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

[Law1099]

Has anyone got any vac scheme advice for vacation schemes that do not include a final interview at the end? How do we get our skills across more thoroughly in the scheme?
Many thanks in advance!

 

[hopefullylaw2000]

Hi, does anyone know the etiquette on declining a VS offer (not signed the contract yet) and pulling out of the interview process (following a successful 1st interview)? Not sure if I should ring / email the firm and how to phrase it?

 

[kat_]

has anyone here applied to freeths? I am a bit confused about the application form, seems like there are no 'application' questions just education and work experience.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi, does anyone know the etiquette on declining a VS offer (not signed the contract yet) and pulling out of the interview process (following a successful 1st interview)? Not sure if I should ring / email the firm and how to phrase it?

I'd ring the firm you have been offered and explain you will be declining the offer. You can email the firm you are still interviewing with and just explain you are withdrawing from the recruitment process (unless you have an interview scheduled in the next 3 days, then I would call just to make sure they get the email in time).

I wouldn't over think it in terms of what to write/say. You just need to apologise and explain you won't be accepting the offer/you will be withdrawing and briefing explain the reason why (e.g. because I have accepted a training contract elsewhere/because I have decided to pursue an alternative career etc).

 

[awd1998]

Hello, does anyone have any info on the conversion rate of a Dentons vac scheme to TC? Or any stats relating to the percentages they take in via Vac scheme and TC? Thanks!

around 70% to 80%, if they like you and you meet the standard required they said they will offer you a TC as they can be flexible on numbers

 

[Kay44]

Just got the same.

Hello, have you heard anything yet ?

 

[S87]

Does anyone know a trainee or future trainee at Stephenson harwood?

 

[thewaythecookiecrumbles]

Is there a difference between a question asking to write about a commercial issue and a news story I found interesting? If there is, what is the difference between both?

 

[Abii]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

Hey,
In terms of being too old next cycle the answer to that is no. I’m a 2018 graduate, went straight on to a masters I graduated from in 2019 and I’m doing my first VSs this summer. I’m also an older graduate as I was 21 when I started uni so I’m firmly in my late 20s now.

I’ve worked as a paralegal in all that time since and I’ve been doing the LPC part time as well. I think taking that time to work out what kinda law I really want to practice has been an asset to my apps this cycle. This has been my third cycle, but really I consider it my second as my first shouldn’t count as it was awful and I didn’t really know why I was applying to the firms I did and that really showed in my apps and the results of 0 offers.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Is there a difference between a question asking to write about a commercial issue and a news story I found interesting? If there is, what is the difference between both?

Technically I would consider a news story to be slightly more specific - e.g. an article about something particular rather than something that went over a long period of time. So to me a commercial issue is something broader that has probably multiple elements to it (and therefore lots of news stories), while a news story is something specific/particular (if that makes sense).

There will be some cross over though, so I wouldn't be surprised if some people can use similar stories for different questions.

 

[LS_1998]

Shoosmiths VI invite 🎊 any tips would be much appreciated!!!!

 

[LS_1998]

Anyone heard back from DACB post VI? I remember last year they took ages 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

[Asil Ahmad]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

OMG I can relate to this so much.

As everything you said has happened to me this year.

In regards to the paralegal bit, I have been applying for paralegal roles since August last year and I hate recruiters as they reach out to you about roles but don't actually help you. Like every time a recruiter contacts me about a role then I have to chase them up 2 weeks later about an update on the role then they say let me contact the client as have not heard back from the client and then later the client has filled the position. I feel like recruiters contacting me every day I am getting fed up of it as I have not yet secured a paralegal role except for that 1 document review role which I did for 2 weeks in February.

This is why I hate recruiters but this does not include graduate recruitment which is why I don't like applying for paralegal roles through recruiters.

Sorry if I went on a vent but I actually gave up on a paralegal hunt today as I don't know what to do with the paralegal hunt as I apply for paralegal roles that I have paralegal experience in. I don't usually give up but today I decided to throw in the towel for a paralegal job hunt as I gave up.

 

[YUKI1201]

if you're offered a TC after spring VS, do you normally need to accept/decline it before the summer VSs? Or do the spring ones have similar TC acceptance deadlines as the summer ones?

 

[relentlesspursuit]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

Hey, let me just say that I completely understand your frustrations all too well. I graduated in 2017 and have been applying for training contracts since then. I managed to secure a paralegal role at a boutique firm which I think has been quite helpful so I would recommend maybe expanding the scope of firms you are applying to in this regard. On the other point, you are far from being too old. I have been applying since 2017 and only just secured a TC this cycle. Its frustrating, but honestly looking back now I see the incremental improvements I made each cycle which led to ultimately securing a TC at great firm. All this to say don't give up hope if you really want a career in commercial law - you are not racing against anyone but yourself. I'm sure you'll eventually get there.

