Direct TC without previous VS/experience

[Jooooopp7]

I was wondering how feasable a direct TC application to firms that offer it would be if I haven't had any previous VS experience or legal work experience. I did however gain a place on a summer VS for a silver circle firm but it was cancelled with no online replacement but I was unable to get a TC from that - this was a little annoying as I now have absolutely no experience even through I was meant to be on a VS this summer.
Since I am doing the PGDL next year I don't think I will have time for a winter VS but would ideally like to get a TC asap rather than waiting for the summer VS's as I preferably want it to be at least partly funded.
I was wondering whether I would be disadvantaged as I have limited legal experience or if the fact that I was able to gain a place on a VS in the first place would be a good indicator that at least another firm with a good reputation considered me to be a good candidate? or should I just wait it out and apply to spring/summer VS? Thanks for the help!

 

[Zoë Stainton]

When I applied to the firm who I now have a TC with, I had very limited legal experience. Most of my experience was odd cleaning jobs, volunteering, a society committee, and a camp leader in the summer. I think what impressed the firm was how I used these experiences to help them understand how I would be a good trainee and how I've been able to build transferrable skills. It also showed how I was a well-rounded person which all firms love and want to see! As long as you are able to clearly show why you want to be a lawyer and use those experiences to explain them then I think loads of legal experience is not essential!

I went to a few open days which I believe are a lot of the time before the TC deadline - I would recommend applying to those to support what you say about the firms in the applications.
I also wrote to a few local law firms and did a couple of days work shadowing in a private client firm and a commercial law firm which helped me emphasise in my application why I wanted to go down the commercial law route rather than private client. I was able to use my non-legal work experience to support this as well!
I hope this is somewhat helpful! Feel free to ask me anymore questions!

 

[Adam Gilchrist]

I was wondering whether I would be disadvantaged as I have limited legal experience or if the fact that I was able to gain a place on a VS in the first place would be a good indicator that at least another firm with a good reputation considered me to be a good candidate? or should I just wait it out and apply to spring/summer VS? Thanks for the help!

I'm not going to lie to you - it's always better if you already have a vac scheme, and certainly, some firms unofficially are less keen on taking someone without a VS (understandably enough). That said, having had one (albeit a canceled one) is better than the people applying for a TC without any VS history whatsoever. You may be at a disadvantage to people with vac scheme experience, but, as is frequently pointed out on this forum by Jessica, applications are examined from multiple angles, so weakness in one area can be overcome by strength in another.

Bear in mind however that some firms either exclusively recruit from their VS (HSF, Davis Polk, Shearman & Sterling etc) or technically accept direct TC apps, but in reality never offer any TCs this way (Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden etc). Applying to firms like these will be a waste of time for obvious reasons. https://www.legalcheek.com/2019/12/...-vac-schemes-worrying-trend-or-sensible-step/

There is also the numbers game - even firms that genuinely accept direct TC applications will prioritize their vac schemers first in terms of TC offers, so there aren't many TCs left over for direct applicants, making the odds even harder. Linklaters, for example, offers about 85% of its TCs each year to successful vac schemers. The percentage seems likely to rise in the near future for most firms like this, given all of the Covid uncertainty.

Direct TC applications are tough, applications without a previous VS on your CV are tougher (even with the fact that you had one which was canceled), but still definitely doable

 

[Las123]

Hi JaneX,

From my experience of applying last year, the best way to gauge how much legal work exposure graduate recruiters are looking for in direct TC apps is to ask them at open days, insight evenings etc.
Some firms encourage applications from all backgrounds and do not place an emphasis on legal work experience per say (A&O, CC, FF are some examples from what I know), some encourage applicants to have had some exposure to legal work like work shadowing, pro-bono etc, while some very clearly have a predominantly via-VS intake.

