TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hey everyone - how should I answer the interview question 'Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?'

I'm unsure what law firms are looking for in this question, and if it should only revolve around a career in commercial law or involve some personal goals too?

Hiya @addy2004

This can be a really common question in law firm interviews, and it's good you're thinking about it I think the key here is to demonstrate that you have a practical and realistic understanding of career progression for commercial lawyers, while showing ambition and engagement with the profession. I've generally seen successful applicants mention a number of different themes here, usually 2-3 of those mentioned below.

One strong area to focus on is where you see yourself in terms of practice area/department. It could be worth mentioning a particular team or practice area that interests you as a potential qualification destination, explaining why that practice is compelling. At the same time, I'd also briefly mention/show openness to exploring different seats and recognising that your interests may evolve during training contract. I think this approach balances enthusiasm for particular areas of work and also adaptability.

Another point you might consider is your involvement in the firm beyond client work. Many candidates mention an interest in helping mentor and support more junior lawyers, including future trainees. Mentioning these sort of things can signal your commitment to a long-term investment in the firm’s culture, a sense of teamwork, and professional development. It also allows you to highlight that you're aware that you'll have some experience by that point which can be valuable to those who are less further along their careers.

These are just some suggestions, but again the key point is to ensure that any points you mention should be realistic and demonstrate an understanding of firms and the typical career path for junior lawyers. Hope this helps and good luck with any interviews/applications you have on at the moment!

 

[legallycurly]

Farrer & Co post-app PFO

 

[Chris Brown]

White & Case post-VI/TI PFO. 🥲

For reference, I think I applied on the 5th of Jan, received VI invite around the 28th of Jan, and sat the VI around the 31st of Jan. I had applied for both Spring and Summer VS.​

 

[legallady123]

Does anyone have any advice on how to prep for the assessments that aren’t Watson Glaser. For example, the WBD one? 🙏🏻

 

[g.cl.2020344]

does any1 know when OC will get back to us post virtual AC?

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

genuinely curious but what sort of answers do firms want/expect to hear when they ask you questions along the lines of would you still work for a client if you had moral qualms about them etc etc

Hiya @aspiringlawstudent123

This is definitely a tricky question, and has actually come up for me during interviews. It's also not just hypothetical - it's something that's come up a lot during discussions of professional ethics in my SQE course as well. The reality is that your moral/ethical/political/social views won’t always align with your clients’ (or your employer's for that matter). Part of being a professional is knowing where your own boundaries are. In your answer, you may want to really highlight 2-3 of the following themes or points:

• Show an awareness of professional limits. You may want to ensure that it's absolutely clear that you wouldn't do anything unlawful or anything that could jeopardise your ability to practise. You can also mention this by reference to the SRA Code of Conduct, which is clear on professional/ethical obligations.
• Being a lawyer isn’t the same as endorsing a client. If working only for clients you personally support is important to you, your options are limited (you may need to go freelance or find a company that aligns with your values).
• Law firm branding and reputation matter. Very often, the scenarios in which the question comes up will test your ability to weight the reputational risks associated with both advising the client, as well as refusing to do so. If I were ever asked to work on something ethically questionable, my biggest concern would be whether it could seriously damage the firm’s reputation. But in reality, the firm would have already made that judgment before taking on the work.

Beyond that, I think your answer will depend on whether they’re asking about your personal stance or what the firm should do. Again, depending on the scenario, you'll want to consider what ethical/regulatory obligations bind the firm.

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions! Good luck!

 

[thelawjournal]

Hi, does anyone who has done the Mayer Brown SJT know whether there is a video interview element?

 

[Chris Brown]

Hiya @aspiringlawstudent123

This is definitely a tricky question, and has actually come up for me during interviews. It's also not just hypothetical - it's something that's come up a lot during discussions of professional ethics in my SQE course as well. The reality is that your moral/ethical/political/social views won’t always align with your clients’ (or your employer's for that matter). Part of being a professional is knowing where your own boundaries are. In your answer, you may want to really highlight 2-3 of the following themes or points:

• Show an awareness of professional limits. You may want to ensure that it's absolutely clear that you wouldn't do anything unlawful or anything that could jeopardise your ability to practise. You can also mention this by reference to the SRA Code of Conduct, which is clear on professional/ethical obligations.
• Being a lawyer isn’t the same as endorsing a client. Moreover, if working only for clients you personally support is important to you, your options are limited (you may need to go freelance or find a company that aligns with your values).
• Law firm branding and reputation matter. Very often, the scenarios in which the question comes up will test your ability to weight the reputational risks associated with both advising the client, as well as refusing to do so. If I were ever asked to work on something ethically questionable, my biggest concern would be whether it could seriously damage the firm’s reputation. But in reality, the firm would have already made that judgment before taking on the work.

