It's usually around 25%-33% of candidates at an AC will get an offer. Will obviously vary and can't comment on Mishcon, but those are generally your odds.
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24
- Thread starter Jessica Booker
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If you’re with ULaw, DM as I’m happy to help (currently doing PGDL there on track for a distinction)
Congratulations! Same, I received an offer today!
Rather than law firms, what would people say are the main issues clients are facing now?
I would say the uncertainty of the economy, but I feel that's quite a generic answer. Are there any other issues I should be aware of?
I would say the uncertainty of the economy, but I feel that's quite a generic answer. Are there any other issues I should be aware of?
Depends on the client. The clients of an Employment law practice are going to have different issues than Aviation clients or Emerging Market clients... hone it down to practice area clients or sector and then go from there!
For the spring scheme they had given about a 33% figure (15-ish out of 45 candidates)
However, they also said there isn’t necessarily a fixed number. So if instead of the intended 15 they thought 18 were great they’d offer Vac Schemes to all 18.
Jessica Booker
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One question is fine - it would only really be if you didn’t ask any questions that this can be a worry.
If asked in an interview what your strategy has been when applying for vacation schemes, what kind of answer are they looking for? Focusing on the practice area strengths, international nature, and the like?
Long time lurker, first time poster as I'm extremely stressed about a VS interview answer I gave today.
The interview was with W&C and at the end, I was asked if there was anything I wanted to add. I didn't want to say no, so I said that I'd had an assessment centre with the firm last year and the feedback I was given on the call, and what I'd taken onboard to improve on that since last time.
Now I'm worried that was a stupid answer to give because it makes it appear as if I'm almost asking for their sympathy (i.e. you rejected me at this stage once, please don't reject me again!).
Am I overthinking things and that was actually an okay answer to give? Any thoughts, @Jessica Booker as I can't get it out of my head...
The interview was with W&C and at the end, I was asked if there was anything I wanted to add. I didn't want to say no, so I said that I'd had an assessment centre with the firm last year and the feedback I was given on the call, and what I'd taken onboard to improve on that since last time.
Now I'm worried that was a stupid answer to give because it makes it appear as if I'm almost asking for their sympathy (i.e. you rejected me at this stage once, please don't reject me again!).
Am I overthinking things and that was actually an okay answer to give? Any thoughts, @Jessica Booker as I can't get it out of my head...
Has anyone heard back from Morgan Lewis post in-person interview??? When are we to hear back?
I think this is a pretty good answer tbh... It reflects positively on your character that you've taken steps to improve.
As long as you delivered it in a tone which showed you genuinely wanted them to know you've progressed and are proud of yourself for being a different, better candidate than when you received your last PFO from them, I think it's golden. But if you said it in a resentful tone in which you wanted it to be like a "Gotcha!" moment for the interviewees, which it doesn't sound like you've done here, then I'd trim my expectations. So it seems you're fine - just depends on wording/delivery IMHO.
Jessica Booker
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This should be what are the common themes in how you selected the firm you applied to. If they aren’t common themes, then explaining why you have applied or very different firms and what was your reasoning or strategy behind that decision making.
Jessica Booker
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This is not a stupid answer and actually something quite sensible to bring up. By the sounds of it, you weren’t asking for sympathy, you were showing your ability to take feedback on and act on that feedback. That is a positive quality to demonstrate.
This is most likely over thinking / over worrying!
Thank you
I've been stressing about it as I didn't want it come off as resentful or trying to garner sympathy, which it wasn't, it was more trying to highlight that I'd taken on the feedback they'd raised and the steps I'd taken to improve on that. Just worried it may have come across as the former.From the outset I would stress that this isn't usually a trick question - firms know that you will have applied for another of other firms. Even if lawyers/recruiters think that 'their' firm is the best, they aren't delusional and know that absolutely everyone in this process will have considered a number of different firms.
I usually approach this question by referring to some key characteristics that I looked for when deciding which firms to apply to. So you might say for example that you applied to only US firms because of the small intake and US clients, or that you applied to firms that have an established disputes practice because that's something which interests you (NB don't refer to a very niche practice area which would only be a small part of a TC at most), or that you applied to firms with an emphasis on international work/secondments because that interests you...etc. Just make sure that the criteria that you cite as a factor in determining where you applied (a) clearly encompasses the firm where you are having the interview; and (b) isn't an arbitrary measure that doesn't display a great deal of thought (for example, saying that NQ salaries were your key consideration when making applications is unlikely to come across well).
I think as long as you can show that you used these kinds of coherent factors to think carefully about where to apply (instead than randomly shooting off applications) then you are on the right track. There's no harm in giving less rather than more here...if you applied to (say) 20+ firms then it may be hard to find something which links all of them, which is fine, but I don't think that alluding to this would be the response that the interviewers are looking/hoping for.
Naturally, if you mention something as an important factor in determining where to apply, then be prepared to explain briefly in your answer why that is an important factor for you and/or answer a follow-up question about that factor's importance. (For example, if you say that a large trainee intake is important to you, then you are likely to be pressed on why that is important to you.)
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