Ask A Graduate Recruiter Anything!

[AspiringLawyer]

Have a read over the voluntary code of best recruitment practice to see what “moral obligations” everyone has:

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/en/to...ry-code-of-recruitment-for-trainee-solicitors

However, as it is voluntary, many firms don’t stick to it. If they don’t, my advice is you don’t either.

Beyond this, the only time you will find an issue with reneging on an offer is if you have received some form of financial support from them. That could include enrolment into the GDL/LPC, any maintenance fees or awards (eg some firms will give future trainees an extra amount of money for achieving a first in their degree).

Unfortunately people renege graduate programme offers all the time (although less so in law given the upfront need to study). It isn’t great, and don’t expect to work for the company again in the near future, but plenty do it with no issues whatsoever.

Hi Jessica,

Many thanks for sending that through, it was very helpful.

Based on the voluntary code, and in your experience, is it worth asking the employer for an extension to to the time limit of an offer to September 15 rather than accept and potentially renege on the offer in the future or is this rarely granted?

LPC funding is also being provided, however because of the TC being for September 2022, I won't be enrolled until 2021 so hopefully the receipt of financial support should not be an added issue as this will be supplied closer to the time.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica,

Many thanks for sending that through, it was very helpful.

Based on the voluntary code, and in your experience, is it worth asking the employer for an extension to to the time limit of an offer to September 15 rather than accept and potentially renege on the offer in the future or is this rarely granted?

LPC funding is also being provided, however because of the TC being for September 2022, I won't be enrolled until 2021 so hopefully the receipt of financial support should not be an added issue as this will be supplied closer to the time.

if you are a penultimate year student, yes. You can use the code as your basis for this request. If they say no, then it’s up to you what to do, but as I said, if they don’t abide by the code there is no reason you should.

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

Hi Jessica,

I was wondering what much legal experience firms expect when a candidate applies for direct training contract? I only decided to pursue a career in Commercial Law earlier this year and I desperately tried to get legal experience with local firms but then the lockdown happened. I didn't study law, I did a couple of virtual internships with Inside Sherpa, attended university talks,w about Commercial Law and Bright Network Virtual Internship. I wonder whether I have any chance of getting direct training contract if I have a good explanation of why law ?

I would apply for vac scheme but I am working full time in hospitality in getting two weeks off at certain time period is quite hard especially in December and Summer time.

personally i would say you have as good a chance as anyone. You already have why law from virtual internships. Hopefully you have good academics too.. make sure your application questions are great then you stand a great chancd

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica,

I was wondering what much legal experience firms expect when a candidate applies for direct training contract? I only decided to pursue a career in Commercial Law earlier this year and I desperately tried to get legal experience with local firms but then the lockdown happened. I didn't study law, I did a couple of virtual internships with Inside Sherpa, attended university talks,w about Commercial Law and Bright Network Virtual Internship. I wonder whether I have any chance of getting direct training contract if I have a good explanation of why law ?

I would apply for vac scheme but I am working full time in hospitality in getting two weeks off at certain time period is quite hard especially in December and Summer time.

There is no set answer to this. It will vary from firm to firm, it will even vary candidate for candidate - if their non legal work experience demonstrates transferable skills/knowledge and they nail any motivational questions, they might not need any legal work experience. I have seen it happen anyway.

 

[acceleratedlaw]

hi jessica, i wanted to ask abt following up after a vac scheme regarding TC. i know that some people have already heard back last week with offers from the firm, and i was wondering if i should be a bit more patient and give it time, or reach out and ask for an update? not sure how much reaching out actually is, but admittedly it's more for my peace of mind i suppose. for context, the vac scheme ended on the 26th of June

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

If people only heard back last week, then unfortunately you will need to wait. If you haven’t heard anything by the end of next week, give them a call.

 

[acceleratedlaw]

thank you jessica! figured patience is my only friend right now

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

@Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Wanted to ask you that during a contract review task at a VS, is the firm seeking only grammatical inputs or are they also checking how suggestive we are in terms of what can make the contract more effective and less ambiguous?
Thanks.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

@Jessica Booker hope you are doing well. Wanted to ask you that during a contract review task at a VS, is the firm seeking only grammatical inputs or are they also checking how suggestive we are in terms of what can make the contract more effective and less ambiguous?
Thanks.

