TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

[LawIsInTheAir]

Check your junk because a lot of us on here got emails on the 20th with yes, no, and maybes.

I checked, there’s nothing anywhere, and no reply from Grad Rec…

 

[traineesolicitor123]

Hi @Jessica Booker ,

Freshfields has a section for a "Brief Summary of prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility". Can this be in bullet points, or should it be in prose? And does each prize/position of responsibility have to be explained, or just mentioned?

Also, should I only add achievements here that are not mentioned anywhere else in the application? Or can certain achievements be repeated if they are important?

Finally, what type of achievements should be included within this section? Would moots and debates fall within the ambit of "prizes"? Or is it restricted to academic prizes?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker ,

Freshfields has a section for a "Brief Summary of prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility". Can this be in bullet points, or should it be in prose? And does each prize/position of responsibility have to be explained, or just mentioned?

Also, should I only add achievements here that are not mentioned anywhere else in the application? Or can certain achievements be repeated if they are important?

Finally, what type of achievements should be included within this section? Would moots and debates fall within the ambit of "prizes"? Or is it restricted to academic prizes?

I would write in short sentences - I wouldn't bullet point it, but you can afford to be super concise.

I would explain things where it needs to be explained - for instance, you can't assume your reader understands the prize name unless the name itself makes it obvious.

If you only have a short amount of words (think it's 100-150 from memory), then you may need to be selective in what you include. Therefore repeating detail from other sections might be a waste. It really depends on what you put in this section.

Any achievements can be put in here though - they don't need to be academic.

 

[traineesolicitor123]

Would really appreciate an answer on this, if anyone knows.

I have completed the application and personal statement, I am just unsure as to whether the personal statement still needs to be pasted into the template Freshfields previously provided.

TIA

Hi, did anyone figure out if a template is necessary for the Freshfields personal statement? I think it was compulsory earlier, but I can no longer find it on their website and it's not on the portal either. So is it not a requirement anymore?

 

[Rina]

Hi, did anyone figure out if a template is necessary for the Freshfields personal statement? I think it was compulsory earlier, but I can no longer find it on their website and it's not on the portal either. So is it not a requirement anymore?

I don’t think it’s a requirement anymore. I typed up my statement in a Word doc with name + title in the header and submitted it as-is both for the Workshop and the TC app.

 

[traineesolicitor123]

I don’t think it’s a requirement anymore. I typed up my statement in a Word doc with name + title in the header and submitted it as-is both for the Workshop and the TC app.

Hi, thanks for your response! If you don't mind me asking, did the firm take the application forward to an interview for either the Workshop or the TC App? Just wanted to gauge whether they look at the lack of a template unfavourably.

 

[Rina]

Hi, thanks for your response! If you don't mind me asking, did the firm take the application forward to an interview for either the Workshop or the TC App? Just wanted to gauge whether they look at the lack of a template unfavourably.

I was accepted onto the Workshop and am still waiting to hear back on the TC app. In any case there is no template to download anymore so I wouldn’t worry too much about this! I’ve also attended their online application session and no template was mentioned, so they must have phased it out at some point.

 

[yasmars]

I was accepted onto the Workshop and am still waiting to hear back on the TC app. In any case there is no template to download anymore so I wouldn’t worry too much about this! I’ve also attended their online application session and no template was mentioned, so they must have phased it out at some point.

Hi, how did you structure your personal statement? Was the majority of your statement 'why you'?

 

[Rina]

Hi, how did you structure your personal statement? Was the majority of your statement 'why you'?

Following the structure they recommended at the application session I attended, I had a pretty even split between “Why Freshfields”, “Why commercial law” “Why you”.

 

[FutureTraineeWannabe]

Hi Guys, does anyone have any case study materials or knows where to find them? Thanks so much

 

[hopefullawyer123]

Hi @Jessica Booker - I hope you are well

A question from Fieldfisher is ‘what are the top five skills you believe a trainee needs to be a successful commercial lawyer and why?’

The word limit is 2000 characters - around 300 plus words. I have some word count left ( as I initially thought the word limit was 250 words) so should I briefly link an example of how I have demonstrate each skill?

Would this be beneficial to my answer or should I use the extra word count to add additional details to explaining the skill/ it’s importance instead?

thanks in advance

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker - I hope you are well

A question from Fieldfisher is ‘what are the top five skills you believe a trainee needs to be a successful commercial lawyer and why?’

The word limit is 2000 characters - around 300 plus words. I have some word count left ( as I initially thought the word limit was 250 words) so should I briefly link an example of how I have demonstrate each skill?

Would this be beneficial to my answer or should I use the extra word count to add additional details to explaining the skill/ it’s importance instead?

thanks in advance

I would go with the latter in explaining the skills' importance.

 

[Browncatto]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone knew of firms still recruiting for 23/24? I've noted Kennedys is one but that about it.

 

[futuretrainee202X]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone knew of firms still recruiting for 23/24? I've noted Kennedys is one but that about it.

Quite a few firms. Here's a list from LCN (with filters applied for 23' and 24'.)

Training contract deadlines | Law training contracts

If you are looking for law training contracts, you need to have a strong grasp of when your target firms have their training contract deadlines! This page is designed to provide a list of firms’ deadlines for training contract applications.

www.lawcareers.net

 

[lawyering]

Quite a few firms. Here's a list from LCN (with filters applied for 23' and 24'.)

Training contract deadlines | Law training contracts

If you are looking for law training contracts, you need to have a strong grasp of when your target firms have their training contract deadlines! This page is designed to provide a list of firms’ deadlines for training contract applications.

www.lawcareers.net

hey @Browncatto I would use this in conjunction with contacting the firms listed, as I have found that LCN is really unreliable for application deadlines (and have missed a deadline before because of this!!)

 

[traineesolicitor123]

Does Latham generally hire from the training contract route too or just vacation scheme? And are applications rolling?

 

[Browncatto]

Just completed the application for PwC's summer vacation scheme. It's literally just a form for your to put down your grades and nothing else. Is there something I'm missing?

 

[traineesolicitor123]

Does Freshfields only require you to pass a particular Watson Glaser benchmark, or does it take your percentile into account while deciding whether to invite you to an interview?

 

[BM99]

Does Freshfields only require you to pass a particular Watson Glaser benchmark, or does it take your percentile into account while deciding whether to invite you to an interview?

They will take your percentile into account

 

[traineesolicitor123]

They will take your percentile into account

Hey, thanks for your response! Any idea what a good percentile is for Freshfields?

Also, I'm a little confused about the Freshfields screening process. Getting a Watson Glaser invite isn't automatic but seems to be after an application review. After that though, are AC invites on the basis of just Watson Glaser percentiles? Or do they review applications again post the Watson Glaser?