Hearing Back from Law Firms, Assessment Centres & Interview Tips - 2019 - 2020

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I have my White & Case AC tomorrow which I’m already so nervous about and I’ve just found out that the trains are all cancelled - fingers crossed my bad luck runs out soon

look into alternative methods of travel (coach?).

If coach times are tricky (or you’d need to leave tonight and need overnight accommodation) call the firm up and see whether they would reimburse the overnight stay given the circumstances.

If it’s Bristol you are travelling from (given your name) trains do seem to be running though. They are not all cancelled

 

[bethbristol]

look into alternative methods of travel (coach?).

If coach times are tricky (or you’d need to leave tonight and need overnight accommodation) call the firm up and see whether they would reimburse the overnight stay given the circumstances.

If it’s Bristol you are travelling from (given your name) trains do seem to be running though. They are not all cancelled

Thanks Jessica. I am going to go down tonight and stay with a friend just so that I am sure I am in London. Just adds to the fun and stress I guess!

 

[NickMcK]

I received an Irwin Mitchell London PLS VI yesterday (17th Feb). Applied on 10th Jan, 2 days before the deadline.

Just posting as I noticed a few others asking for Irwin Mitchell updates over the past week or so.

Their email is not specific on whether it will be competency or strengths based so any tips from anyone who has done it would be welcome!

 

[CalibreX1]

I'm still waiting!!

Starting to think they were overly optimistic/ambitious in telling us they’d get back to us by today!

 

[jan28]

Perhaps @Jessica Booker may be best able to answer this or anyone who has experienced this - what is the protocol if the train is so severely delayed due to weather or any unforeseen circumstances and we miss our AC or a big chunk of it? Is that a rejection?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Perhaps @Jessica Booker may be best able to answer this or anyone who has experienced this - what is the protocol if the train is so severely delayed due to weather or any unforeseen circumstances and we miss our AC or a big chunk of it? Is that a rejection?

Ultimately yes - if you can't attend an AC, you can't be assessed and therefore you can't be offered a job.

However, firms will do one of two things:

1) See if it is feasible to reschedule the day and run your assessments later that day (not always feasible though)

2) Reschedule you for a later AC (if ACs are running later and there are spaces available).

Key thing is: TO CALL AND EMAIL ASAP if you know you are going to be late and give a realistic timeframe of when you think you will arrive. If that is 2-3 hours later, expect to be rescheduled for another day though.

If you have a long journey and/or a very early start, my advice is to do what Beth is doing and travel the night before and stay with friends. If you don't know anyone within commutable distance of London (and that's most of the Home Counties), look to stay the night before and ask the firm in question whether you can expense a hotel room (won't be appropriate if your assessment starts late morning/in the afternoon though).

 

[cowmoomoo88]

Just got Hogan Lovells AC. Super happy but I don’t have a lot of time to prepare so I’d really appreciate some help if you’ve been through the process! Thank you!!!

Congrats!'! Is your Hogan AC for VS or TC?

 

[kg]

Has anyone heard anything from slaughters for a direct TC yet?

 

[Andreasyau1]

Just got rejected from Sidley aha

 

[GM]

I'm having second thoughts about the strategy I used to complete a WG test.

I decided not to complete the example questions as I had already done them in a previous practice round by myself the day before so I skipped through them as to maximise my time focusing on the actual questions, but now I'm wondering if my score might be affected by the fact I left the example questions blank (even though the correct response is directly beneath them)?

Sorry I know this is kind of a stupid question but I would hate to not be considered because of such a silly mistake . What do you guys recommend? To simply leave it or to ask Grad Rec about it?

 

[Ifmhouse4]

Has anyone heard anything from slaughters for a direct TC yet?

not yet no! best of luck

 

[Pallatablelawyer]

Just got rejected from Sidley aha

Same haha and you’re already a future trainee! It’s funny how these rejections work.

 

[MVE49]

I'm having second thoughts about the strategy I used to complete a WG test.

I decided not to complete the example questions as I had already done them in a previous practice round by myself the day before so I skipped through them as to maximise my time focusing on the actual questions, but now I'm wondering if my score might be affected by the fact I left the example questions blank (even though the correct response is directly beneath them)?

Sorry I know this is kind of a stupid question but I would hate to not be considered because of such a silly mistake . What do you guys recommend? To simply leave it or to ask Grad Rec about it?

I’ve always wondered this and just filled them in without reading just in case but I highly doubt it actually makes a difference. I would say it would be worse now to contact GR about something like that so just hope for the best, pretty sure it’ll be fine

 

[Gemma Cotton]

How do you know this is their last AC?

Hey, they told me it’s the last vac scheme AC for this cycle when I asked for another date!

 

[GM]

I’ve always wondered this and just filled them in without reading just in case but I highly doubt it actually makes a difference. I would say it would be worse now to contact GR about something like that so just hope for the best, pretty sure it’ll be fine

Yeah I think I'll just leave it and hope the score is not influenced by the example questions. Wouldn't really make sense if it is but you never know!

Thanks

 

[Gemma Cotton]

Hey, they told me it’s the last vac scheme AC for this cycle when I asked for another date!

This is for london aswell! Not sure about other locations!!

 

[Barami]

Just got rejected from Sidley aha

Same

 

[20_AH]

Hey everyone! I'm new here and seem to have a bit of a dilemma! I graduated ages ago from uni and I've worked for 3 years in PE/finance and have been applying to firm but I keep getting rejected. The problem is that I got a 2.2 as my undergrad degree. Does anyone have any advice or any personal experiences to keep me going? I'm feeling so down right now and completely regret how I messed up my undergrad degree but law is my passion! Any advice is welcome

 

[syw]

Has anyone read any good books recently or listened to any podcasts that are especially good for debates surrounding current affairs or sort of big overarching ideas that are current? Just been thinking how I can best prepare for an article discussion and figured this might be a decent approach alongside my general news reading etc

Investors Chronicle (on spotify) is always really good for ongoings with companies/markets - doesn't overcomplicate it either!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

I'm having second thoughts about the strategy I used to complete a WG test.

I decided not to complete the example questions as I had already done them in a previous practice round by myself the day before so I skipped through them as to maximise my time focusing on the actual questions, but now I'm wondering if my score might be affected by the fact I left the example questions blank (even though the correct response is directly beneath them)?

Sorry I know this is kind of a stupid question but I would hate to not be considered because of such a silly mistake . What do you guys recommend? To simply leave it or to ask Grad Rec about it?

Practice questions are not part of the assessment - really don't worry about it.