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

[antisocial applicant]

Manifesting any form of acknowledgment from Irwin Mitchell

 

[summer207]

@James Carrabino has given you a great answer for this and I am including some thoughts below to support you.

• Organise your research- these grids by Law with Farah were life-changing because they helped me cut through the swathes of information I'd collected over months and months and prioritise what really was important. Her use of colours and symbols help commit the research to memory and it becomes easier to pick examples to talk about in interviews.
• Follow at least 2-3 commercial news stories from start to end to build an instinct for commercial awareness- the way I'd do this is on a Google Doc by briefly summarising the news story ➡️ identifying the stakeholders ➡️ identifying the legal + commercial issues ➡️ providing possible legal solutions and analysing those that were applied already ➡️concluding by identifying the work + opportunities + challenges this presents for firms and their clients.
  • This will allow you to have a few news stories ready for discussion AND also give you a framework within which you can structure your answer on other commercial questions/stories that you may not have prepared for in this manner.
• Spend time reflecting on your life experiences and motivations- this is absolutely CRUCIAL to have answers that stand out because it helps you become a self-aware candidate. Dedicate some time towards this and jot down your most teachable life experiences and relate them to a skill/competency/situation so that you have examples ready to go in an interview.
  • I'd use this question bank by TCLA to prep for some key competency/motivation questions, even if it means just mentally going through some talking points.
• Your interviews will never go perfectly, and that's the whole point- I've said this elsewhere on the forum too, but the whole point of putting you in a high-stress, high-pressure environment is to evaluate how well you recover from unexpected occurrences and mistakes and if you're able to continue delivering your responses confidently despite them. You have rightly said you cannot prepare for everything, and you shouldn't either! Trust your instinct, trust your preparation, and take pauses if you feel overwhelmed. You've got this 😇

This is really helpful, I appreciate it!

 

[OB]

Thanks for sharing, @Jessica Booker. I was thinking one more tailored for trainees if you understand what I mean. I saw this, ands it is very focussed for a client's perspective. EDIT: nvm, I'll just work from this!

https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/jones-day/true-picture/166/1

Chambers Student is decent to see what departments trainees are mainly exposed to and how it’s split up

 

[layk]

Hey- this happened to me the other day and I nearly messed up my chances of securing a really cool opportunity cause I was so caught up by a specific application. I'm guessing things like "it's done" "you can't change it", "worrying won't help in any way" aren't really helping you. What helps me, and hopefully can help you, is realising that not letting yourself finish that other application will only make a future rejection by the first firm even worse. At the moment, worst case scenario you don't get that one vac scheme offer. If you don't submit the second application you are risking two opportunities all because of one AC- knowing just how upset I'd be about this and how disappointed I'd be in myself are enough to get me to focus on what I can still control, and in your case that's the second application.

I hope things turn out well for you!

Thanks so much for this, I really appreciate your response. It's easy for me to bury my head in the sand and feel sorry for myself but you're right, it'll be worse if I don't do this other application. I'm gonna try and discipline myself into getting something done tomorrow.. try to take control of the situation!!

 

[Legalmel_99]

On my written application to Gateley, I spelt it as Gately instead of Gateley throughout my application. I think I mentioned their name 2 or 3 times. Would you suggest that I message them to let them know, or would that make it worse? I think this has probably ruined my chances completely! @Jessica Booker would this likely be a PFO? Many thanks!

I think Gateley give everyone the interactive Assesment (I think it’s automatic) so I think try your best on this and maybe if it’s strong enough they may consider you!

more devastating when you realise an error in spelling I am someone who did 2 spelling mistakes in one of my applications last year and made it to AC for one firm but the spelling error wasn’t the firms name, I hope your okay please don’t feel disheartened by the error xx

 

[imdeded]

is it too late to apply to cleary?

 

[gilo]

are Kirkland still handing out ACs after VI?

