TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

[gazdgazd11]

weird question but what do applicants carry for an AC? i know that no laptop/water bottles/stationery is needed but turning up without a backpack kinda makes it look like we're not really keen on the opportunity haha. as you can tell by the question, clearly it's my first ac

You come with a backpack. Take whatever stationery, water, whatever you need. But also no one will care if you come with a backpack or not

 

[emma.d]

Hi, can anyone attending the BCLP Real Estate talk this morning with Legal Cheek send me their notes afterwards? I can share notes from the Jones Day deals and Willkie disputes sessions that were yesterday. Thank you so so much

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

Hi! If I have completed the LPC, can I still apply for the direct TC? And if so, what is the starting date for it?

Hi, we have fully transitioned to the SQE, which means LPC graduates will need to take SQE2. This would be funded by the firm for future trainees and the earliest possible start date would be March 26.

 

[Tintin06]

weird question but what do applicants carry for an AC? i know that no laptop/water bottles/stationery is needed but turning up without a backpack kinda makes it look like we're not really keen on the opportunity haha. as you can tell by the question, clearly it's my first ac

I don't like carrying much really. Hands get very clammy very quickly. Backpacks can make your back sweaty. I don't think you need anything. They wouldn't assume you're bringing things. Most of it is provided there. Even water they'll usually give you. Just make sure your phone's charged. So you can easily navigate travelling.

 

[ambitiouscharacter]

BPP states on their website that their SQE course starts in September. Does anyone who is doing/has done the SQE with BPP know if the start date is always uniformly the 1st week of September? If so, I am wondering if missing the 1st week would be problematic, as I may not return to London until the 2nd week

Would appreciate any insight!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

BPP states on their website that their SQE course starts in September. Does anyone who is doing/has done the SQE with BPP know if the start date is always uniformly the 1st week of September? If so, I am wondering if missing the 1st week would be problematic, as I may not return to London until the 2nd week

Would appreciate any insight!

Hiya @ambitiouscharacter

Although I’m currently studying at ULaw, I remember that most of our induction activities and classes didn’t properly begin until later in September. From what I’ve heard from a few peers at BPP, their courses also tended to start around the middle or end of September rather than right at the beginning of the month. However, I’d still recommend reaching out to BPP directly to confirm the exact start date for your specific course, as it can vary slightly depending on the intake or location. If you’re planning to be back in London by the second week of September, you’ll likely be fine (just best to double-check to avoid missing anything important early on).

 

[Kodak123]

Hi @Jessica Booker, just to confirm if you havent started any onboarding process with a Firm, it will still be possible to renege?

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi there, I'm preparing to apply for the direct training contract at Burges Salmon and would really appreciate your thoughts on the three long-answer questions:

Why have you chosen to apply to Burges Salmon for a training contract and what attracts you to our firm?(1,000 characters – approx. 140 words)

What aspects of the solicitor role do you find most interesting? (1,500 characters – approx. 210 words)

Burges Salmon offers a six-seat training contract across a wide range of practice areas. Discuss 3 areas that you would be most interested in spending time in. (2,000 characters – approx. 280 words)

I’m conscious there’s some potential overlap between the questions. For example:
– Q1 will likely include mention of practice areas but should focus more broadly on the firm’s appeal — e.g. sectors, approach, and culture. I think I would include Culture here as it’s the only place I can include.
– Q2 is about the solicitor’s role, but I imagine some references to practice areas and sectors are inevitable. For example, I would say I like exploring novel solutions for clients in light of regulatory, social, and economic changes across diverse practice areas and sectors, then give example.

– Q3 is clearly focused on specific departments, but again, sector interests and the type of work involved are closely tied to why I’d want to sit in them.

I haven’t started drafting yet, but I’m anticipating a bit of back-and-forth editing to avoid repetition while still building a coherent picture across the three responses. How do you go about keeping the answers distinct but cohesive? Will it be trying to mention different practices / sectors in the 3 questions?

I also wondered how many points are realistically expected given the character limits. For Q1, would one detailed reason (or one detailed and one brief) be enough? Since Q1 would be the only question that I could mention culture, it may become the central point, but it looks a bit weak if it becomes the only major point in Q1.

And for Q2, is it fine to focus on just two aspects of the solicitor role, explored in depth?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Btw does anyone know if Burges Salmon recruits on a rolling basis? Checked the FAQ but didn't mention

Hiya @InterestInPublicLaw

This is a great start. Just to address your last question at the outset, Burges Salmon has historically recruited on a non-rolling basis. I think it's worth double-checking whether this is still the case, but from what I can tell they've consistently recruited on this basis in recent cycles.

For Q1, I think it would be great to mention culture here (in addition to whatever else you'd like to say). However, I would avoid making culture the sole focus. You could structure your answer with one paragraph on the firm’s sector strengths or standout client work (and this is where you should be quite specific (referring to particular rankings, clients, or cases if possible, rather than generalities about sector focus)). Then you can even follow with a paragraph covering both culture and even training style/opportunities.

In terms of Q2, I think focusing on two aspects of the solicitor role is perfectly fine and often stronger than trying to cover too many points lightly. Just ensure that for each point you go beyond generic statements. In particular, you'll want to convincingly show how and why the skill or aspect appeals to you, perhaps linking it to how you’ve seen it in practice (through work experience or commercial awareness).

