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

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Jessica Booker

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@Jessica Booker


1. On the Education section of the Sidley Austin application form, there's the following declaration:

Please confirm that you have entered a complete breakdown of all grades awarded, by subject, during secondary school, college or university. Entering the overall grade does not provide sufficient information to support your application.

For uni results this seems straightforward enough - I'm able to enter the class I'm predicted to get (e.g. 2:1), and a breakdown of my modules so far. What confuses is me is what they mean by a "complete breakdown" for secondary school and college - do you reckon they want candidates to enter every grade they got in every exam?

(If this were the case, there doesn't seem to be anywhere to differentiate between grades in individual exams, and grades in subjects as a whole - which makes me think that, like pretty much every other application form, Sidley Austin wants candidates simply to enter (in the secondary school and college sections) the final grade they got in every subject rather than every module - but the ambiguous wording of the declaration makes me wonder whether this is actually the case).


2. If a question asks candidates "which personal qualities make a successful lawyer", does the lack of an explicit reference to "commercial" in the question mean that it'd be unwise to mention commercial awareness as an essential quality?
1) They don’t mean module results for things like A-levels. This will only apply to degree/postgraduate studies

2) I would personally not state commercial awareness. This is just something for the recruitment process rather than the career. Try to think more about how this develops into something more substantial for the career and how more practically it plays out for lawyers. That more specific focus will provide you with a stronger answer.
 
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pfoapplicant

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1) They don’t mean module results for things like A-levels. This will only apply to degree/postgraduate studies

2) I would personally not state commercial awareness. This is just something for the recruitment process rather than the career. Try to think more about how this develops into something more substantial for the career and how more practically it plays out for lawyers. That more specific focus will provide you with a stronger answer.
Thanks so much! When you talk about developing commercial awareness into "something more substantial", would that potentially include something like engaging with and learning about commercial concepts on a constant basis within one's role as a commercial solicitor (e.g. through keeping up to date with new developments in the world of business, and the implications this could have/opportunities this could create for a given law firm)?
 

SCN

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If I applied to an open day and got in, but then using the same application just lengthier to apply for a vac scheme but didn't even progress to the next stage, what would be some of the reasons? Just trying to learn and improve from mistakes 😅
 
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Asil Ahmad

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    Explain how you would add value as a Trainee in the London office of Akin Gump? For this question should you discuss your skills and how you will bring those skills to a role of a trainee solicitor. I was thinking about discussing their fast-growing London office but am not sure if that will be relevant here. Any advice on this will be much appreciated thank you in advance.
     

    aspiringlawyer123_

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    If I applied to an open day and got in, but then using the same application just lengthier to apply for a vac scheme but didn't even progress to the next stage, what would be some of the reasons? Just trying to learn and improve from mistakes 😅
    Vacation schemes are a lot more competitive than open days, so your application may be good enough to get onto an open day but for vacation schemes there are a lot more applications so it might be more difficult to get onto this. Just be aware for next time that just because it got you to an open day, doesn’t necessarily mean it will also get you to a vacation scheme. That’s not to say it won’t be good enough for both - I assume depending on the application! But if you can make improvements from the specifics you have learnt about the firm at the open day and add this information to your app to improve it that is always good :)
     
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    Jessica Booker

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    If I applied to an open day and got in, but then using the same application just lengthier to apply for a vac scheme but didn't even progress to the next stage, what would be some of the reasons? Just trying to learn and improve from mistakes 😅
    What they look for in open day applicants can be very different to vacation scheme applicants.

    For instance, they are probably looking for stronger motivations for applying, as these can be fairly loose for open days.

    They may have also been expecting a development in your knowledge having attended the open day.
     
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    hopefullylaw2000

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    hi everyone, i submitted my freshfields app this morning but realised i made a spelling mistake (not a massive one) so wanted to change it as it was bugging me- however, when i went on it wouldn’t let me edit the app but i thought that Freshfields did before the deadline? It’s not a massive mistake (literally left a full stop out of a work experience) but just a bit confused as to why I can’t change it? just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar :)?
     

    GXA123

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    hi everyone, i submitted my freshfields app this morning but realised i made a spelling mistake (not a massive one) so wanted to change it as it was bugging me- however, when i went on it wouldn’t let me edit the app but i thought that Freshfields did before the deadline? It’s not a massive mistake (literally left a full stop out of a work experience) but just a bit confused as to why I can’t change it? just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar :)?
    You cannot edit it once submitted
     
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