TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Chris Brown]

I will be so honest. I have a friend who trained at BCLP. He is a solicitor but wasn’t given the opportunity to stay at the firm. He’s really struggled to secure an NQ role as the market is apparently brutal. I don’t want to induce fear or anything but I’d defo take into account the retention rates good luck

I agree, i have myself worked at BCLP for a year and retentions are not good (best trainees were not being retained literally). They are also closing their Hong Kong and Singapore offices.

I went to their open day in Dec. Someone asked the partner about BCLP’s retention rates. The partner acknowledged that their retention rates are very low but tried to brush it off by yapping about their high quality training. It can’t be that good if people are bouncing at the earliest opportunity lmao. 😂

I believe some people did move laterally to US firms like Kirkland & Ellis and Fried Frank, so I guess their training contract is respected and considered high quality by city law firms. It is odd though that their retention rates are very low. I guess it comes down to business needs. It’s sad for the NQs who don’t get retained. 🥲​

 

[User5678]

I went to their open day in Dec. Someone asked the partner about BCLP’s retention rates. The partner acknowledged that their retention rates are very low but tried to brush it off by yapping about their high quality training. It can’t be that good if people are bouncing at the earliest opportunity lmao. 😂😂​

I literally amended my answer to mention the training and redundancy😂

I was working there in December too, met a few open day attendees.

You are correct, training is amazing, I trained in one team for a year and the training was top class

PS- a lot of associates and partners have left as well!

 

[Chris Brown]

I literally amended my answer to mention the training and redundancy😂

I was working there in December too, met a few open day attendees.

PS- a lot of associates and partners have left as well!

Who knows, perhaps I was one of the few open day attendees that you met. 👀​

 

[👩🎓]

Hi all! Does anyone have any advice when it comes to applying for paralegal roles (i.e., which firms to approach/how to stand out). Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[dlc3266]

I agree, i have myself worked at BCLP for a year (did a placement year with them in my third year) and retentions are not good, i have seen this first hand. (best trainees were not being retained literally - a few i knew got picked up by Kirkland, PH PW CC and Fried frank tho). They are also closing their Hong Kong and Singapore offices, their trainee numbers have reduced and they made business admin staff redundant in london as well (a significant number) . Great training tho (I would say one of the best) i will give them that!!

Just curious, what metrics or aspects should I look at when evaluating a firm's quality of training? I understand that there are differences such as US firms' emphasis on on-the-job learning, but how would I go about establishing an objective ranking?

 

[badmintonflyinginsect]

Could someone give a list of current commercial topics? Thanks!

 

[A worried graduate]

Could someone give a list of current commercial topics? Thanks!

Maybe take a look at the WHSmith sale.

 

[BillSikes]

Yeah no grades/work exp for PMC

Ok so apparently they send you a link AFTER you submit you app to add grades/work exp 💀 💀

 

[User5678]

Ok so apparently they send you a link AFTER you submit you app to add grades/work exp 💀 💀

Yes i submitted mine this morning and realised they sent a link after asking for grades, work experience and link to fill the rare recruitment form😂

Must say, very funny structure!

 

[trainee4u]

Ok so apparently they send you a link AFTER you submit you app to add grades/work exp 💀 💀

apparently they BOUGHT this nonsense?

It says

"Software Powered by iCIMS"

Sure, I'd love to copy-paste "GCSE" nine times.

Yes, it's great that your form doesn't support more than one undergraduate degree, wow.

Also this:

Your application is not yet completed and will therefore not be reviewed, please be reminded that all application materials, including the application form (see link below), must be submitted before the deadline.

Also it says before the first submission

Please note you will not be able to view or amend your application once submitted. Please ensure to save a local copy of your application as required.

Also this:

"Within 24 hours you will receive an email with a link to the application form. Be sure to check your spam folder if you could not find it."

Within 24 hours?!

I submitted my application form after midnight, but the questions before; have no idea what's going on and the "ICIMS " doesn't give any indication, it says "last update 28/3", but I submitted my "application form" on 29/3, and received an acknowledgment as well. Honestly if the work-experience kid developed this: fine, but they've bought this in!!!



Also they're literally using RARE - who are Vantage - so why this ICIMS nonsense?

 

[Kenomy]

DWF vacation scheme invite yesterday post AC!

 

[Legallywhatever]

What is the best way to prepare for a VI? I've never done one of these before so have no idea what to expect!!

 

[User5678]

Just curious, what metrics or aspects should I look at when evaluating a firm's quality of training? I understand that there are differences such as US firms' emphasis on on-the-job learning, but how would I go about establishing an objective ranking?

People might prefer on the job learning but i think structured training is better and has a lot of advantages especially when you just start working in the legal field with no past legal experience (that was the case for me).

1. There was training everyday, and was completed over the course of 2 months (per seat) whether it’s for something as minor as using MS word or excel, they trained you to use that.

2. Best part - training was vv interactive, there were quizzes, you were given worksheets, there were PPT’s which made training fun!

3. Atleast two associates were giving the training per topic so you get a more holistic view of the topic. Also, every topic was taught by different associates and you met sooo many new people!!

4. Because i was the junior most (still a uni student), my supervisor waited for me to finish training on a particular topic because giving me a task which was related to that topic. I believe that was the case with trainees as well, but may be different as they’ve done their SQE LPC. (Really depends on your team tbf) and ofc this was not always the case and depends on client needs and the matters you are on. But your supervisor will guide you anyways.

