, say, three) be “...and it’ll effect these kinds of activities too, as explored by X Associate in a blog post entitled...”? Or would you just refer to other sources even if you do make a similar point to X Associate?

Thank you! Sorry if this doesn’t make sense or is obvious—I’ve been obsessing.

 

[Alice G]

I’m likely overthinking this but, for a “talk about a news article you’ve recently read and how it’s relevant to the firm”-type application form question, if the firm has published a blog post on the news item in question, that would not be a disadvantage, right?

Following on from that, would you refer to the blog post? So, in talking about the impact on the firm’s clients, could one point (of, say, three) be “...and it’ll effect these kinds of activities too, as explored by X Associate in a blog post entitled...”? Or would you just refer to other sources even if you do make a similar point to X Associate?

Thank you! Sorry if this doesn’t make sense or is obvious—I’ve been obsessing.

Don't worry! Obsessing over details is normal and in all honesty it isn't always a bad thing to ensure you have properly thought things through!

It would be no disadvantage to talk about something the firm has also written about - law firms put out so much thought leadership for clients, I think you would struggle to pick something the firm has not touched on in some way.

I would avoid the reference to the blog post for a few reasons: firstly, your word count will be tight and the words can be better used and secondly, you don't want to make it seem like that is one of the sole sources you have sought.

I hope this helps and these reflect my personal views on this

 

[legalthrowaway]

Hey everyone, I would like some advice here! I'm a final year law student who has secured an offer from a silver circle firm but am interested in exploring other options and potential offers from other firms.

Unfortunately, under the Voluntary Code to Good Practice in the Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors, I only have 4 weeks to make a decision, and once I accept a training contract I am obliged to tell all the other firms I have applied to that I have already accepted a training contract. I thus have three questions I would like help with:

1. Is it possible to get an extension of time (say 6 months) to explore other options and if so, is this only rarely given?
   
   
2. Would it look like a red flag to other firms if I have accepted a training contract for a silver circle firm and yet still am applying for another firm?
   
   
3. How likely is it for anyone to find out if I have breached the Voluntary Code by accepting the training contract but continued with the application process at other firms?
   

Thank you!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hey everyone, I would like some advice here! I'm a final year law student who has secured an offer from a silver circle firm but am interested in exploring other options and potential offers from other firms.

Unfortunately, under the Voluntary Code to Good Practice in the Recruitment of Trainee Solicitors, I only have 4 weeks to make a decision, and once I accept a training contract I am obliged to tell all the other firms I have applied to that I have already accepted a training contract. I thus have three questions I would like help with:

1. Is it possible to get an extension of time (say 6 months) to explore other options and if so, is this only rarely given?
   
   
2. Would it look like a red flag to other firms if I have accepted a training contract for a silver circle firm and yet still am applying for another firm?
   
   
3. How likely is it for anyone to find out if I have breached the Voluntary Code by accepting the training contract but continued with the application process at other firms?

Thank you!

There is nothing stopping you accepting the offer now and then reneging it at a later date.

The code is voluntary - lots of firms don’t stick to it, many more candidates don’t either.

1) Yes you can - that would be the most polite thing to do. Don’t expect the firm to say yes though, and six months would be very generous as well - at best you might get an extra month or two.

2) How would they know unless you told them?

3) It is a voluntary code that isn’t regulated. The only way a firm would know if you have accepted a TC elsewhere is if you tell them or you have put it in the public domain (like on your LinkedIn profile). Data protection means firms would be in a lot of trouble (like up to £20m worth of trouble) if they shared information about the status of your applications between them.

The main consideration you have is when the firm you accept the offer with commits financially to you. If you are starting the LPC in September 2021 and the firm are sponsoring your course, that could be as early as April/May, when they start to sign up future trainees to the course.

 

[legalthrowaway]

There is nothing stopping you accepting the offer now and then reneging it at a later date.

The code is voluntary - lots of firms don’t stick to it, many more candidates don’t either.

1) Yes you can - that would be the most polite thing to do. Don’t expect the firm to say yes though, and six months would be very generous as well - at best you might get an extra month or two.

