TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

[Law2021vacschemer]

Anyone who's yet to hear back from NRF (Spring vs) and Bakers (Summer vs) post WG tests?

I’m still waiting on Bakers post-WG (sat the WG 10 days ago), but have heard some people hearing back much quicker.

 

[Imababysolicitor]

Has anyone got tips for the AG VI? I seem to always fail these!

Sorry I can’t offer any advice, but could I ask when you applied and heard back?

 

[manchester12]

Is anyone applying to TLT?? is there anywhere to put work experience?

 

[thirdtimelucky]

Has anyone heard back from Stephenson Harwood (Spring)? I feel like it’s been ages and I’ve only seen one positive post on the forum!

 

[YUKI1201]

Anyone who's yet to hear back from NRF (Spring vs) and Bakers (Summer vs) post WG tests?

I'm also waiting for Bakers post-WG (did the WG on 7th so I suppose it'll take some time)

 

[YUKI1201]

Hi all! I'm drafting my cover letter and not sure which approach I should take. In explaining 'why me', would it be better to 1) just give details of experiences and let the GR infer the skills or 2) highlight what skills I developed in those experiences and describe how they can be applied in commercial law/the firm?
Appreciate any tips!!

 

[Jessica Booker]

This is what Freeths legal assistant programme says "We recruit Legal Assistants on a rolling basis throughout the year. We request that candidates apply towards the end of their degree" does that mean that I shouldn't apply during the beginning of my academic year or they just rather you don't?

I wouldn’t apply until 8-12 weeks until your academic course is coming to an end.

 

[Law2021vacschemer]

Hi all! I'm drafting my cover letter and not sure which approach I should take. In explaining 'why me', would it be better to 1) just give details of experiences and let the GR infer the skills or 2) highlight what skills I developed in those experiences and describe how they can be applied in commercial law/the firm?
Appreciate any tips!!

I tend to start with a skill e.g ‘I am well suited to a career as a commercial solicitor due to my strong team working skills’, and then I’ll explain an experience I have that demonstrates that, and then I’ll explain why this is an important skill for a commercial solicitor. Hope that helps!

 

[violeta]

Has anyone got tips for the AG VI? I seem to always fail these!

Hey - can I ask when you applied / got the VI invite?

 

[YUKI1201]

I tend to start with a skill e.g ‘I am well suited to a career as a commercial solicitor due to my strong team working skills’, and then I’ll explain an experience I have that demonstrates that, and then I’ll explain why this is an important skill for a commercial solicitor. Hope that helps!

Thank you!! ^^

 

[M1999]

Hey - can I ask when you applied / got the VI invite?

Applied on the deadline, got the vi Friday

 

[M1999]

Sorry I can’t offer any advice, but could I ask when you applied and heard back?

Applied 6th, heard back 7th

 

[ellek]

I have an interview at Slaughter & May coming up and have a question about answering questions like 'why the firm' and 'why commercial law'. I have already written a cover letter that covers these two questions. Does that mean I should expand on what I have already written, repeat it in new words or have a completely new answer?

 

[Law2021vacschemer]

I have an interview at Slaughter & May coming up and have a question about answering questions like 'why the firm' and 'why commercial law'. I have already written a cover letter that covers these two questions. Does that mean I should expand on what I have already written, repeat it in new words or have a completely new answer?

Hey I’m also preparing for my S&M interview coming up. I plan to say similar things about why Slaughters & why commercial law, but expand on the points I made in more detail. I am planning to try to introduce knowledge about the firm that I didn’t mention in my cover letter in the why slaughters question but mostly by expanding on what I already said.

 

[Jessica Booker]

I have an interview at Slaughter & May coming up and have a question about answering questions like 'why the firm' and 'why commercial law'. I have already written a cover letter that covers these two questions. Does that mean I should expand on what I have already written, repeat it in new words or have a completely new answer?

It’s about expanding your answers more than repeating the same thing or saying something completely different.

 

[Rob93]

I have an interview at Slaughter & May coming up and have a question about answering questions like 'why the firm' and 'why commercial law'. I have already written a cover letter that covers these two questions. Does that mean I should expand on what I have already written, repeat it in new words or have a completely new answer?

Yes, I would take this as an opportunity to build out what you've already said and add anything you might have omitted from the application but which you think might be an interesting conversation point.

 

[Miki3999]

I have an interview at Slaughter & May coming up and have a question about answering questions like 'why the firm' and 'why commercial law'. I have already written a cover letter that covers these two questions. Does that mean I should expand on what I have already written, repeat it in new words or have a completely new answer?

Think these answers through many times because partners will likely grill you and ask, for example, why you did something related to public law/academia etc despite the fact that you are applying for a corporate law job. Think also how they can question you on these answers (they are not asking tricky questions, but will likely question you from every possible angle to see how you react to such questions)

 

[Amanpreet Kaur]

Right so JD really runs this as a USP - I'm not sure how different they really are than some other firms on this point, but it's obviously very important to them.

One thing here is structural - JD operates a unitary partnership, including profit share across borders. Cf. Baker McKenzie, which is similarly globally distributed but operates as a Swiss Verein, with profits siloed by operating entity (usually per jurisdiction).

What proponents of unitary Partnership will tell you is that their model is better because it means that the team in, say, Singapore is fully incentivised to give their all on an instruction originating in, say, Paris. The criticism of the Verein model by contrast is that there is an incentive in each office to prioritise work originated there over work brought in from other offices. Proponents of the Verein will say this problem is overstated, that there's a global commitment to the brand, and the offices aren't siloed for operational purposes. All of this is debatable - JD obviously leans into the unitary model so think through those advantages.

The 'no home office' component follows a related line of argument. There's a perception that the global firms which have grown out of the US and UK are still 'domiciled' in their home country, that they're best suited to work originating in the home country or to be conducted in that home country. This is obviously somewhat true for like, Slaughters and Wachtell, which have minimal global footprints. It is arguably somewhat true for the American PE heavyweights/spec firms, simply because a huge amount of PE work is American capital flowing into int'l businesses - although the UK, Europe and Asia all have their own thriving PE industries, American investment firms loom large.
Firms like JD, W&C, Bakers, (the list goes on) will say 'it doesn't matter where we came from, what matters is where we are and where we're going' - they do not want to be perceived as American firms. This is partly about projecting global competence (we can deal with your problem in any jurisdiction) and partly about appealing to global clients (we are not a local office of a foreign outfit, we are as much part of the legal market of [country] as [notable domestic firm].'

Thank you so much for the detailed response!! This has definitely clarified the two main reasons for their 'one firm worldwide' ethos.

 

[Law2022]

Does anybody know where you can find a list of some of Skadden's clients? TIA

 

[Rob93]

Thank you so much for the detailed response!! This has definitely clarified the two main reasons for their 'one firm worldwide' ethos.

My pleasure. A fun anecdote I'll share - back in the Before Times I went into JD's office for a presentation evening. This would've been autumn 2019. An attendee grilled the partners on the firm's association with Donald Trump - I believe they represented him on some matters, and there was a revolving door between the DC partnership and the White House.

The London partner to whom the question was addressed went to great pains to dissociate the London office from all of this - I can only imagine how alienating that must have been to any more conservative-minded aspirants in the room. I suppose 'one firm worldwide' substantiates his point to the extent that London is not subordinate to DC. On the other hand I'm not sure how 'well, we really have nothing to do with all of that' fits in with that motto. In any case I got a chuckle out of it.

None of this is a dig at JD, they were all lovely people and I've got a friend who's teed up to train there. I just find this very funny.