TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[HLL]

Guys is HL lift off rolling as well?

 

[lawapplicant]

For anyone who has applied both HL lift off and the WVS - did you have to complete the WG twice? They sent me two links but I'm hoping once I do the WVS one then that is it.

 

[Robot1]

Has anyone heard back from A&O post AC or know when we will hear?

Nope, someone said they take 1-2 weeks. Looking at previous forums they seem to announce offers after everyone has done the AC?

 

[legallybrunette8]

Hey! Does anyone have any advice/tips on how to prepare for the Pinsent Masons blended assessment?

 

[hanz123]

Does anyone have any advice for Addleshaw Goddard's application questions

 

[NW Law]

Ah Congrats! Should I assume no news is bad news then or is it still too early to tell?

I would probably say it is too early to tell (at least from what I can see). Friday the 3rd is when people need to choose their dates - so I would not be surprised if more invites are out today and tomorrow. It is quite possible they have another AC later on - but given how close it is to their dates, I am not sure!

 

[Legalstalker]

So strange! I submitted my application the day after you did and I still haven’t heard back from them yet.

Last year i applied 01/11/22 and i was declined 28/11/22 so nearly a month after! I think they really look at your answers to the application questions as mines last year were soo bad but i also gained work experience in my grad job this year that has a maths element, I don't think A level's are looked at. Hope you hear back soon!

 

[Legalstalker]

For anyone who has applied both HL lift off and the WVS - did you have to complete the WG twice? They sent me two links but I'm hoping once I do the WVS one then that is it.

I applied for lift off and TC and i have a WG for lift off only as TC ones are sent in December. i assume if i fail the lift off one i can retake the TC one?

 

[Kodak123]

Has anyone actually been successful when applying to the Slaughter and May Winter Workshop?

 

[baj5]

I just got an email from Covington as I had asked them to attach something to my application and I received confirmation that they did so I am assuming they are going through them.

 

[lawyerinzootopia]

Linklaters pfo for both the wvs and open day!! This is my first cycle of applications and I feel out of my element so I can't say that I'm too surprised or disappointed ("If you expect disappointment, then you can never really get disappointed") 😆

 

[aspiringlawyer47]

Last year i applied 01/11/22 and i was declined 28/11/22 so nearly a month after! I think they really look at your answers to the application questions as mines last year were soo bad but i also gained work experience in my grad job this year that has a maths element, I don't think A level's are looked at. Hope you hear back soon!

Thank you so much!!

 

[clo224455]

Hi everyone!

Does anyone know whether the DLA Piper Watson Glaser is sent automatically to all applying candidates or whether you need to pass an initial screening to then be invited to complete it?

 

[axelbeugre]

DWF insight day invite!

Congratulations! Very well done! @LKG

 

[axelbeugre]

Latham open day!

Congratulations! Well done! @allwillbewell

 

[Mathsdebater]

Congratulations!! I shared some tips for a first round here so I hope these help! https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2023-24.8037/post-151745

Congratulations once again and smash your interview! @Mathsdebater

Thanks a ton @axelbeugre 😁😁😁!!

 

[Lawstudent3sp]

If offered two winter vacation schemes which run on the exact same dates, can i ask for one of the firms to push it back to a spring scheme or is it unlikely they will accommodate this?

 

[emilyding]

Hi @emilyding

Your skills won’t just come from your work experience. You may have developed them through your extra curriculars or academics too, so don’t be afraid to highlight your key strengths/skills. Try to think about what yours are rather than just what you think the firm might be looking for. That is how you then stand out from the crowd as you are not just highlighting the skills a solicitor needs, but focusing on your particular strengths.

Do make sure you explain what motivates you to become a solicitor too though - and you can make this more commercially focused too if you would prefer - it really depends on what are the drivers behind your motivation for the career.

I would see the extra curriculars and passion as two very different questions. The passionate question is there to find out what drives you again - what do you get buzzy about? If you had an opportunity to try and convince someone to be passionate about the thing you care about, how would you “pitch this”? For the extra curriculars, you then may have some cross over in the topic of what you are passionate about, but I would expect this to cover a broader range of activities and also focus on your achievements/responsibilities rather than your interest in the topic (assuming there is cross over - there might not be!).

Thank you so much!

 

[emilyding]

@emilyding,

• Yes, the first questions are asking you to discuss your motivations behind your decision to start your career as a commercial lawyer, so feel free to discuss these reasons mentioning any personal anecdote but also experiences, whether professional or extracurricular, that inspired you to want to pursue commercial law and become a solicitor. The second part asks about your skills. You should discuss the skills you have developed through your experiences and basically link them to why those will make you a successful solicitor. These could be attention to detail, international mindset or team-work. I would discuss where you developed them and how these will be beneficial to you as a solicitor. You should discuss your work experiences where you see fit, and yes, even if you have given a detailed description of your experiences, you should still reference your work experience in these kind of questions and link them back to the reasons why you chose to become a lawyer, or why this firm etc. They are useful to understand what you have learned from these experiences and go beyond a mere description of the tasks (Which you would have done in the description section).
• I would say that these two are quite different questions actually. In the first one, they are asking you to talk about anything that is not law. Some people talk about dancing, music, art, football, tennis, cooking whatever you enjoy doing or learning about, it is worth discussing in this question. It does not have to be related to law at all. I, for instance, used to speak about the transition to net zero and sustainability as those were topics I was interested in and was studying during my master (so as you can se not law related!). However, the second question is asking you to describe your extra-curricular activities and positions of responsibility. These could be clubs or societies you were part of at university, volunteering opportunities, international experiences abroad, anything of that nature.
• I guess you could talk about finance in that question if you really are interested in finance but it will not give you an advantage over someone who talks about something else. If anything, they might ask you questions during the interview so be mindful of that and only talk about something you would feel confident talking about. I hope these tips help and good luck again!

Thank you so much! They are really helpful for my applications!

 

[Jessica Booker]

If offered two winter vacation schemes which run on the exact same dates, can i ask for one of the firms to push it back to a spring scheme or is it unlikely they will accommodate this?

There is absolutely no harm in asking. The worst they can say is no and then you have to work out which firm to choose. But it’s a very common question for graduate recruitment to get, so do ask.