5. Training is mandatory and you cannot miss it at any cost unless you NEED to be there for a client call, your supervising associate will usually take the call without you if you have training and update you later or if you are asked to attend the call, all training is recorded and you would have to see it at a later time.

6. All training sessions being recorded was an amazing plus point, if you miss training you can go back to it later and if you want to understand a topic again you can re watch the session! That really really helped me!!

7. They also provided nice coloured and structured booklets after every session containing what they taught us and I literally still have them w me coz I think they’re gonna be so helpful in the future hahaha

I can actually go on and on about this so let me know if you have any specifics that you want to ask!!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Could someone give a list of current commercial topics? Thanks!

This will of course not be exhaustive, but a few that come to mind are:

• Uncertainty around the US' tariffs policies and potential subsequent trade wars
• The sell-off in US equities and recent gains in European stock markets
• Geopolitical uncertainty around the end of the war in Ukraine, Gaza, and general reordering of relations following a shift in US foreign policy
• Inflation and monetary policy: good news in Europe, fears of stagflation in the US
• Budget deficit issues: high levels of debt in the US and Europe leading to spending cuts
• Uncertainty around returns on AI investments, with the Magnificent 7 stock valuation drops accounting for much of the S&P500 losses

 

[Chris Brown]

Does anyone here know how VS candidates can assess a firm to determine if it’s the right firm for them, during a VS? I know associates and partners will assess us but what kinds of things can and should VS’ers look for in a firm? I have a Spring VS fairly soon so starting to think about this in the event I am somehow able to convert it into a TC offer! Please help. 😅🥲

@Amma Usman @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam​

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Does anyone here know how VS candidates can assess a firm to determine if it’s the right firm for them, during a VS? I know associates and partners will assess us but what kinds of things can and should VS’ers look for in a firm? I have a Spring VS fairly soon so starting to think about this in the event I am somehow able to convert it into a TC offer! Please help. 😅🥲​

I think it’s just about each individual vacation scheme student considering what’s important/non negotiable for their career and then making sure they either look for those elements for the scheme or at least ask different people about their experiences that would demonstrate those elements.

There will always be an element of firms showing off their best aspects in a scheme. Vacation schemes themselves are rarely a true insight into the realities of being a trainee, so trying to get a more in-depth insight by asking questions to those who are in the reality is usually a good approach if you aren’t able to observe it.

 

[Legallywhatever]

I think I could genuinely cry with how badly my amberjack test went. I'm trying to be kind to myself in that it was my first experience with anything of this sort, but I am so disappointed and upset

-apologies for the self pity

 

[tianna09]

has anybody heard back from weightmans summer vac scheme?

 

[trainee4u]

Could someone give a list of current commercial topics? Thanks!

varies I think; sometimes they want to know about specific legal developments in a sector. Other times it could be a deal. For example try understanding the purchase of X (formerly Twitter) by xAI.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Does anyone here know how VS candidates can assess a firm to determine if it’s the right firm for them, during a VS? I know associates and partners will assess us but what kinds of things can and should VS’ers look for in a firm? I have a Spring VS fairly soon so starting to think about this in the event I am somehow able to convert it into a TC offer! Please help. 😅🥲​

As @Jessica Booker said, while a VS is an amazing opportunity to gain insight into what your life at the firm could look like, there is only so much you can experience in a few weeks. It will be very difficult to assess some important elements, such as the level to which you enjoy the work and the high-pressure tight-deadlines environment. As a vacation schemer you can only be trusted with so much, and in most cases no one in the firm will be really relying on your work product or will generally treat you like a real trainee. In truth, when deciding if a firm is right for you/deciding between different firms you are doing a VS with, I think there are two aspects to consider:

1. Differences on paper: how good a firm is in the practices that interest you, their financial position, their strategy, their approach to training etc. These are all points you will have already been aware of and considered at the application stage, so in theory they should be a good fit. While discussing them with practitioners during the scheme might give you further insight, particularly in regards to how the firm compares to its competitors, this is not something is likely to dramatically change your view about how good of a fit it is "on paper".
2. Intangible differences: this is I think the true benefit of a VS - to give you a chance to see whether you feel you are a fit for the place "in practice". This will simply come down to how you feel day to day at the firm. You will have heard endless talk of "firm culture" and seen so many firms describe theirs in almost identical manners and might be tempted to think "cultural fit" should in many cases just be a non-factor. However, from my experience it is true that there are relevant differences between social dynamics at different firms. In some places people tend to be social and outgoing; in others more reserved and focused on work. In some firms partners tend to be very serious, while in others they will take themselves way less seriously and be a lot more willing to joke around with associates and trainees. In some places you will see a higher degree of competitiveness and individualism, while in others people focus on the team more; in some firms, associates will seem to be quite passionate about their work, whereas in others they will be more cynical; in some, people will be more relaxed, in others they will tend to be hyper-ambitious. However, it is difficult to make reliable generalizations. Sometimes, the dynamics can differ more on a department by department basis rather than a firm by firm bases; and in many cases your assessment will also be greatly influenced by your luck regarding the particular people you will get to interact more with. In my opinion, the best you can do is to try to engage with as many people as you can and get a feel for the firm as a whole, and then simply see how comfortable you feel in that space. Fundamentally, and as it happened in my case, I think the question of fit tends to come down to a gut feeling more than anything else.