TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[lawyerletsgo]

can u have a sheet of rules uve made urself to help guide u when doing the online assessments?

 

[lawtab]

How do they determine benchmarks with SJTs?

Where you have to rank 5 scenarios in terms of what you're most likely to do to least likely, do they have a "correct" list which they compare it to and whoever gets the closest to that hits the benchmark?

I’d assume so - maybe they got people at the firm to take the test and use that for comparison? But I feel like the whole point of a SJT is that there isn’t a correct answer as it’s dependent on the person.

If I’d known there was a benchmark to meet I probably would have tried to answer in the way the firm would want me to as opposed to answering honestly. But that kinda defeats the point of a SJT doesn’t it.

 

[Amehta1]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Latham’s test had a benchmark score to meet in order to progress to application review stage? Or are scores considered alongside applications?

I was thinking a benchmark may be the reason for the wave of PFOs last week, as I completed the test on evening of 12th Dec and received a PFO two days later - surely they can’t have reviewed applications that fast?

Keeping fingers crossed for those who haven’t heard back from Latham, i’d take it as a good sign!🤞

The thing is many people didn’t realise that if you go on legal cheek it says the firm does have an A level minimum but it doesn’t mention that on the website. My friend who applied got a PFO 2 days after the deadline too but because she didn’t realise her A level grades didn’t meet their minimum. I’m not sure how accurate the legal cheek information is but it definitely could be a reason for the extremely fast rejections.

 

[axelbeugre]

Cleary is requesting an academic transcript as part of their vacation scheme application - anyone know if they only want your university transcript or do we have to include A-level and GCSE transcripts as well?

I don't currently have access to transcripts for my A-level and GCSE exams, although I do my have my certificates. I've emailed them regarding this issue, but I'm not sure how quick their response will be.

@Jessica Booker, I would really appreciate some insight on this.

I applied to the firm last year and got an assessment centre too and they want your high school grades too yes! I submitted my A-Level equivalent, not GCSE though, however I am an international student (for context). I am sure they will try and reply promptly, but I think that your certificates may be enough (as long as they state the grades you have received.

 

[saj2002]

Hi @Jessica Booker , I'm currently finishing up my Hogan Lovells app and have a question about the Secondary Education section. I'm an international student, completed the IB Diploma (which I put down in the Sixth Form section), however I didn't do GCSEs or equivalent programme when I was 14-16 years old. I went to school (14-16 were my first two years of high school, 9th and 10th grade) and have grades available for those years, but it was just my high school's curriculum with subjects like Physical Education, Art, Biology etc. that I did as opposed to a more standardised programme or something. Do I put those marks down that I got for my finals in grades 9 and 10, or do I click on 'I did not undertake studies between ages 14-16 years'?

I am in the same exact situation. I asked a few firms what their approaches were to not having GCSE results (the likes of Simmons, Forsters, Mishcon and Trowers), and they all said that they mostly didn't look at GCSE results and told me to input blanks if the spaces needed to be filled to move on. I added my World History grade as it is a standardized test similar to GCSEs, but that's it.

 

[clo224455]

Have they sent them out? I completed mine earlier this week and I've not been sent anything?

No I don't think so, was just curious.

 

[Manuchelsout]

Just did simmons test and that was long as had to take multiple breaks

 

[Petallove1]

can u have a sheet of rules uve made urself to help guide u when doing the online assessments?

Most of the time yes ) however some tests make it so you can’t minimise the screen on your computer during the test/leave the page to prevent cheating, sharing answers etc. (I think this is the case a lot of the time for WG especially) - there’s nothing wrong with printing out a set of helpful guidelines or examples and using them to help you work through each answer as that’s just a method that works for u !!

 

[SemperParatus]

anything from linklaters for spring vs?

 

[lawapplicant]

Just an fyi for anyone looking to apply to BCLP, I went to their open day recently and according to current trainees the firm has gone downhill massively in the last few years. Profits per partner down significantly and only 2 NQ jobs offered for over 25 trainees… now I know why they’re not transparent about their retention rates.

Legal Cheek have just posted an article about this - predicted the retention rate to be under 40%

 

[tcla888]

I've seen advice about how in the work experience section you should put all of your insight days into one box, but when you talk about them in the 150 words are you meant to talk about them individually or just say going to insight days helped deepen your interest in law etc?

 

[Pennine Valley]

Anyone received Eversheds Video Interview invite?

 

[mfuturetrainee]

when thinking bout what challenges face our clients, how would you suggest going about answering this? @axelbeugre

 

[thelaborator]

Just an fyi for anyone looking to apply to BCLP, I went to their open day recently and according to current trainees the firm has gone downhill massively in the last few years. Profits per partner down significantly and only 2 NQ jobs offered for over 25 trainees… now I know why they’re not transparent about their retention rates.

Smart people who could work hard and make them money don't have time to write 2000 word essays.

Also coming to an AO Shearman near you.

 

[thelaborator]

There's a legal cheek article on this and the comments seem to imply the MC/SC and CMS are also struggling a little ( although CC and CMS's retention rates from last time kind of gave that away).

A little worrying, will this impact the amount of trainees firms take on in the future?

And yet they keep hiring non law teenagers 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[axelbeugre]

when thinking bout what challenges face our clients, how would you suggest going about answering this? @axelbeugre

I think that the best approach is analysing the challenges looking at the social, economic and political dimensions. For instance, things that affect law firms' clients across the board are ESG considerations (especially nowadays), AI and technology regulations. Looking at the relations between countries, US v China, EU v US (especially when it comes to fintech companies and green tech companies which prefer the US over EU for better funding initiatives and less stringent regulations), economic trends of a geographical region which might impose a challenge on clients with locations around the world. These are some of the considerations that I used to make when I was applying and I think that they really show commercial awareness, especially if you get asked a question in an interview and you can talk about them confidently.

Hope this helps!

 

[19.mfjones]

Irwin Mitchell PFO!!! Woo! If anyone is looking for a law firm that will speedily reject you, look at IM - applied on Tuesday, rejected Friday!

Love the fact my financial prospects for the pgdl are looking worse and worse :/

 

[Roisin]

Hello I received an invite for HSF’s assessment centre this week for the spring vac scheme. If anyone else is in a similar position, please feel free to contact me so we can discuss! AC is on the 9th of January.

 

[Aaj03]

Sidley’s summer vac interview invite!
Any tips would be greatly appreciated 😔
This would be my first in person interview too

 

[mfuturetrainee]

I think that the best approach is analysing the challenges looking at the social, economic and political dimensions. For instance, things that affect law firms' clients across the board are ESG considerations (especially nowadays), AI and technology regulations. Looking at the relations between countries, US v China, EU v US (especially when it comes to fintech companies and green tech companies which prefer the US over EU for better funding initiatives and less stringent regulations), economic trends of a geographical region which might impose a challenge on clients with locations around the world. These are some of the considerations that I used to make when I was applying and I think that they really show commercial awareness, especially if you get asked a question in an interview and you can talk about them confidently.

Hope this helps!

thank you thats so insightful! do you have to reference it back to the law firm as to how they can help in qs like these or is it more so about just considering the broader trends?