• Hi Guest, I just wanted to give you a heads up that we are hiring future trainees. This is for a range of roles, including remote and full time.

    If you're interested, apply here ASAP!

Reply to thread

Hi [USER=15838]@jo[/USER],


[USER=2672]@Jessica Booker[/USER] has given you some excellent advice on vac schemer pitfalls and I did my vac schemes online so I am not best positioned to answer your question about networking, although I think that you cannot go wrong if you send a polite e-mail to a lawyer asking if they have a moment of their time to talk to you!


The main point of my post, however, will be to help you prepare your mindset going in!


First of all, you should feel great that you got a vac scheme!! That is incredibly impressive and better than most candidates do in a given cycle - plus now that you have a vac scheme I think from my own experience you will find that future applications (if you have to make them) will pass the application stage much more often!


Consequently, I would recommend that you go into your vac scheme full of confidence that you are an excellent candidate because the firm selected you to be there and so you have as good a shot at a TC as anyone!


Even if you fail to convert the vac scheme, this will be an excellent piece of work experience for you which will reveal to you whether you enjoy and excel at commercial law. You seem to be a highly determined and thoughtful applicant and so, in the scenario that you don't convert the vac scheme, I know that you can keep up the same drive going forward and will have significant future success! You should not fear failure to convert the scheme as long as you go in and try your best, since the process can be quite arbitrary at times.


I failed to convert all three of my vac schemes into TC offers, which was incredibly disappointing at the time! I got two post-vac scheme rejections on July 13th of last year. I picked myself up and submitted a direct TC application on July 14th and another one on July 15th and they both ultimately ended up in training contract offers! I am happier with the firm I am going to than I would have been at any of the firms where I did vac schemes - it's funny how things work out...


So this is all to say that in the event you fail to convert the scheme, all is not lost by any means, although I have a good feeling about your ability to convert it :) Go in and don't worry about the outcome because things have a way of working themselves out as long as you are honest with yourself and the work you put in.


Please let me know if you would like any further advice in advance of your scheme!


Our company is called, "The Corporate ___ Academy". What is the missing word here?

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Newsletter

Discover the most relevant business news, access our law firm analysis, and receive our best advice for aspiring lawyers.