 

[thirdtimelucky]

Hey, I graduated in 2021 and this vacation scheme cycle really hasn't gone well for me as it is looking like I will come out with no offers. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on to do next, I have found the past month to be a massive struggle mentally and have been trying to apply for paralegal roles and not having much success now too. Is it useful to get more legal experience now? In applying for the next cycle, am I too old now that I would be over a year after I've graduated? I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but have been stressing for a while and don't really know who else to ask. I am feeling pretty stuck at the moment (this was my first cycle too)

I absolutely feel everything that you’ve posted about and I echo the comments other posters have made. I graduated in 2018 but only started pursuing a TC in late 2019. It’s only this year I’ve had real success with the application cycle so it’s absolutely not too late! A few things that helped me were working on my flaws (my application writing for one and my commercial awareness!). For example, I set a goal of progressing to the quarter finals of the aspiring solicitors’ commercial awareness competition to improve the latter and that has been something I’ve mentioned in my successful applications and interviews! So it’s definitely worth considering what went wrong this time and working on how you can improve that even outside of a job. On that point, as a non-lawyer, I haven’t got much legal experience but I work in the civil service and interact regularly with financial institutions and regulators and this has been so useful as a talking point in my applications and interviews so please don’t narrow your job scope to the legal world as there are so many brilliant experiences out there that can sharpen your professional skills and lead you to a TC!

 

[OB]

has anyone here applied to freeths? I am a bit confused about the application form, seems like there are no 'application' questions just education and work experience.

Are you filling in the application on apply4law? Because if you do the one on their main vacancies website then it won’t get looked at. I had a first interview for them this cycle if you want any tips

 

[legalgemma]

have you had any luck?

Training Contract Interview Questions | 175 Practice Questions (2018)

We've produced these training contract interview questions to help you practice for interviews and assessment centres at law firms. Why? Well, we've arranged many mock interviews over the years and we see a substantial difference in performance after students have practiced real interview questions.

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Hope this helps!

 

[S87]

Is anyone going to BCLP virtual spring event?

 

[green124]

I absolutely feel everything that you’ve posted about and I echo the comments other posters have made. I graduated in 2018 but only started pursuing a TC in late 2019. It’s only this year I’ve had real success with the application cycle so it’s absolutely not too late! A few things that helped me were working on my flaws (my application writing for one and my commercial awareness!). For example, I set a goal of progressing to the quarter finals of the aspiring solicitors’ commercial awareness competition to improve the latter and that has been something I’ve mentioned in my successful applications and interviews! So it’s definitely worth considering what went wrong this time and working on how you can improve that even outside of a job. On that point, as a non-lawyer, I haven’t got much legal experience but I work in the civil service and interact regularly with financial institutions and regulators and this has been so useful as a talking point in my applications and interviews so please don’t narrow your job scope to the legal world as there are so many brilliant experiences out there that can sharpen your professional skills and lead you to a TC!

Hey, let me just say that I completely understand your frustrations all too well. I graduated in 2017 and have been applying for training contracts since then. I managed to secure a paralegal role at a boutique firm which I think has been quite helpful so I would recommend maybe expanding the scope of firms you are applying to in this regard. On the other point, you are far from being too old. I have been applying since 2017 and only just secured a TC this cycle. Its frustrating, but honestly looking back now I see the incremental improvements I made each cycle which led to ultimately securing a TC at great firm. All this to say don't give up hope if you really want a career in commercial law - you are not racing against anyone but yourself. I'm sure you'll eventually get there.

OMG I can relate to this so much.

As everything you said has happened to me this year.

In regards to the paralegal bit, I have been applying for paralegal roles since August last year and I hate recruiters as they reach out to you about roles but don't actually help you. Like every time a recruiter contacts me about a role then I have to chase them up 2 weeks later about an update on the role then they say let me contact the client as have not heard back from the client and then later the client has filled the position. I feel like recruiters contacting me every day I am getting fed up of it as I have not yet secured a paralegal role except for that 1 document review role which I did for 2 weeks in February.

This is why I hate recruiters but this does not include graduate recruitment which is why I don't like applying for paralegal roles through recruiters.

Sorry if I went on a vent but I actually gave up on a paralegal hunt today as I don't know what to do with the paralegal hunt as I apply for paralegal roles that I have paralegal experience in. I don't usually give up but today I decided to throw in the towel for a paralegal job hunt as I gave up.

Hey,
In terms of being too old next cycle the answer to that is no. I’m a 2018 graduate, went straight on to a masters I graduated from in 2019 and I’m doing my first VSs this summer. I’m also an older graduate as I was 21 when I started uni so I’m firmly in my late 20s now.

I’ve worked as a paralegal in all that time since and I’ve been doing the LPC part time as well. I think taking that time to work out what kinda law I really want to practice has been an asset to my apps this cycle. This has been my third cycle, but really I consider it my second as my first shouldn’t count as it was awful and I didn’t really know why I was applying to the firms I did and that really showed in my apps and the results of 0 offers.

Thank you for replying and being so kind <3 Hearing how you guys had a similar journey and now are having more successful cycles is so so inspiring and massively helped me not feel alone in this!! Decided after a sleep and reading these messages, will continue looking for jobs and continue trying to apply for TCs and VSs over the next year. (@Asil Ahmad - completely relate and here if you ever need a chat or a rant). Will definitely revisit my applications and work out points where I went wrong and how I can make myself a stronger candidate going forward. Grateful for this forum in reminding me that there is always a chance even on the days when you do just want to give up on a career in law lol