TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2022-23

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davinap99

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Junior Lawyer
Jul 29, 2023
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Macfarlanes PFO. I mean this is ridiculous!!! I felt this was my best application and connected with the firm on so many points yet I keep getting rejected every single time at the first stage. Judging by the way I’m going I might never get a TC, very sorry for this depressing post. I literally feel like banging my head against a wall 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I completely understand this feeling! The amount of times that I felt like quitting or banging my head against a wall is unreal. However, hang in there. It will happen even if it takes some time. For example, it took me 4 application cycles before I received my training contract last week from my dream law firm.

During tough times like this, I had one single phrase that got me through the process: ‘If you keep banging on the door long enough, eventually someone will answer the door’. I hope this helps! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or you just want to talk about it (btw this goes for everyone on the forum) 🙂
 

ADKM

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Gold Member
Premium Member
Nov 2, 2022
154
351
I completely understand this feeling! The amount of times that I felt like quitting or banging my head against a wall is unreal. However, hang in there. It will happen even if it takes some time. For example, it took me 4 application cycles before I received my training contract last week from my dream law firm.

During tough times like this, I had one single phrase that got me through the process: ‘If you keep banging on the door long enough, eventually someone will answer the door’. I hope this helps! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or you just want to talk about it (btw this goes for everyone on the forum) 🙂
Thank you so much for your lovely messages. This community is incredible, I honestly would've been a trainwreck without this much encouragement. Btw, congratulations on your TC offer. Its great to see how your overcame so many obstacles to achieve your goal. Your story certainly inspires me, would you be happy if I DM you for some questions?
 

davinap99

Standard Member
Junior Lawyer
Jul 29, 2023
9
36
Thank you so much for your lovely messages. This community is incredible, I honestly would've been a trainwreck without this much encouragement. Btw, congratulations on your TC offer. Its great to see how your overcame so many obstacles to achieve your goal. Your story certainly inspires me, would you be happy if I DM you for some questions?

Thank you and of course! Go for it 🙂
 

Tintin06

Legendary Member
Oct 23, 2019
351
898
If we don’t get through to NRF, we can do FOIA Subject Access Requests for Arctic Shores and WG scores, IIRC. A Macs lawyer once explained this to me (it helps a lot).
 
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Jessica Booker

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TCLA Moderator
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Graduate Recruitment
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Forum Team
Aug 1, 2019
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19,268
I have no solid evidence to back up my statement but I think we should be expecting a PFO unless we hear from them tomorrow :(
I wouldn’t make this assumption. There are lots of reasons why you wouldn’t hear back tomorrow but could still be invited through to the assessment centres, even if they are in a matter of weeks.
 
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Jessica Booker

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If we don’t get through to NRF, we can do FOIA Subject Access Requests for Arctic Shores and WG scores, IIRC. A Macs lawyer once explained this to me (it helps a lot).
You can do a SAR, but to go in with a SAR first is pretty bullish.

Instead, ask for the information to be shared with you, and explain you would seek an SAR if the firm is unable to provide this information.

SARS are exceptionally time consuming and also long winded for both you and the firm. It won’t necessarily result in you getting the information you actually need either. Therefore politely asking the firm to provide the specific information you want is likely to save both you and them time and effort. It’s only if they refuse to give you this information or don’t respond, that you can say you will submit an SAR (this usually prompts them to act, as they will want to do the less manual process of giving you the information without a full SAR).
 

Tintin06

Legendary Member
Oct 23, 2019
351
898
You can do a SAR, but to go in with a SAR first is pretty bullish.

Instead, ask for the information to be shared with you, and explain you would seek an SAR if the firm is unable to provide this information.

SARS are exceptionally time consuming and also long winded for both you and the firm. It won’t necessarily result in you getting the information you actually need either. Therefore politely asking the firm to provide the specific information you want is likely to save both you and them time and effort. It’s only if they refuse to give you this information or don’t respond, that you can say you will submit an SAR (this usually prompts them to act, as they will want to do the less manual process of giving you the information without a full SAR).
Fair enough. I guess they seemed more applicable to getting notes made at interview.

For anyone thinking of that, I did an SAR for a US firm a few years ago and got detailed info.
 

Jessica Booker

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Aug 1, 2019
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Fair enough. I guess they seemed more applicable to getting notes made at interview.

For anyone thinking of that, I did an SAR for a US firm a few years ago and got detailed info.
The last SAR I did took over 3 working days (in terms of hours needed to do it) across 3 internal teams to conduct.

For anyone thinking about it, a whole load of people requesting SARS is only going to hinder recruitment more generally and slow things down - please only do it as a last resort and if the firm refuses to provide the information you want.
 
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