TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

[Jessica Booker]

Hi all, I would love some advice. I have received a verbal TC offer from my favourite firm (all a bit of a surprise as the AC I attended was for the vac scheme so I wasn’t anticipating this). It’s been a week now and I haven’t received the written offer but GR have confirmed that they are in the process of doing it.

I have withdrawn an application for another AC I was invited to as I’m currently away so couldn’t make it. However, I have another AC to attend next week and I’m unsure whether to withdraw my application yet. I have pretty much verbally accepted the TC from my favourite firm but until I have signed the contact it doesn’t feel very certain and I’m wondering whether it is a smart idea to still attend the AC next week. I know that if I was offered a TC from firm B (the one with the AC) I would still accept the TC from my favourite firm so would prefer to just withdraw my application for firm B. Not really too sure what to do as I’m sure the contract will come through this week but I would prefer to let firm B know ASAP if I am withdrawing so someone else may be able to attend the AC.

I would explain this briefly to Grad Rec. Explain you’d like to withdraw from another firm’s process but you are reluctant to do this until you have a written offer, and therefore is their any chance your written offer could be sent this week.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Heard that MC firms prefer younger candidates (still at uni or final year at uni). US firms prefer candidates with broad work experience (not just legal but also in other sectors). At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game. We’ll get there eventually

Not sure if this is true - the three MC firms I worked for all took career changers on regularly - there would always be people in their late 20s/30s in each intake.

However, they were all strict on the requirements of what stage of your academics you had to be in for vac schemes, which led to more “straight out of uni” trainees who converted from vacation schemes.

 

[BonanzaBih_]

Has anyone has experience with AG VI? Are they more commercial or competency based? Would love any advice

 

[SemperParatus]

Hi everyone, are we allowed to get our Hogan Lovells test scores back?

 

[EMB]

idk if anyone was in the same situation but figured i'd post this in case anyone was but i did my test for fieldfisher back in dec and haven't heard back (Direct TC london). i emailed asking if there's an update (i never do this tbh!) and they said i still have to do my test and so they sent me the link again which didn't work as ofc i had already done it back in december and just now i got the email saying they will review my app form and test scores.

if anyone was in the same boat as me (i.e. crickets since test a while ago) i'd recommend reaching out as i don't think they received my test back when i did it! a little frustrating as ik it was rolling so i made an effort to apply early so i suspect this will affect my chances of progressing oh well these things happen sometimes!

I had also done the test a while ago, yet I also received an email saying they would review my app form and test scores today; some people received emails today that the spots are almost filled, so their applications will not progress so I don't think I will even get a telephone interview lol.

 

[BM99]

Hi everyone, are we allowed to get our Hogan Lovells test scores back?

Yeah, but don’t expect any response from them

 

[Hjaym]

So are Simmons ME just not gonna get back to applicants? I was told I would hear back soon in November .

Honestly started doubting there is a TC at this point. ME vac schemes and TCs seem chaotic!

 

[VV]

thank you I applied on the deadline! what about you?

Did you get a confirmation acknowledging receipt of the application?

 

[Cynthia14]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jessica! Does law students usually more likely to get a TC than non-law? from personal observation, feel like more law students are getting their offers

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jessica! Does law students usually more likely to get a TC than non-law? from personal observation, feel like more law students are getting their offers

I don’t think that’s the case. There will be more law students than non law, so that why it might seem like more of them are getting offers.

 

[missingh]

I had also done the test a while ago, yet I also received an email saying they would review my app form and test scores today; some people received emails today that the spots are almost filled, so their applications will not progress so I don't think I will even get a telephone interview lol.

oh that is frustrating we both did the test a while ago assuming you also made an effort to apply earlier rather than near the deadline too? i feel the same, the fact i only got the email today saying they received my test scores makes me think its very unlikely that I'll proceed to TI as there's like 2/3 more stages after the test

 

[missingh]

I think if your own analysis identifies your written output could have been stronger in one instance, then don’t be afraid to highlight this.

1) it sounds like other written work was okay, so clearly it is not a consistent issue

2) as you have highlighted you feel you have learned from your more recent experiences on how to write more like a lawyer, so you have developed since the decision was made

Rather than focusing on the negative of being out of place while you were there, you can focus on the positive that the experience has allowed you to reevaluate your motivations/expectations, and you have realised what you want going forward (rather than what you don’t want).

Ok great I see what you mean! thank you so much for taking the time to answer this @Jessica Booker

 

[SemperParatus]

Any news post-WG for Hogan Lovells London?

 

[HB2024]

Are there other questions on the application form or just these statements?

Just these statements.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Just these statements.

Then I would take the approach of it covering why law, why the firm, and why you (doesn’t have to be in that order), in a similar way to what you would do with a cover letter, but with none of the formalities of a letter.

 

[axelbeugre]

@Jessica Booker Hi Jessica! Does law students usually more likely to get a TC than non-law? from personal observation, feel like more law students are getting their offers

I think that this is not necessarily the case but law students are more inclined to apply to vacation scheme and training contracts because they are exposed to this industry earlier on in their university journey. In my law firm, 8 people out of 14 who got the training contract with me were non-law, so it really goes to show you that it just depends on different factors.

 

[axelbeugre]

I dont get how, in multiple cycles, i can get past the app stage for firms that recruit less than 10 trainees per year yet cant get past the app stage for mc firms that recruit like 100 trainees. I know there are factors like difference in the number of application and stuff but i feel like at least one app should have made the first stage percentage wise

I totally understand this as last year I did not get a single assessment centre for the magic circle but US firms with less than 15 training contract offers per year were giving offers the day I applied. It is really strange, however I think you should not focus on that too much.

There are so many factors that go into why or why not you get an assessment centre invite or not and most of them do not even depend on you and so you should go and apply where you are wanted and where you know they are going to appreciate your background.

I found that US firms do appreciate people with different skills, educational background and professional experiences and that might be why I was successful with US firms more, despite their cohort being very small. In my experience, it seems as though magic circle do tend to prefer more traditional backgrounds and that might explain why I personally was never successful.

Having said that I never wanted to be in a magic circle firm so it never bothered me as much. I think that you should not allow this thought to make you feel like you are not good enough for magic circle. The way I see it is you might be better suited for other firms that might appreciate more what you have to offer.

 

[norothrow324]

Does anyone know the benchmark for the freshfields WG?

 

[HB2024]

Then I would take the approach of it covering why law, why the firm, and why you (doesn’t have to be in that order), in a similar way to what you would do with a cover letter, but with none of the formalities of a letter.

That’s really helpful, thank you!

 

[norothrow324]

how quickly did Freshfields reach out for AC or rejection post wg?