TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

[Sharon Wu]

Still nothing from SH summer scheme post-app. I am assuming a pfo now.

I haven't heard of any positive or negative responses. I heard that they get back a fortnight before their schemes.

 

[Aks.Khurana]

looking for some advice - I've just accepted a vs with a firm but have an AC next week for another but the dates of the two schemes clash.

if I were to try swap my application for the second onto direct TC route would it better to email them before the AC or do the AC, see what the outcome is and then ask to switch my application to direct TC?

Hey @wawawa! Great question and this is certainly a good problem to have.

Having been in a similar situation, my personal take is to go through the assessment centre and wait to hear back first. Once you do secure your offer, I would reflect on the following:

• Do either firms have more than one scheme?
• How many days is the overlap between the schemes? If this is not substantial, such as a few days, then you may be able to do both.

In case you're really in an either-or situation, my approach would be to speak to the lower preference firm and ask for (1) being switched to a direct TC offer, (2) being put on an alternative scheme, if any, and if not (3) if you can at least defer this to next year. If none of these work, you can consider rejecting the offer. However, I'd make sure I consider all the possibilities and try to defer the offer by another year, as this gives you more certainty!

 

[generalbewilderness]

anyone heard back post russell cooke interview for spring vac scheme?

 

[legallyad]

Has anyone heard back from Morgan Lewis?sorry to ask again

I still haven’t heard anything 😅 Considering their interviews are supposed to take place mid-March as I was told by HR, I’m not expecting any good news

 

[hopefulforatc]

I haven't heard of any positive or negative responses. I heard that they get back a fortnight before their schemes.

That's so close. I haven't even received the VI that's why I was assuming a pfo.

 

[S87]

I still haven’t heard anything 😅 Considering their interviews are supposed to take place mid-March as I was told by HR, I’m not expecting any good news

Lord, tomorrow it is 19 and next week it is the end of the month!

 

[starbright]

Does anybody have tips to convert a VS? I would really appreciate any advice! ☺️

 

[legallyad]

Lord, tomorrow it is 19 and next week it is the end of the month!

😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭literally me processing that this morning !!!

 

[fingersarecrossed]

It really depends on the law firm I am afraid so I would not assume this is common practice.

thank you!!

 

[lonelycruise]

If anyone is doing VS #3 at Debevoise, feel free to reach out 😊

 

[bangarangbass39]

Hey guys, I need some insight/advice.

I've just been offered an interview for an internship in-house. It also offers a secondment to law firms Gowling WLG, Baker McKenzie, Mayer Brown, etc. I've only just been invited to interview today and I'll be meeting them for 30 mins. they said I don't need to do major preparation but I'm unsure of what to expect.

Should I just pretend that this will be an interview for a vacation scheme? Minus the intricacies of an assessment centre. Or just do general research on the programme and have some competency responses prepared?

I've attached the programme below as I've found it very hard to find people who have completed it or any history of the scheme.

Gowling WLG - Cummins X Private Practice Internship 2024

Apply today for the Cummins X Private Practice Internship 2024 with Gowling WLG. And find the best internship opportunities on Bright Network.

www.brightnetwork.co.uk

 

[hungry_for_TC]

Long shot but anyone doing/that's done the 2nd stage Morgan Lewis interview -- is it really competency Qs only??? seems too chill for a second stage... I am scared the partner will ask technical questions/commercial law q's and I'll have foolishly just prepped how to sell myself/my experience

 

[Jaysen]

Hey guys, I need some insight/advice.

I've just been offered an interview for an internship in-house. It also offers a secondment to law firms Gowling WLG, Baker McKenzie, Mayer Brown, etc. I've only just been invited to interview today and I'll be meeting them for 30 mins. they said I don't need to do major preparation but I'm unsure of what to expect.

Should I just pretend that this will be an interview for a vacation scheme? Minus the intricacies of an assessment centre. Or just do general research on the programme and have some competency responses prepared?

I've attached the programme below as I've found it very hard to find people who have completed it or any history of the scheme.

Gowling WLG - Cummins X Private Practice Internship 2024

Apply today for the Cummins X Private Practice Internship 2024 with Gowling WLG. And find the best internship opportunities on Bright Network.

www.brightnetwork.co.uk

This is great news - well done on the interview. I appreciate it's harder to know what to expect when there is less information, but I'd take comfort in the fact that it's a short interview and designed to provide insight into the perspective of a lawyer.

I think you're right. I'd typically prepare for:

• Questions about your motivations (Why are you applying for this role? Tell me more about your journey so far? Why work in-house? Where do you see yourself in five years?)
• A couple of questions about your understanding of the role (What makes in-house different to private practice? What do you know about Cummins?)
• Competency questions (Tell me about a time you worked in a team? Tell me about a time you demonstrated resilience under pressure?)

I don't think I'd expect much more than that - and I'd have a few questions prepared.

 

[dw11cfc]

Hi guys, I just posted a thread in the applications discussion about possibly organising some sort of mock ACs in London for people (like me) who haven't done an AC before and have them coming up. I think it would help work off some nerves and maybe help the actual day feel less daunting. I've posted the link below if anyone is interested.