Where this preference is not clear on firms’ websites, asking grad-rec can help you make those direct TC apps to those firms where you have the best chance.
Hope this helps

 

[Jooooopp7]

When I applied to the firm who I now have a TC with, I had very limited legal experience. Most of my experience was odd cleaning jobs, volunteering, a society committee, and a camp leader in the summer. I think what impressed the firm was how I used these experiences to help them understand how I would be a good trainee and how I've been able to build transferrable skills. It also showed how I was a well-rounded person which all firms love and want to see! As long as you are able to clearly show why you want to be a lawyer and use those experiences to explain them then I think loads of legal experience is not essential!

I went to a few open days which I believe are a lot of the time before the TC deadline - I would recommend applying to those to support what you say about the firms in the applications.
I also wrote to a few local law firms and did a couple of days work shadowing in a private client firm and a commercial law firm which helped me emphasise in my application why I wanted to go down the commercial law route rather than private client. I was able to use my non-legal work experience to support this as well!
I hope this is somewhat helpful! Feel free to ask me anymore questions!

Thank you for your advice, it is indeed very helpful!

 

[Jooooopp7]

I'm not going to lie to you - it's always better if you already have a vac scheme, and certainly, some firms unofficially are less keen on taking someone without a VS (understandably enough). That said, having had one (albeit a canceled one) is better than the people applying for a TC without any VS history whatsoever. You may be at a disadvantage to people with vac scheme experience, but, as is frequently pointed out on this forum by Jessica, applications are examined from multiple angles, so weakness in one area can be overcome by strength in another.

Bear in mind however that some firms either exclusively recruit from their VS (HSF, Davis Polk, Shearman & Sterling etc) or technically accept direct TC apps, but in reality never offer any TCs this way (Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden etc). Applying to firms like these will be a waste of time for obvious reasons. https://www.legalcheek.com/2019/12/...-vac-schemes-worrying-trend-or-sensible-step/

There is also the numbers game - even firms that genuinely accept direct TC applications will prioritize their vac schemers first in terms of TC offers, so there aren't many TCs left over for direct applicants, making the odds even harder. Linklaters, for example, offers about 85% of its TCs each year to successful vac schemers. The percentage seems likely to rise in the near future for most firms like this, given all of the Covid uncertainty.

Direct TC applications are tough, applications without a previous VS on your CV are tougher (even with the fact that you had one which was canceled), but still definitely doable

Yeah, this is what I was thinking, and obviosuly won't be applying to any american firms directly for a TC, hopefully my experiences will sort of make up for the fact that I havent had a VS. Thank you for your help!!

 

[Jooooopp7]

Hi JaneX,

From my experience of applying last year, the best way to gauge how much legal work exposure graduate recruiters are looking for in direct TC apps is to ask them at open days, insight evenings etc.
Some firms encourage applications from all backgrounds and do not place an emphasis on legal work experience per say (A&O, CC, FF are some examples from what I know), some encourage applicants to have had some exposure to legal work like work shadowing, pro-bono etc, while some very clearly have a predominantly via-VS intake.

Where this preference is not clear on firms’ websites, asking grad-rec can help you make those direct TC apps to those firms where you have the best chance.
Hope this helps

Yeah, some of the firms you mentioned are ones hat I'm thinking of doing a direct TC and will do a VS application to others. I'm just worried that it'll mean I've wasted my time and chance this cycle with a TC application when I would have had more of a chance waiting for a VS but I guess thats a risk I've got to consider. But asking at open days sounds like a very good plan thank you!

 

[Las123]

Yeah, some of the firms you mentioned are ones hat I'm thinking of doing a direct TC and will do a VS application to others. I'm just worried that it'll mean I've wasted my time and chance this cycle with a TC application when I would have had more of a chance waiting for a VS but I guess thats a risk I've got to consider. But asking at open days sounds like a very good plan thank you!

Absolutely understand that concern; that said, if you’d like any help with making a direct TC application from a no VS/legal experience background feel free to reach out. I made my TC app from such a background and managed to get an offer, so I’m very happy to help in any way!