TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[BRo]

For direct TC's - if you were to receive a phone call saying you're being offered a TC, how long should you give grad rec to email over the paperwork before chasing?

Freshfields ?

 

[allthingslegaltech]

Freshfields ?

Nah, I don't think I've seen anyone who's heard owt from Freshfields post AC

 

[lawgrad1]

Does anyone know if Slaughter and May tend to contact both your academic referee and employer referee if you get to that stage?

 

[SCN]

Does anyone know if Slaughter and May tend to contact both your academic referee and employer referee if you get to that stage?

I think they only contact if they're going to offer you a TC (I'm not too sure about the vac schemes)

 

[lawgrad1]

I think they only contact if they're going to offer you a TC (I'm not too sure about the vac schemes)

Apparently they have scheduled a call with my academic referee but just not sure whether to update my employer in case they call her too! Trying not to get my hopes up in case haha

 

[Law2022]

Just received my feedback from the Latham test and my weakness was analytical/critical thinking, loool why am I so useless at these tests😭

 

[SCN]

Apparently they have scheduled a call with my academic referee but just not sure whether to update my employer in case they call her too! Trying not to get my hopes up in case haha

I'd say give your employer a call too, it's nice to give them a heads up

 

[NaimK]

Please summarise for us what a commercial lawyer does (250 words)

This is a question on Ashurst's application form. Does this basically get at commercial awareness and are we expected to use our understanding of law firms as a business within this answer?

 

[vacschemeapss]

Hey- no news from FF TC post WG? I wrote it around a month ago and scored 80 percentile. Is there still scope?

 

[djqb]

Hey- no news from FF TC post WG? I wrote it around a month ago and scored 80 percentile. Is there still scope?

How do you find out the percentile please? Thanks 🙏

 

[TC fiend]

Hey- no news from FF TC post WG? I wrote it around a month ago and scored 80 percentile. Is there still scope?

I don’t think anyone can conclusively tell you yes or no but the one thing that is certain is that it’s not a rejection until you receive a rejection 🤷🏻‍♀️I did mine on February 11th and received my AC invite on the 18th, but that doesn’t mean they’re not looking at later ones now. I know it feels like garbage advice but you really only can hang tight and wait.

 

[Lawbour]

How do you find out the percentile please? Thanks 🙏

Hiya, you can email grad rec for this 😊

 

[AvniD]

Please summarise for us what a commercial lawyer does (250 words)

This is a question on Ashurst's application form. Does this basically get at commercial awareness and are we expected to use our understanding of law firms as a business within this answer?

You need to focus more on talking about the role of a commercial lawyer rather than your commercial awareness or how law firms operate as a business.

Elaborate on how commercial lawyers advise their clients, work with other lawyers on deals, represent their clients in negotiations, are involved in business development and training etc. You could pick a deal the firm has done recently and use it as an example to break down how commercial lawyers would have been involved in it at different stages and in what capacity.

This breaks down a commercial lawyer's role fairly well- you can use it as a springboard for your answer.

 

[Crystal86]

Hi! Does anyone know if NRF recruit on a rolling basis?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

You need to focus more on talking about the role of a commercial lawyer rather than your commercial awareness or how law firms operate as a business.

Elaborate on how commercial lawyers advise their clients, work with other lawyers on deals, represent their clients in negotiations, are involved in business development and training etc. You could pick a deal the firm has done recently and use it as an example to break down how commercial lawyers would have been involved in it at different stages and in what capacity.

This breaks down a commercial lawyer's role fairly well- you can use it as a springboard for your answer.

To add to @AvniD 's great advice, my one tip for this type of question is to think about why companies instruct lawyer rather than just use their own in-house teams. This can often give you some insight into where commercial lawyers provided "added value" which in turn may help to identify their purpose and benefits.

 

[TCApp2021]

I’ve been invited to an AC for a direct TC and was given the option of 3 slots. The first two are in the next two weeks and the last one is in exactly a month. I picked the last one as this will be my first full-day AC so I wanted to the extra time to prep (I work full-time so can only prep on weekends).

The email invite recommends booking onto the earliest available assessment day that able to attend as recruitment is on a rolling-basis. Will I be adversely affected by going for the latest one- can this last slot be cancelled if TC spaces are filled in the first two? Does it become more competitive/harder at later AC slots? If so I might change to the one in two weeks.
@Jessica Booker would really appreciate your advice.

 

[lawcurious]

Has anybody heard back from Kingsley's Open Day acceptance?

 

[macala russell]

Has anyone heard back from Hogan Lovells post direct TC app?

heard back today!

 

[BRo]

heard back today!

Post WG or post app ?

 

[macala russell]

Post WG or post app ?

post WG