TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

[futuretrainee202X]

I applied to Linklater's China-London TC and was invited to an interview to test my mandarin skills, but I don't really know what to expect or how to prepare. Has anyone else attended this, or anything similar? I'm unsure whether it is an actual language test, or a normal HR/competency interview conducted in mandarin.

Any insight would be appreciated! (@Jessica Booker not sure if you have any knowledge on how these international TC interviews operate?). Thanks!

For speaking, it can be anywhere from reading a BD-related passage on their website out loud (I did a few of these and passed) to doing a client pitch after reading a commercial-related excerpt. Make sure to brush up on your simplified Chinese comprehension skills - I can do both traditional and simplified but am more comfortable with the latter. If you're a Cantonese speaker, also make sure you brush up on phonetics (i.e., Bo/po/mo/fo) and verbal fluency which I know a lot of native Cantonese speakers struggle with as the dialects are quite different.

Make sure to practice a good self-intro + discuss your experiences in relation to the trainee solicitor role - the challenge is translating the technical aspects (i.e., "issuance" or "contract review" to Chinese).

Writing is likely a translation test with an English passage -> Chinese and a Chinese passage -> English. If it's a large MC firm, you'll translate a 1-page piece of news from the Financial Times or the New York Times. Brush up on specific vocabulary (i.e., private equity) - I initially struggled with that but overcame that hump after revising for my next test where I had to write a short excerpt advising shareholder protection to a hypothetical client in CN.

 

[futuretrainee202X]

For Hogan Lovell's WG test, the email states "Please complete the test within three days of receiving this email.". I received the email today at 10 am. Does it mean the deadline to complete is Saturday 10 am?

 

[jobless13]

Anyone did Clyde AC today? What are the interview questions and exercises?

Yes please! Any tips would be super helpful as this is my first AC and I want to ace it.

 

[babylawyer2023]

Anyone have any advice on Kennedy's VI? Thank you so much

 

[legalese27]

Heard back from CC around 3:30 today!! Successful woop woop!! 😅

Any news on CC? 🥲

Heard back from CC around 3:30 today!! Successful woop woop!! 😅

 

[Strawberries]

Heard back from CC around 3:30 today!! Successful woop woop!! 😅

Heard back from CC around 3:30 today!! Successful woop woop!! 😅

Congratulations!

 

[ScoUting]

Does anyone know if Roenblatt or Memery Crystal still do training contracts? Memery's website is very out of date.

 

[legalese27]

Guys who are waiting on CC, something I've noticed from previous application cycles is that, when their portal says 'updated' or 'completed', chances are the decision is made and you will get a response the very next day. This was certainly what happened to me 2 years ago when I interviewed and got my outcome, this is what happened this time when I was invited to the AC on 20th Dec and my portal was updated on 19th and this has been the case today when getting my CC outcome (successful) as my portal updated yesterday.

This is just the pattern I've noticed, maybe not the same for others but potentially so.

 

[Strawberries]

Guys who are waiting on CC, something I've noticed from previous application cycles is that, when their portal says 'updated' or 'completed', chances are the decision is made and you will get a response the very next day. This was certainly what happened to me 2 years ago when I interviewed and got my outcome, this is what happened this time when I was invited to the AC on 20th Dec and my portal was updated on 19th and this has been the case today when getting my CC outcome (successful) as my portal updated yesterday.

This is just the pattern I've noticed, maybe not the same for others but potentially so.

What day was your AC this year?

 

[Momo]

Hello @Jessica Booker, I d like to ask a question. From your experience reading applications, what are the factors that make the answer to "why commercial law" interesting?

After watching Paul's (from Shearman & Sterling) video on application mistakes, I d like to avoid coming up with a boring answer. Thanks in advance! I appreciate it.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hello @Jessica Booker, I d like to ask a question. From your experience reading applications, what are the factors that make the answer to "why commercial law" interesting?

After watching Paul's (from Shearman & Sterling) video on application mistakes, I d like to avoid coming up with a boring answer. Thanks in advance! I appreciate it.

The way to not make it boring is to make it about you rather than just the claim you are making.

For instance, saying “I want to work in commercial law because it is challenging and fast paced” is a pretty boring statement.

But saying something like “I enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the transactional work I did during my legal internship at Joe Bloggs LLP. I found the work challenging, particularly when having to consider an oil company’s multi jurisdictional assets alongside the macro economic aspects impacting their value.”

The above is a very simplistic/basic (and possibly not even realistic) example, but shows how using your individual experiences will make your answer less boring/more unique.

 

[Momo]

The way to not make it boring is to make it about you rather than just the claim you are making.

For instance, saying “I want to work in commercial law because it is challenging and fast paced” is a pretty boring statement.

But saying something like “I enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the transactional work I did during my legal internship at Joe Bloggs LLP. I found the work challenging, particularly when having to consider an oil company’s multi jurisdictional assets alongside the macro economic aspects impacting their value.”

The above is a very simplistic/basic (and possibly not even realistic) example, but shows how using your individual experiences will make your answer less boring/more unique.

Ahhh i understood now. Thank you so much for this! I really appreciate it a lot.

 

[FutureTraineeWannabe]

Good luck comrades for the waiting game today! 🥲

 

[HopefulFutureTrainee123]

Is there a list of firms who recruit meaningfully from direct TC applications? Especially for firms that have later deadlines for direct apps

 

[legaleagle2000]

Any response from CC?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is there a list of firms who recruit meaningfully from direct TC applications? Especially for firms that have later deadlines for direct apps

Any firm whose TC numbers are similar or higher than the number of VS spaces will recruit a decent number of direct trainees. Not all VS applicants are offered, and of those who are offered, not all of them will accept, and so if a firm recruits 20 vac schemers and 20 trainees, there is a good chance that 8+ of those trainees will be recruited from direct TCs.

 

[corplawyer123]

Guys who are waiting on CC, something I've noticed from previous application cycles is that, when their portal says 'updated' or 'completed', chances are the decision is made and you will get a response the very next day. This was certainly what happened to me 2 years ago when I interviewed and got my outcome, this is what happened this time when I was invited to the AC on 20th Dec and my portal was updated on 19th and this has been the case today when getting my CC outcome (successful) as my portal updated yesterday.

This is just the pattern I've noticed, maybe not the same for others but potentially so.

Did yours read 'Completed' or 'Updated'?

 

[corplawyer123]

This CC wait is crazy painful

 

[legaleagle2000]

Everyone who did the CC AC- how do you guys think it went?

 

[LL]

For speaking, it can be anywhere from reading a BD-related passage on their website out loud (I did a few of these and passed) to doing a client pitch after reading a commercial-related excerpt. Make sure to brush up on your simplified Chinese comprehension skills - I can do both traditional and simplified but am more comfortable with the latter. If you're a Cantonese speaker, also make sure you brush up on phonetics (i.e., Bo/po/mo/fo) and verbal fluency which I know a lot of native Cantonese speakers struggle with as the dialects are quite different.

Make sure to practice a good self-intro + discuss your experiences in relation to the trainee solicitor role - the challenge is translating the technical aspects (i.e., "issuance" or "contract review" to Chinese).

Writing is likely a translation test with an English passage -> Chinese and a Chinese passage -> English. If it's a large MC firm, you'll translate a 1-page piece of news from the Financial Times or the New York Times. Brush up on specific vocabulary (i.e., private equity) - I initially struggled with that but overcame that hump after revising for my next test where I had to write a short excerpt advising shareholder protection to a hypothetical client in CN.

Thank you so much!