It will be any critical analysis. Accuracy, ambiguity, style, grammar, conciseness, content, necessity, contradictions, non grammatical mistakes.

 

[tractor12]

Is it wrong to put the date on my cover letter on the left hand side instead of the right?

 

[BiancaR]

Hi Jessica- hope you're staying well! I was hoping to ask you if firms consider applicants who haven't attended Open Days? Since I'm an international student, most of my engagement with firms has been through online webinars/law fairs/open evenings at my university. Will this hurt my application?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Is it wrong to put the date on my cover letter on the left hand side instead of the right?

you are over worrying about this - no one will care which side it is on

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica- hope you're staying well! I was hoping to ask you if firms consider applicants who haven't attended Open Days? Since I'm an international student, most of my engagement with firms has been through online webinars/law fairs/open evenings at my university. Will this hurt my application?

yes - plenty of people apply having not attended a face to face open day, and that’s only going to be even more so the case. Don’t worry about it

 

[dosblancos7]

Hi Jessica

I have a query about emails(I hope this isn't too pedantic). In the last VS cycle, I often used my uni email address to apply to firms, though since March, my browser keeps showing a 404 error, meaning I can't log onto the email unless I do so through incognito, or if I wipe my cookies. As a result, I now use my gmail to apply to firms.

Will this be an issue as I don't want firms to think I'm sending duplicate apps! If it helps, for Freshfields & W/C I also said how I applied earlier to their VS/First Insight Schemes, where in the "have you applied to us before" box.

Thanks!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica

I have a query about emails(I hope this isn't too pedantic). In the last VS cycle, I often used my uni email address to apply to firms, though since March, my browser keeps showing a 404 error, meaning I can't log onto the email unless I do so through incognito, or if I wipe my cookies. As a result, I now use my gmail to apply to firms.

Will this be an issue as I don't want firms to think I'm sending duplicate apps! If it helps, for Freshfields & W/C I also said how I applied earlier to their VS/First Insight Schemes, where in the "have you applied to us before" box.

Thanks!

no it’s not an issue. The only time it would be an issue is if you applied with different emails to the same vacancy in the same cycle or if the firm only allows one application per cycle and you have exceeded that.

 

[RS Sinatra]

Hi Jessica

Are we supposed to repeat what we wrote in our applications during the interview? Specially the repetitive questions like Why law? and Why X firm? or are we supposed to give different answers?

Thank you

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica

Are we supposed to repeat what we wrote in our applications during the interview? Specially the repetitive questions like Why law? and Why X firm? or are we supposed to give different answers?

Thank you

no - I’d expect questions in an interview to be more specific and therefore your answers tailored to that and more detailed/thorough

 

[hh567]

Hi Jessica. What is a reasonable explanation for asking for an extension to a training contract offer deadline?

I have further vacation schemes and assessment centres in the next few weeks but have only been given two weeks to accept.

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi Jessica. What is a reasonable explanation for asking for an extension to a training contract offer deadline?

I have further vacation schemes and assessment centres in the next few weeks but have only been given two weeks to accept.

unfortunately only another 2 weeks if you are a final year student/graduate or until mid September if you are a penultimate year student.

As I have said before though, if the firm isn’t abiding by the code of best practice (which they aren’t if they are only giving you two weeks) then you don’t have to either. You could accept and then renege

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

@Jessica Booker Hope you are doing well. Wanted to ask you, how much sense does interning at a law firm's best friend firm make? Linklaters has an Indian best friend by the name of Talwar Thakore Associates- so is it a good idea to intern at the Indian firm? If yes then are there any key skills that we can pull out of the experience as opposed to interning at just any Tier-1 law firm in India. Basically, what else can we add to the work ex section in case we have interned at the Best Friend firm as opposed to an internship done at a firm of a similar level (ranking wise) but not a best friend.