General Discussion Thread 2020-21

[Bethany]

Hi Bethany - I would make sure to include as many of the events that you attended as possible. You may be able to group them e.g. I have attended open days with... For my successful app last year I wrote in full prose as opposed to bullet points, but I kept it very factual with a brief sentence explaining what each one was if necessary (e.g. a particular event's focus). I also including some of the virtual internships that I had done on insideSherpa (now Forage) - I know that this is not specifically a careers event.

Hello again haha. Ok fab thank you. Did you do the same for the work experience section? I usually bullet point on my CV but feel as though I should write in full sentences for the app?

 

[bethbristol]

Hello again haha. Ok fab thank you. Did you do the same for the work experience section? I usually bullet point on my CV but feel as though I should write in full sentences for the app?

Yes I write in full sentences in my work experience sections. Some firms let you bullet point but this should be made clear on the application form itself.

 

[E.A]

The most helpful website I found was https://www.consultancy.uk/ but I appreciate that isn’t like TCLA at all!

Thanks!!

 

[Bethany]

Yes I write in full sentences in my work experience sections. Some firms let you bullet point but this should be made clear on the application form itself.

Ok thank you!

 

[Jacob Miller]

Hi everyone!

Would love to hear what's everyone's pre-AC routine. What do you do the day before, night before and on the actual day itself? Any last minute routine that helped calm your nerves? Any foods that you particularly find would help with stress?

Thank you!!

As a couple of people have mentioned, I think this would make an awesome thread!

I live in Aberdeen and my AC's were in London, so a lot of my day before the AC was spent travelling (see below)



Typically, my day would start around 6am for a train so I'd get working early- revising for different parts of the AC. I would typically practise my answers, use queue cards etc. Read the news, make sure I was totally up to date on everything.

When I got to London, I'd typically done more or less 8 hours work so I'd normally take a break for a couple of hours- drop my bag into the hotel and go get some lunch. I often booked a mock interview with Rare (I was a rare candidate) for late the day before so if I had one, I'd hop to their office after eating and get that done. I would normally do a little more work when I got back to the hotel but maybe only another half hour or hour. In the evening, I made a conscious effort to switch off and take my mind away from the AC. I'd normally order sushi (Aberdeen doesn't have any Sushi delivery )and video call my fiancee for a while then just watch Netflix or something and get an early night.

Morning of, I'd try and be up at a decent time, showered, suited and booted with enough time to get a coffee. I'm terrible for skipping breakfast so I normally wouldn't eat (don't recommend) and would try and be at the firm about 20 minutes before I needed to. Typically I would either walk or catch an Uber to the AC as I always feel like I'm coated in dust after being on the tube!

After the AC, I'd normally head back to the hotel to change and then go out for dinner and hit up one or two of my favourite bars (Nightjar cocktail bar on City Rd is usually a must). I normally booked a later train home so I could chill out in the city for a little while before getting back on the train.

Really interested to hear more people's answers here- ace question!

 

[Lumree]

In a question that asks 'Why do you want to become a solicitor and what key skills do you have that are relevant to the role? [200 words]' would you provide examples of where you have demonstrated these key skills or would you just state you have said skills and explain why they are relevant to the role? I'm finding it tough in the word limit to say where I have developed a skill, and why it's relevant!

Any suggestions welcome!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

In a question that asks 'Why do you want to become a solicitor and what key skills do you have that are relevant to the role? [200 words]' would you provide examples of where you have demonstrated these key skills or would you just state you have said skills and explain why they are relevant to the role? I'm finding it tough in the word limit to say where I have developed a skill, and why it's relevant!

Any suggestions welcome!

I wouldn’t explain why the skill was relevant given the limited word count.

 

[Ifeoluwa]

@Jessica Booker Hi, sorry if this has been answered before, when referring to a law firm, so for example, saying "I am interested in working with X as..", is it grammatically correct to say "as it is" or "as they are"? Thank you!

“As it is.” A grad rec once said to never refer to a firm as ‘they’ but as ‘it’

 

[Kopperskjold]

Wrong thread

 

[IceFloe]

Anyone heard from Burges Salmon for the Spring VS yet? They said they'd be aiming to get back to us by the end of today

 

[J32]

As a couple of people have mentioned, I think this would make an awesome thread!

I live in Aberdeen and my AC's were in London, so a lot of my day before the AC was spent travelling (see below)

View attachment 2535

Typically, my day would start around 6am for a train so I'd get working early- revising for different parts of the AC. I would typically practise my answers, use queue cards etc. Read the news, make sure I was totally up to date on everything.

When I got to London, I'd typically done more or less 8 hours work so I'd normally take a break for a couple of hours- drop my bag into the hotel and go get some lunch. I often booked a mock interview with Rare (I was a rare candidate) for late the day before so if I had one, I'd hop to their office after eating and get that done. I would normally do a little more work when I got back to the hotel but maybe only another half hour or hour. In the evening, I made a conscious effort to switch off and take my mind away from the AC. I'd normally order sushi (Aberdeen doesn't have any Sushi delivery )and video call my fiancee for a while then just watch Netflix or something and get an early night.

