2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[FM302989]

In distressing news, I paid £6.50 for a pint yesterday evening. Close the pubs again, I can't deal with this

 

[Anon 11031]

In distressing news, I paid £6.50 for a pint yesterday evening. Close the pubs again, I can't deal with this

If I ever paid this much for a pint up north, I think I'd be sick.

 

[Daniel Boden]

I know, I was expanding on what you said.

Ah I see my mistake haha yeah I completely agree

 

[FM302989]

If I ever paid this much for a pint up north, I think I'd be sick.

Naming and shaming - All Bar One. Left me with no choice as everywhere else was fully booked and they conveniently "sold out" of the cheaper pints. Fix this Boris!

 

[Daniel Boden]

You make some good points, but I think on your second para, you should factor in that it's still not really about public confidence, but what the regulator deems to be relevant to upholding public confidence. On the SRA website they point to examples such as discriminatory conduct and violence, or a firm sending inaccurate or misleading information in claims bundles. In particular, quite a few solicitors seem to have been struck off for advising clients to invest into fraudulent investment schemes. The common theme here seems to be law breaking or covering up the truth in some way.

So, given that such financial products were legal at the time and there was no element of wrongdoing, I'm not certain that principle 2 would be relevant. In fact, I'm not even sure the current SRA principles and rules now were the same as the ones in 2012, let alone 2008! Under the current rules, I would argue that principles 5 and 7 (acting with integrity and in the client's best interests) are more realistic.

Completely take the point that the principles could well have changed since 2008 and that yes, to a large extent they are designed to prevent law breaking and covering up the truth in some way. And yes I think you're quite right in that principles 5 and 7, in practice, are probably the most important.

That said, the argument I'd make re principle 2 in relation to the GFC is that had lawyers provided ethical legal advice to their banking clients, e.g. explaining the ethical implications of selling these complicated financial instruments to unsophisticated investors, it is possible that the number of those who subsequently faced economic ruin may have been less.

Turning to a more modern example in the case of Wirecard in 2020, which seems to be one of the biggest corporate frauds in recent years, law firms who advised Wirecard had to deal with the conflict of client confidentiality vs serving the interests of wider society. Whilst this seems largely the fault of the accountants in this case, I suppose the case could be made that the lawyers involved in the due diligence of Wirecard owed a duty to wider society to help prevent their client from committing such criminal acts and so maintain that integrity that you speak of.

Sorry for getting a bit academic haha but this is a really interesting area in my opinion and I am pretty curious as to how I'd react when faced with similarly 'grey' situations when I start my career. Anyway, it's very interesting to discuss regardless

 

[Daniel Boden]

In distressing news, I paid £6.50 for a pint yesterday evening. Close the pubs again, I can't deal with this

Hahaha I'd forgotten how expensive pub pints were too - last week was very expensive

That said, these pubs/bars/restaurants etc. have had to deal with so much over the last year or so, so if they raise the prices to help them get back on their feet then I don't mind that so much tbh

 

[SamTam99]

Marriott Harrison VI invitation!

 

[Anon 11031]

To anyone that has ever had to do bookkeeping or accounting, I feel so bad for you. I've spent all day learning the ins and outs of bookkeeping for the purposes of enforcing tax and I want to cry...

I am so tired my brain is melting. On a positive note, I'll be a seasoned expert for solicitors' accounts on the LPC when I finally do it

Please send motivation.

 

[RoughWood]

To anyone that has ever had to do bookkeeping or accounting, I feel so bad for you. I've spent all day learning the ins and outs of bookkeeping for the purposes of enforcing tax and I want to cry...

I am so tired my brain is melting. On a positive note, I'll be a seasoned expert for solicitors' accounts on the LPC when I finally do it

Please send motivation.

I feel your pain, my previous job was as a finance manager doing bank reconciliations and balance sheets etc etc....you can easily go number blind. I enjoyed doing payroll though!

 

[Anon 11031]

I feel your pain, my previous job was as a finance manager doing bank reconciliations and balance sheets etc etc....you can easily go number blind. I enjoyed doing payroll though!

I have to look for irregularities in balance sheets and profit and loss accounts etc. Then make adjustments and what not. It's making me so sleepy it's ridiculous.

Nice to know I'm not alone - this is beyond tedious

 

[M777]

If I haven't heard from Morrison & Foerster by now (I applied for the summer scheme back in January), am I to assume I've been rejected?

I applied in December and never heard back. I forgot that I applied or even that the firm existed until I saw your post!

 

[NikkiT]

It varies - wonder if anyone's thought of making a list of this yet?

For what it's worth Dentons just asks for a 2:1 undergrad then a pass gdl/lpc.

Hey can I ask how you know this about Dentons?

 

[Kablahc]

Hey can I ask how you know this about Dentons?

I'm a future trainee

 

[Matt_96]

To anyone that has ever had to do bookkeeping or accounting, I feel so bad for you. I've spent all day learning the ins and outs of bookkeeping for the purposes of enforcing tax and I want to cry...

I am so tired my brain is melting. On a positive note, I'll be a seasoned expert for solicitors' accounts on the LPC when I finally do it

Please send motivation.

I had my solicitors' accounts exam last Friday. I was a little nervous too but it wasn't bad at all, as it was entirely open book. You'll get the hang of double entry fairly quickly and so as long as you have the formula in front of you it's just a case of applying the right one! Seems scary when you learn it, but when you come to the exam it's actually alright!

You'll be pleased to know that although you have to know about adjustments, balance sheets and PnL accounts, they mostly want to see you fill in a client ledger account for something like a property sale or a probate transaction which is a bit simpler.

 

[John Travoni]

Has anyone else heard back from Marriott Harrison?

 

[Anon 11031]

I had my solicitors' accounts exam last Friday. I was a little nervous too but it wasn't bad at all, as it was entirely open book. You'll get the hang of double entry fairly quickly and so as long as you have the formula in front of you it's just a case of applying the right one! Seems scary when you learn it, but when you come to the exam it's actually alright!

You'll be pleased to know that although you have to know about adjustments, balance sheets and PnL accounts, they mostly want to see you fill in a client ledger account for something like a property sale or a probate transaction which is a bit simpler.

Well this is good news, I think the stuff that I'm doing for my job is the same stuff but in more detail so when I do get a TC and start my LPC...it's good to know I'll have an understanding of it going in. I've heard a lot of people really don't get it or run because anything to do with maths makes them feel a little ill.

Hopefully you get a great result, best of luck!

 

[Elle W]

VS offer from Stephenson Harwood! A great way to end a stressful application season

 

[AAA_a]

I applied in December and never heard back. I forgot that I applied or even that the firm existed until I saw your post!

I haven't heard back either. And they don't reply to email or answer calls, nor provide any update at all. It's just so frustrating.

 

[breadpitt]

I emailed GR to ask if I could do only a week of the VS because it overlaps with my other scheme. I'm not optimistic that they would agree to the request, but I haven't heard back from GR for over a week now. When would be appropriate to send a follow up email?

 

[Daniel Boden]

I had my solicitors' accounts exam last Friday. I was a little nervous too but it wasn't bad at all, as it was entirely open book. You'll get the hang of double entry fairly quickly and so as long as you have the formula in front of you it's just a case of applying the right one! Seems scary when you learn it, but when you come to the exam it's actually alright!

You'll be pleased to know that although you have to know about adjustments, balance sheets and PnL accounts, they mostly want to see you fill in a client ledger account for something like a property sale or a probate transaction which is a bit simpler.

Is it normally open book regardless of Covid do you know? I'm a little apprehensive as to the LPC most likely being examined 'normally' next year haha