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

[Ambs123]

my face after Mishcon VI - I have never in my life been so shocked than I was with the last question.
genuine question- does it matter if you remain calm, confident and keep answering the question even if the subject matter may have been less than?
So upset that it went poorly

Literally felt the same! My answer was all over the place ahh!

 

[Legalmel_99]

Is this for Gateley? How was it?

Yeah I got 6,9,7,7 for the interactive assessments

 

[LawEnthus]

Has anyone received the email with instructions for Gowling AC on Tuesday? It said in my booking confirmation we would receive one ‘no later than 48hrs before the assessment day’ but it is now under 48hrs

 

[lawful_neutral216]

A firm has asked for my transcripts before my AC next week. Do you think I could potentially get questioned on my grades at uni (specially the poor ones) Asking because I have mitigating circumstances which impacted my uni grades in second year. So I am trying to figure out the best way to answer a question like this.

@Jessica Booker Wondering if you would have inputs on this?

 

[GXA123]

A firm has asked for my transcripts before my AC next week. Do you think I could potentially get questioned on my grades at uni (specially the poor ones) Asking because I have mitigating circumstances which impacted my uni grades in second year. So I am trying to figure out the best way to answer a question like this.

@Jessica Booker Wondering if you would have inputs on this?

I think it is only to confirm with the grades on the your app form, it will have nothing to do with interviews and so on.

 

[ISABE11A]

This is a silly question but... when answering 'what difficulty may arise when operating in country X' and discussing political difficulties: what is the reasoning? Is it that general political difficulties may affect clients, re taxation or changes to laws, or the firm itself? My head has gone totally blank!

 

[Jessica Booker]

A firm has asked for my transcripts before my AC next week. Do you think I could potentially get questioned on my grades at uni (specially the poor ones) Asking because I have mitigating circumstances which impacted my uni grades in second year. So I am trying to figure out the best way to answer a question like this.

@Jessica Booker Wondering if you would have inputs on this?

Just a quick question before I provide more guidance - were your module grades on your application form?

 

[Jessica Booker]

This is a silly question but... when answering 'what difficulty may arise when operating in country X' and discussing political difficulties: what is the reasoning? Is it that general political difficulties may affect clients, re taxation or changes to laws, or the firm itself? My head has gone totally blank!

I won't be an expert on this (I am the least commercially aware person on this forum!) but I would assume it could impact the firm and its clients. It will really depend on what the difficulty is. Sometimes it might be more difficult to operate as a law firm in that country (e.g. changes to legal systems via politics) but in other ways, it might be that the political aspects are impacting the economy more broadly on either a micro or macro level, and therefore impacting clients ability to operate in that country/region. As a law firm is also a business, the same could apply to them too.

I think going into the specifics of what the political difficulties are and the implications for either the legal system, economy or markets will help you identify who it could be impacting most.

 

[ISABE11A]

I won't be an expert on this (I am the least commercially aware person on this forum!) but I would assume it could impact the firm and its clients. It will really depend on what the difficulty is. Sometimes it might be more difficult to operate as a law firm in that country (e.g. changes to legal systems via politics) but in other ways, it might be that the political aspects are impacting the economy more broadly on either a micro or macro level, and therefore impacting clients ability to operate in that country/region. As a law firm is also a business, the same could apply to them too.

I think going into the specifics of what the political difficulties are and the implications for either the legal system, economy or markets will help you identify who it could be impacting most.

That actually really helped with pointing me in the right direction, thank you!

 

[AL123456]

Does anyone know if the Links ACs are in person or online? My portal says face to face interview but the email says they will use webex and so I was confused

 

[Commerciallaw]

Does anyone know if the Links ACs are in person or online? My portal says face to face interview but the email says they will use webex and so I was confused

it is online

 

[lawful_neutral216]

Just a quick question before I provide more guidance - were your module grades on your application form?

Yes all grades were present on my application form.

 

[RachelLouise22]

Has anyone done an Eversheds AC this cycle?

 

[Miki3999]

Yes all grades were present on my application form.

I think they just want to confirm that your grades are indeed your grades. If they wanted to ask you questions about specific modules, they could do that simply by looking at the application form. I remember I was once told to bring my transcripts to the AC, but no one even looked at them.

 

[Leightoncass]

Oh sorry I missed that. Is it like the WG test?

Not in the slightest. You can’t prep for it so just relax

 

[S87]

Can I ask something?
Is networking so fundamental? How much importance do recruiters place on name dropping?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Yes all grades were present on my application form.

Then I really wouldn't worry about this in a sense of providing your transcripts. It is just a process to verify that the grades you listed are correct.

The firm invited you to interview knowing your grades and your mitigating circumstances, and so I don't think there is going to be an issue in it being surprising to them that you achieved these grades/or the circumstances happened.

You may get questions about your academics (same as anyone could), and it is not uncommon to be asked why you think you did less well in one module over another. I would be prepared to potentially get a question like this or your thoughts/analysis/opinion on why you academic achievements are what they are. You don't necessarily need to go into lots of detail about your extenuating circumstances though - you can just focus more on the positives (e.g. the ECs being over, or what you have gained/learnt to deal with the ECs if they are still there/come up again).

 

[Lian Lian]

Does anyone know if the Links ACs are in person or online? My portal says face to face interview but the email says they will use webex and so I was confused

Hi! Is this AC for their spring or summer vac scheme? All the best btw!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Can I ask something?
Is networking so fundamental? How much importance do recruiters place on name dropping?

To me, networking is important for your learning, but not directly for the recruitment process.

Where it can help is indirectly, as it can really help you refine an application and potentially set you up well for interviews too.

But telling me you met someone from the firm means little on its own. Hundreds (sometimes thousands) of applicants meet people from the firm each year. However, there are plenty of ways in which you could learn from the person you have networked with and that could tell me a lot about you, if you explain it that way.

 

[lawful_neutral216]

Then I really wouldn't worry about this in a sense of providing your transcripts. It is just a process to verify that the grades you listed are correct.

The firm invited you to interview knowing your grades and your mitigating circumstances, and so I don't think there is going to be an issue in it being surprising to them that you achieved these grades/or the circumstances happened.

You may get questions about your academics (same as anyone could), and it is not uncommon to be asked why you think you did less well in one module over another. I would be prepared to potentially get a question like this or your thoughts/analysis/opinion on why you academic achievements are what they are. You don't necessarily need to go into lots of detail about your extenuating circumstances though - you can just focus more on the positives (e.g. the ECs being over, or what you have gained/learnt to deal with the ECs if they are still there/come up again).

I think they just want to confirm that your grades are indeed your grades. If they wanted to ask you questions about specific modules, they could do that simply by looking at the application form. I remember I was once told to bring my transcripts to the AC, but no one even looked at them.

Okay thank you everybody for your responses!