 

[NaimK]

I am currently waiting for an AC outcome which will most probably come next week but till then I have had really bad post AC anxiety. I have one more day before the VS/TC application deadline (31/1/2022) which I want to utilise to apply to at least one more firm to further my chances but I can't seem to focus on writing it. I went on a really long walk because that's all I could really do but I can't help analysing and replaying every wrong thing I did at the interview, and my heart seems to be in this constant nervousness just waiting for the outcome. Any advice would be v much appreciated

There is nothing you can do about the AC now. You won't be doing yourself or your applications justice if you keep fixating on it and worrying about it. It's a natural human response to review your errors and such but you just need to put it behind you and stay positive. There are plenty of times I have interviewed, done an exam etc. and felt it was going to be terrible, but I just blank it out of my mind. I have been pleasantly surprised with great results on many of those occasions.

Focus on what is in front of you right now so you can apply to one more firm. Take advantage of this window of opportunity! Don't worry about the past, and if God forbid the post AC comes back negatively, don't let it put you down. Take all the positives and learning experiences you can from it, and move on.

Keep your head up and understand you'll be fine no matter what!
💪

 

[RoughWood]

Has anyone heard back from TLT or Osborne Clarke (Bristol office for both)?

I had an email from OC Friday evening so they are starting to get back to people

 

[vacschemesforeveryone]

If anyone did the HSF AC recently and would you be able to share some advice please, I would be very grateful, thank you

 

[S87]

Hey guys,

Have you ever used Gradvantage for your tc apps?

 

[NCLaw]

Is there a word count for Fieldfisher's questions?

Do you mean on their TC application? On the direct TC app for 2023, it's 2,000 characters with spaces per question, which is around 320 words

 

[thirdtimelucky]

Hi @thirdtimelucky I think you are on to something very interesting! Obviously it may be an unusual choice to pick a location where the firm recently closed their office, but if you explain it well then your answer could intrigue your interviewers!

The main thing I would ask you is whether you feel that you properly understand why the firm closed their Colombian office? Furthermore, do these large infrastructure projects actually require having an office in the country or could a lot of the work be done through the Brazil and Mexico offices? The interesting thing about closing in 2019 is that this was pre-Covid and there is talk of increasing aversion to international travel going forward, which may be a reason why the firm would want to consider re-opening!

Thank you James. These are really interesting points to consider as I go about thinking about this question! And your point about COVID is really interesting and one I had not considered before

 

[A.Diane01]

Hi everyone, happy Monday!

Has anyone done Addleshaws AC?

I would really appreciate if someone would have the time to talk to me about it/share some advice as the nerves are starting to set in (haven't a clue what to expect!)🥰

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Hey guys,

Have you ever used Gradvantage for your tc apps?

His advice is really great and it is really expensive but it depends on how badly you wat the TC.

 

[BM99]

For people who had done ACs at CC, just to confirm, we will receive phone calls regardless of the outcome, right?

 

[Miki3999]

For people who had done ACs at CC, just to confirm, we will receive phone calls regardless of the outcome, right?

I think it's like that:

phone call: offer

email: PFO

 

[ar2r]

I think it's like that:

phone call: offer

email: PFO

i could be wrong but think its phone call either way for feedback? Not sure tho!

 

[JM1998]

His advice is really great and it is really expensive but it depends on how badly you wat the TC.

Just to offer a bit of a different perspective to this, I know a lot of people with TC’s and I don’t think any of them have paid for these services, myself included. This is including the elite US firms and a range of international City firms.

So please do think carefully before paying for expensive courses because you want a TC badly. They might be helpful, but do consider if they’re worth the money. They’re definitely not a silver bullet to a TC.

 

[manchester12]

Hi everyone, happy Monday!

Has anyone done Addleshaws AC?

I would really appreciate if someone would have the time to talk to me about it/share some advice as the nerves are starting to set in (haven't a clue what to expect!)🥰

Hey that’s so amazing! When is your Ac if you don’t mind me asking? X