Mock AC in London

Hi. Would anyone who hasn't done an AC before (or maybe those that have if they are interested) want to do some sort of mock ACs together in London? My proposal is that a few of us meet up and go through a mock AC (someone else will have to set it) while filming the whole thing. Then we could...

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

Thank you!

 

[Jaysen]

Hi all,

I’ve followed this thread for a while but have made a profile today as I have a situation I am really struggling with, and I don’t know what to do.

I graduated from university in 2022 and this is my third cycle of applications. In my first cycle, I sent off about 15 applications and ended up getting 1 AC, which I was unsuccessful at. Second cycle, I sent off about 8 applications and got 4 assessments centres, which I was, again, unsuccessful with. This year, I sent off 12 applications and reached 7 assessment centres. I heard back on Friday that I’d been rejected from my final one. This cycle has now completed.

So to summarise, I’ve had 12 AC rejections in 3 years.

Today, I just broke down about it and couldn’t stop crying. I always prepare really well for my ACs but no matter what I do, I get rejected. I ask for feedback but each firm’s feedback seems to contradict another, so it’s really unhelpful.

I just don’t know what to do now. This has been my dream for a long time, but I can’t go through this again and have more rejections because it’s become so detrimental to my mental health.

I currently paralegal at a high street firm and am considering just trying to stay there now and qualify that way if I train. It’s not what I wanted, but I feel maybe I’m just not cut out for City law. I look good on paper and can write well, but no matter how hard I’ve worked, firms just don’t take to me.

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I'm really sorry to hear this and I admire you for being open about this in the forum. I think it's really hard to get your hopes up when you get an assessment centre, only to be rejected - and to do this for three cycles must feel devastating.

Now, I would be concerned if you had been through three cycles and had never received an assessment centre. But the fact that you have - and most recently received seven assessment centres from 12 applications is an incredibly high hit rate. One thing I get to see through running TCLA is the variety of candidates, and while most people online will share their successes, I know so many trainees and associates who took multiple cycles to get their training contract offer after back to back rejections. Many of them felt like this at their lowest, just before they got their offer.

I think @LawBrah gave good advice regarding just how competitive the cycle is. If you are willing to carry on, you now have so much knowledge and experience to go into the next cycle. I would consider writing more applications, if there are enough firms you are interested in, to increase your chances. I would also take an honest reflection of the feedback. I've no doubt that the feedback can be unhelpful at times (one firm might say you're too confident, while another might say you're too quiet, but I would try to see if there is any running theme that you can action.

I wish you the best of luck.

 

[bangarangbass39]

This is great news - well done on the interview. I appreciate it's harder to know what to expect when there is less information, but I'd take comfort in the fact that it's a short interview and designed to provide insight into the perspective of a lawyer.

I think you're right. I'd typically prepare for:

• Questions about your motivations (Why are you applying for this role? Tell me more about your journey so far? Why work in-house? Where do you see yourself in five years?)
• A couple of questions about your understanding of the role (What makes in-house different to private practice? What do you know about Cummins?)
• Competency questions (Tell me about a time you worked in a team? Tell me about a time you demonstrated resilience under pressure?)

I don't think I'd expect much more than that - and I'd have a few questions prepared.

Thank you so much! This is reassuring! I had an interview today so I feel it's gonna be a chance to refine my performance. I think it went okay, I just got my tongue twisted explaining some of my experiences.

My Dad is a mechanic so he's been teaching me a lot about the firm because they manufacture engines he works on. If anyone wants to know about the new X15 Diesel Engines to highlight their commercial awareness in the engineering sector, just drop me a message.

 

[axelbeugre]

Hey guys, I need some insight/advice.

I've just been offered an interview for an internship in-house. It also offers a secondment to law firms Gowling WLG, Baker McKenzie, Mayer Brown, etc. I've only just been invited to interview today and I'll be meeting them for 30 mins. they said I don't need to do major preparation but I'm unsure of what to expect.

Should I just pretend that this will be an interview for a vacation scheme? Minus the intricacies of an assessment centre. Or just do general research on the programme and have some competency responses prepared?

I've attached the programme below as I've found it very hard to find people who have completed it or any history of the scheme.

Gowling WLG - Cummins X Private Practice Internship 2024

Apply today for the Cummins X Private Practice Internship 2024 with Gowling WLG. And find the best internship opportunities on Bright Network.

www.brightnetwork.co.uk

I would probably treat it as a normal law firm interview but I would try to be prepared on the programme and being very structured in your answer.

I think it would be also beneficial to emphasise the main differences between this programme and private practice, being very specific about your goals and aspirations working in-house.

 

[lolololol]

hi has anyone also not heard from simmons (bristol) post test

 

[hopefulforatc]

I am a recent graduate and this was my first application cycle for vacation schemes. I applied to 15 firms and some of my applications made it past the application stage however, I did not secure any AC. I am still waiting for three decisions however, I am not very hopeful.

I an international student and only have one more try left then my visa ends. What should I do to reach the AC stage and to make my application better.

Any advice would be helpful! @Jessica Booker @axelbeugre

 

[Lola333]

What is the recommended format for a 'briefing note' in a written exercise? It is supposed to be 2-pages typed and based off information given in a pack. @Jessica Booker @axelbeugre if you had any insights I would be grateful!