2) How would they know unless you told them?

3) It is a voluntary code that isn’t regulated. The only way a firm would know if you have accepted a TC elsewhere is if you tell them or you have put it in the public domain (like on your LinkedIn profile). Data protection means firms would be in a lot of trouble (like up to £20m worth of trouble) if they shared information about the status of your applications between them.

The main consideration you have is when the firm you accept the offer with commits financially to you. If you are starting the LPC in September 2021 and the firm are sponsoring your course, that could be as early as April/May, when they start to sign up future trainees to the course.

Thank you very much Jessica! If the firm I'm interviewing for asks if I have any other offers, how should I phrase my answer in a way such that I am not lying in saying that I have an offer from the silver circle firm, but also in a way that doesn't reveal that I have accepted that offer?

 

[OB]

I have an AC invite for CMS!! First ever AC, so if anyone has any tips - particularly for CMS it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SLKEJRWOI97]

Couple of friends who've applied for SPARK have received ACs. Haven't heard of any rejections as of yet in case anyone has applied!

 

[NadineBusty]

I have an AC invite for CMS!! First ever AC, so if anyone has any tips - particularly for CMS it would be greatly appreciated!

I am so happy for you Olivia!!! Good luck for the AC!

 

[SLKEJRWOI97]

I have an AC invite for CMS!! First ever AC, so if anyone has any tips - particularly for CMS it would be greatly appreciated!

Smashed it!!!

Well done!!!

All the best

 

[legalthrowaway]

There is nothing stopping you accepting the offer now and then reneging it at a later date.

The code is voluntary - lots of firms don’t stick to it, many more candidates don’t either.

1) Yes you can - that would be the most polite thing to do. Don’t expect the firm to say yes though, and six months would be very generous as well - at best you might get an extra month or two.

2) How would they know unless you told them?

3) It is a voluntary code that isn’t regulated. The only way a firm would know if you have accepted a TC elsewhere is if you tell them or you have put it in the public domain (like on your LinkedIn profile). Data protection means firms would be in a lot of trouble (like up to £20m worth of trouble) if they shared information about the status of your applications between them.

The main consideration you have is when the firm you accept the offer with commits financially to you. If you are starting the LPC in September 2021 and the firm are sponsoring your course, that could be as early as April/May, when they start to sign up future trainees to the course.

Also, a follow-up question if I may--will I be struck off the roll or be investigated for dishonesty/lack of integrity by the SRA if I had breached the Voluntary Code after signing the training contract (especially if the Voluntary Code is incorporated as a term in the contract)?

 

[OB]

I am so happy for you Olivia!!! Good luck for the AC!

Smashed it!!!

Well done!!!

All the best

Thank you so much! You have both been such great support systems on here, definitely couldn't have got this far without TCLA!

 

[IntrepidL]

Just received a CMS AC invitation too!

 

[thelegalsieve]

Received a CMS AC invitation as well - I submitted my video interview on 16 November, really thought I wouldn't get one given the long wait. For those still waiting, take heart in that!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you very much Jessica! If the firm I'm interviewing for asks if I have any other offers, how should I phrase my answer in a way such that I am not lying in saying that I have an offer from the silver circle firm, but also in a way that doesn't reveal that I have accepted that offer?

you either have to be truthful or not. There isn’t a way of phrasing it that would do what you are asking.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Also, a follow-up question if I may--will I be struck off the roll or be investigated for dishonesty/lack of integrity by the SRA if I had breached the Voluntary Code after signing the training contract (especially if the Voluntary Code is incorporated as a term in the contract)?

It is a voluntary code which the SRA are not part of. The SRA won’t get involved.

There is not an integrity issue with accepting and then reneging an employment contract.

The reality is all that could happen is that the law firm you renege on could seek damages for breach of contract. But are they really going to do this when there is no cost to them if you reneging and they can probably easily back fill your vacancy? The costs of seeking out a breach of contract claim would be more painful than just waving you goodbye and wishing you the best of luck with your future career, while they breath a sigh of relief that you turned them down (no offence meant by that, but a firm would much prefer you to turn them down now than not be truly committed to the firm).