On Q3, I think it’s important to be clear about what the question is asking. In particular, the question is about practice areas, not sectors. A practice area is the seat you're sitting itself (e.g. planning, tax, corporate). A sector, by contrast, is an area of the economy or industry (e.g. energy, infrastructure, or financial services) which may cut across several practice areas. If you are interested in a sector, you can certainly mention it, but you need to frame your answer around the specific seats/teams you would want to experience. For instance, an interest in the energy sector might lead you to choose seats like projects, construction, or planning. Avoid simply writing about sectors in the abstract. The firm is looking for evidence that you understand the nature of the seat work and are making choices based on that understanding.

While some overlap between the three questions is inevitable (and fine), I think it's in the framing of your answers that you will be able to avoid repetition. Use Q1 to establish why the firm appeals to you overall (with culture and sector strength), Q2 to show how you think about and approach the role of a solicitor itself, and Q3 to show that you’ve thought carefully about how to build a training contract that aligns with your interests and future goals.

I hope this is helpful and good luck with the application!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

anyone know if theres a good chance in applying to RPC's direct route, having not done their VS?

Hiya @ohnoselim

While the majority of RPC’s trainees do come through the vacation scheme, it's certainly possible to secure a training contract via the direct route. In fact, I know of several candidates (three from the last cycle alone) who were successful through the direct application route. I think it's very much worth applying if you are interested in the firm. Best of luck with your application!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi @Jessica Booker, just to confirm if you havent started any onboarding process with a Firm, it will still be possible to renege?

You can renege at any point really.

It’s just you really want to do this before you are taking any form of support from the firm, including the onboarding processes for a GDL/SQE course.

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

weird question but what do applicants carry for an AC? i know that no laptop/water bottles/stationery is needed but turning up without a backpack kinda makes it look like we're not really keen on the opportunity haha. as you can tell by the question, clearly it's my first ac

Hiya @futuretraineesolicitor

Great job on getting to your first AC! There’s definitely nothing wrong with not bringing anything to the assessment centre if you haven’t been asked to. In my experience, almost everything you’ll need will be provided on the day (e.g. notepads, pens, water, and anything required for specific exercises). The key thing is to follow any instructions given to you. No one will think you’re any less keen if you turn up without a backpack or bag. Best of luck with the AC!

 

[floleaf]

Has anyone heard back from Orrick?

 

[trainee4u]

Anyone heard from Arnold & Porter or Simkins?

received simkins PFO today.

 

[jy1041405]

I have a question and if anyone knows please give me a piece of advice!

I have been struggling to find a paralegal job and finally I’ve recently interviewed for a paralegal role at a small local criminal defence law firm.

One of the questions was how serious I am about getting into criminal law and although it is definitely one of my interests, it is not IT for me, just yet. I have interests in other areas of law - and ideally, I would like to work in a city law firm eventually.

Which makes me think that how helpful is this experience gonna be for me to get into a city law firm (as a paralegal or TC)?
Would this make me look a bit indecisive as I have a career in a different industry and then a criminal law paralegal and then a city law firm?

I don’t want to waste their time and money to train me up as a criminal law paralegal… I feel like I am overthinking this (without a job offer from them lol) but please share your insight on this! I am not young so I would like to make smart choices 😭

 

[kokoprep]

the worst part about this cycle has been getting to 3 ACs but not being able to attend 2 of them because they wouldnt give a virtual alternative to the AC even if I lived in a different country :/

hey would you mind sharing the name of the firms, just to keep in mind while applying as a person living outside of the UK

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

hey would you mind sharing the name of the firms, just to keep in mind while applying as a person living outside of the UK

in my experience, bakers is one of them, i requested for a remote ac but they refused (direct tc)

 

[legallady123]

received simkins PFO today.

I have a question and if anyone knows please give me a piece of advice!

I have been struggling to find a paralegal job and finally I’ve recently interviewed for a paralegal role at a small local criminal defence law firm.

One of the questions was how serious I am about getting into criminal law and although it is definitely one of my interests, it is not IT for me, just yet. I have interests in other areas of law - and ideally, I would like to work in a city law firm eventually.

Which makes me think that how helpful is this experience gonna be for me to get into a city law firm (as a paralegal or TC)?
Would this make me look a bit indecisive as I have a career in a different industry and then a criminal law paralegal and then a city law firm?

I don’t want to waste their time and money to train me up as a criminal law paralegal… I feel like I am overthinking this (without a job offer from them lol) but please share your insight on this! I am not young so I would like to make smart choices 😭

First of all, congrats on your interview!

I received a TC offer at a large commercial firm only with previous public inquiry and immigration paralegal experience. I work in medical law now and for various reasons I am now applying to other TCs, and am struggling with sounding commercially focused in any of my answers.

I think you will gain transferable skills you can definitely write about in applications which helps, and law firms often recruit career changers. However, I personally think I may have had better luck this year with applications if I had recently worked in more commercially focused areas as a paralegal. I also graduated in 2021, so feel like I can’t really write about being in the commercial law society etc at university as part of my motivation now.

I think any legal experience is good experience, but I just wanted to offer my perspective as someone in a fairly similar position 😊

 

[kokoprep]

in my experience, bakers is one of them, i requested for a remote ac but they refused (direct tc)

In your experience which firms have offered you a virtual Acs?

 

[futuretraineesolicitor]

In your experience which firms have offered you a virtual Acs?

ive only gotten one - bakers.

 

[Tintin06]

Six recruiters view your Linked profile
Three people at White & Case view it.
I didn’t say her name but Molly Hill popped into your head, didn’t she?