Morning of, I'd try and be up at a decent time, showered, suited and booted with enough time to get a coffee. I'm terrible for skipping breakfast so I normally wouldn't eat (don't recommend) and would try and be at the first about 20 minutes before I needed to. Typically I would either walk or catch an Uber to the AC as I always feel like I'm coated in dust after being on the tube!

After the AC, I'd normally head back to the hotel to change and then go out for dinner and hit up one or two of my favourite bars (Nightjar cocktail bar on City Rd is usually a must). I normally booked a later train home so I could chill out in the city for a little while before getting back on the train.

Really interested to hear more people's answers here- ace question!

Best post-AC routine I've ever come across!

 

[Jacob Miller]

Best post-AC routine I've ever come across!

Put it this way, I never had a problem sleeping on the train home

 

[E.A]

Hey guys.

Not sure if anyone is interested but I was thinking that it would be a good idea and really good practice for ACs and interviews to have a group of people to discuss current affairs and practice these commercial topics together. I know that I learnt a lot from the sessions Jaysen and Alice ran during the summer where we got sent an article and then discussed it by way of forming our opinions on it etc.

If anyone is interested let me know as personally, this is the part I am most anxious about in interviews (not so much the rest as it's "easier" to prep for).

 

[Daniel Boden]

As a couple of people have mentioned, I think this would make an awesome thread!

I live in Aberdeen and my AC's were in London, so a lot of my day before the AC was spent travelling (see below)

View attachment 2535

Typically, my day would start around 6am for a train so I'd get working early- revising for different parts of the AC. I would typically practise my answers, use queue cards etc. Read the news, make sure I was totally up to date on everything.

When I got to London, I'd typically done more or less 8 hours work so I'd normally take a break for a couple of hours- drop my bag into the hotel and go get some lunch. I often booked a mock interview with Rare (I was a rare candidate) for late the day before so if I had one, I'd hop to their office after eating and get that done. I would normally do a little more work when I got back to the hotel but maybe only another half hour or hour. In the evening, I made a conscious effort to switch off and take my mind away from the AC. I'd normally order sushi (Aberdeen doesn't have any Sushi delivery )and video call my fiancee for a while then just watch Netflix or something and get an early night.

Morning of, I'd try and be up at a decent time, showered, suited and booted with enough time to get a coffee. I'm terrible for skipping breakfast so I normally wouldn't eat (don't recommend) and would try and be at the firm about 20 minutes before I needed to. Typically I would either walk or catch an Uber to the AC as I always feel like I'm coated in dust after being on the tube!

After the AC, I'd normally head back to the hotel to change and then go out for dinner and hit up one or two of my favourite bars (Nightjar cocktail bar on City Rd is usually a must). I normally booked a later train home so I could chill out in the city for a little while before getting back on the train.

Really interested to hear more people's answers here- ace question!

Don't see myself topping that any time soon!

PS: great choice re Nightjar - one of my favourites too!

 

[legalCheek27]

Currently preparing my answer for Reed Smith’s research question: “What current issues do you think have an impact on the legal profession? What impact do they have and why?”

Can anyone point me in the direction of any non-generic issues (i.e I’m aiming to veer away from standard, vague headline issues like AI or Covid-19). Looking for something current and less widely discussed, but still broad enough to affect the legal profession/ commercial solicitors as a whole.

 

[sl399]

Hi guys,

I have a virtual AC coming up (case study + presentation + Q&A) where they've said I need to prepare a 10 min presentation. I think this means that there is no drafting part so I just need to verbally deliver my conclusions over video - in this case should you prepare a powerpoint or just speak to assessors without the hassle of sharing your screen etc?

 

[Jacob Miller]

Hi guys,

I have a virtual AC coming up (case study + presentation + Q&A) where they've said I need to prepare a 10 min presentation. I think this means that there is no drafting part so I just need to verbally deliver my conclusions over video - in this case should you prepare a powerpoint or just speak to assessors without the hassle of sharing your screen etc?

I would personally approach it much in the same way that I would approach a normal AC CS interview presentation- i.e., no slides/ aides apart from some notes. You'll likely spend more time trying to format the slides etc than is worth it

Keep an eye out for my article being released on Monday though- it's a comprehensive break down of case studies!

 

[JayB]

I would personally approach it much in the same way that I would approach a normal AC CS interview presentation- i.e., no slides/ aides apart from some notes. You'll likely spend more time trying to format the slides etc than is worth it

Keep an eye out for my article being released on Monday though- it's a comprehensive break down of case studies!

Hi Jacob, where can I view your previous week’s articles?

 

[sl399]

I would personally approach it much in the same way that I would approach a normal AC CS interview presentation- i.e., no slides/ aides apart from some notes. You'll likely spend more time trying to format the slides etc than is worth it

Keep an eye out for my article being released on Monday though- it's a comprehensive break down of case studies!

Thank you! Where are you releasing this article?

 

[Jacob Miller]

Thank you! Where are you releasing this article?

This will be released on Monday buddy. Usually in the afternoon, it will probably be pinned by @Jaysen on release.

Hi Jacob, where can I view your previous week’s articles?

This is my article covering the foundations of applications and practice areas from last week: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....-and-applications-monday-article-series.3163/

This if my first article, from the week before, which is a comprehensive breakdown of assessed negotiation exercises at assessment centres and vac schemes:
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ssed-negotiations-monday-article-series.3018/

Hope you enjoy them!