TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[isabelleking_x123]

TLT AC🫶🏻

Congrats! Which office did you apply for?

 

[UNKNOWN803]

Has anyone heard back from NRF after the Arctic shore assessment?

 

[walterwhite]

Anyone have any insight regarding the questions in the W&C VI???

 

[laby201]

Hey - I've got a paralegal job in private client in a fairly high street firm in south London starting in the next 2 weeks. But I've also got a paralegal job in commercial litigation at a top city law firm that i could start soon BUT its only for a 1 month contract. Which one should I take???

I think it really depends on your own situation.

If you’ve been looking for a paralegal job for a while and need the longer-term security, I’d advise going with the private client one. If you have any plans/commitments that don’t require a long-term, full-time position right now, I’d go with the latter.

Also factor in your own personal interests - if your dream is to work in commercial litigation/disputes, then a month in a firm like that would look great for future applications. Likewise, if private client work is your preference, there’s the answer.

I think it’s a situation that is entirely dependent on your own circumstances. For me, I wasn’t in a position where I could really manage without the security of a permanent contract. Guess it really depends!

 

[Erspencer]

Hey - I've got a paralegal job in private client in a fairly high street firm in south London starting in the next 2 weeks. But I've also got a paralegal job in commercial litigation at a top city law firm that i could start soon BUT it’s only for a 1 month contract. Which one should I take???

Just to weigh in on this I work at pretty big firm in commercial litigation as a paralegal and my first contract was 3 months, turns out this was really common and once I’d completed that they offered me either a 6/year long contract.
A month is nothing as a paralegal unless you are being hired for a specific task such a document review as it takes so long to train you- so it might be worth reaching out to other paralegals within the team to ask how the contracts work!
Best of luck with your decision

 

[axelbeugre]

@Jessica Booker how do you recommend alerting firms about vacation scheme offers from other firms? I'm in the recruitment process for a firm that has no set dates for their summer vacation scheme (though they're usually around the same time as others), but I've received an offer from another firm with set dates. I don't want to come across as presumptuous, as there's one more stage to go, but I'd like to let them know just in case.

Additionally, some firms I've applied to have allowed me to select a preference for spring, but should I let them know I have a summer VS just to confirm whether I can guarantee a spring space?

I think that an email explaining the situation is more than enough. I found myself in the same situation and emailing them stressing the situation and what you want out of it (meaning an earlier update, moving dates or just rejecting the offer all together), emphasising how grateful you are regardless is the best thing to do, in my opinion.

 

[axelbeugre]

TLT AC🫶🏻

Congratulations!

 

[academicweapon121]

Congrats! Which office did you apply for?

Bristollll

 

[Farhan65756]

Has anyone heard from TLT London? That's the one I applied to and I feel like it's the only office that hasn't send out AC invites as far as I'm concerned?

 

[e_deniz1]

I was told at the AC to expect news in the third week of February as they would only decide on offers after all ACs were complete

Hi, do you know if all the AC invites have been sent out? Should I just assume I got rejected..

 

[Cherikon]

Has anyone heard back from NRF after the Arctic shore assessment?

They might call you straight away so don't put your phone on silence mode. I missed the recruiter's call several times so it naturally didn't go well for me😅

 

[theonecompetant]

Just to weigh in on this I work at pretty big firm in commercial litigation as a paralegal and my first contract was 3 months, turns out this was really common and once I’d completed that they offered me either a 6/year long contract.
A month is nothing as a paralegal unless you are being hired for a specific task such a document review as it takes so long to train you- so it might be worth reaching out to other paralegals within the team to ask how the contracts work!
Best of luck with your decision

Thanks. What kind of work do you normally get on with in Commercial Litigation at your firm? My dream is to work in Corporate/M&A at bigger firms. I believe even if I somehow work in big firms as a paralegal, regardless of the areas - I could transfer skills/networking into landing positions at bigger firms for TCs, etc.

 

[bangarangbass39]

I applied in October.
I was put through for CMS, Simmons and Lloyds bank, I only proceeded with CMS and Simmons, Was rejected from CMS on Monday and i had an AC with Simmons yesterday. You only do an AC for Simmons if you want a TC consideration after the internship.

Thanks for updating! I'm interested in how the assigning of applications to firms work? Mine were all East Anglia Based - 2 Private Practice and 1 In house. I'm based in the east midlands which was mentioned in my CV so I think they connect us with firms through that?

 

[Petallove1]

Please RPC.... why am I still waiting for my post-WG PFO 😭😭😭 I took it a month ago this week

 

[EllaClayton]

Hi, do you know if all the AC invites have been sent out? Should I just assume I got rejected..

Hi I’m afraid I don’t know as I think I was an earlier AC date and only got two options for dates (when I know they’ve ran more since), third week of February would be next week and I had less than a weeks notice for my AC so you might still have a chance if they’re running next week!

 

[J53]

Anyone has the idea for the question "What value do you think a client secondment has when working in private practice?"

The way it has been explained to me is that it's effectively free labour for the client as the firm continues to pay your wages. This helps deepen the client relationship as it enables a greater closeness between the client and the firm; it will probably be one of the terms to sit on a panel that a firm gives the client x number of trainees. However, in the age of client demand for lower fees and the growth in software designed to reduce client fees through encouraging competition amongst firms to reduce their fees. This looking for cheaper deals has led many firms to question and weigh up the point of giving these clients free labour, in addition to the rest of the BD they do, which adds up to millions in unclaimed billables if the client is just going to go with whoever's bidding the cheapest for that matter.

 

[BM99]

They might call you straight away so don't put your phone on silence mode. I missed the recruiter's call several times so it naturally didn't go well for me😅

do they call after arctic shores right away?

 

[BolderBlackPrincess]

Your comment was not necessary - Bolder.

From my own personal experience, many VS candidates are proactive and “do make an effort”, unfortunately because they are of a BAME or minority ethnic background, many partners and associates turn a blind eye and will only consider fellow “white counterparts”. FACTS!

There are many partners in elite law firms who sadly are quite narrow minded, and do not hold a “diverse mindset” shall I say the least.

Out of interest - did you secure that TC offer after a few beers?

The VS was a top firm, I did get the TC offer, which I turned down. I'm also black, female and working class - of the 5 or so (including me) I know who were invited to drinks with their respective supervisors, there were 3 of us who were from some kind of minority ethnic group. There is racism in every country in the world, within every cross-section of society, but this absolutist mindset that minority ethnic groups are always the victim is damaging. It prevents people actually looking for their flaws and improving upon them, instead looking to blame anyone but themselves.

I am not suggesting that racism does not exist, obviously, but I think your approach is completely wrong and damaging to the community. Whilst I cannot talk to your respective experience, I think it's self-destructive to not consider the high probability that others were invited to drinks because they were more personable, not just because they were white.

 

[eleven14og]

How do trainee solicitors strike the balance between taking initiatives and seeking supervision/support in real life? Got really confused doing SJTs. I felt like in uni I would always choose the options that prioritise personal initiatives but now I'm working I feel the opposite is more realistic??

 

[TCchaser24]

Has anyone received WFW AC invite?