Beyond that, I think your answer will depend on whether they’re asking about your personal stance or what the firm should do. Again, depending on the scenario, you'll want to consider what ethical/regulatory obligations bind the firm.

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions! Good luck!

Hi @Ram Sabaratnam,

In relation to the final point, what would you say about a hypothetical situation where the firm may have made its initial judgement that advising a client would not impose harm to their professional branding and reputation, but it actually later turned out that it most likely would (and the partners leading the deal were unwilling to accept that fact out of fear of losing the deal or client altogether).

Would it be fine in this scenario for a trainee or associate (on grounds of the work being ethically questionable) to refuse the work? How do firms balance their need to take on work which is billed to clients, which helps firms make revenues and profits for equity partners, whilst also making sure that the work isn't ethically questionable and won’t have an impact on the firm’s reputation?

I understand this is probably a very strange and unlikely scenario, but it crossed my mind and I thought if this came up in an interview, I need to have considered everything. 😂😂​

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi @Ram Sabaratnam,

In relation to the final point, what would you say about a hypothetical situation where the firm may have made its initial judgement that advising a client would not impose harm to their professional branding and reputation, but it actually later turned out that it most likely would (and the partners leading the deal were unwilling to accept that fact out of fear of losing the deal or client altogether).

Would it be fine in this scenario for a trainee or associate (on grounds of the work being ethically questionable) to refuse the work? How do firms balance their need to take on work which is billed to clients, which helps firms make revenues and profits for equity partners, whilst also making sure that the work isn't ethically questionable and won’t have an impact on the firm’s reputation?

I understand this is probably a very strange and unlikely scenario, but it crossed my mind and I thought if this came up in an interview, I need to have considered everything. 😂😂​

(JK I have more to say, and will get back to you right after my class. Hold that thought @Chris Brown)

 

[Cats688]

Has anyone heard from Russel-Cooke post app ?

 

[summersun]

Does anyone have any advice on how to prep for the assessments that aren’t Watson Glaser. For example, the WBD one? 🙏🏻

Hi my advice would be to keep the values in mind, read some examples of " a day in a trainee's life" that some firms have and that give you an insight into their tasks and honestly don't overthink it. I find that I usually have better results when I do them tired 😅 (not encouraging people to take it tired)

 

[legallady123]

Hi my advice would be to keep the values in mind, read some examples of " a day in a trainee's life" that some firms have and that give you an insight into their tasks and honestly don't overthink it. I find that I usually have better results when I do them tired 😅 (not encouraging people to take it tired)

Thank you so much

 

[lawaspirant!]

Is HSF still giving out news regarding their summer vs?

 

[futuretrainee!]

Hi @Ram Sabaratnam,

In relation to the final point, what would you say about a hypothetical situation where the firm may have made its initial judgement that advising a client would not impose harm to their professional branding and reputation, but it actually later turned out that it most likely would (and the partners leading the deal were unwilling to accept that fact out of fear of losing the deal or client altogether).

Would it be fine in this scenario for a trainee or associate (on grounds of the work being ethically questionable) to refuse the work? How do firms balance their need to take on work which is billed to clients, which helps firms make revenues and profits for equity partners, whilst also making sure that the work isn't ethically questionable and won’t have an impact on the firm’s reputation?

I understand this is probably a very strange and unlikely scenario, but it crossed my mind and I thought if this came up in an interview, I need to have considered everything. 😂😂​

This SCREAMS Willkie representing Blake Lively in her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni 😂😂

 

[bsh]

For those interviewing with PW, are we expecting just a motivational interview at this stage?

 

[Chris Brown]

For those interviewing with PW, are we expecting just a motivational interview at this stage?

I am thinking it’s going to be both motivational and competency questions so I am preparing for both just in case. 🥲​

 

[Ricky]

I am thinking it’s going to be both motivational and competency questions so I am preparing for both just in case. 🥲​

When are the interviews being held?

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Hi @Ram Sabaratnam,

In relation to the final point, what would you say about a hypothetical situation where the firm may have made its initial judgement that advising a client would not impose harm to their professional branding and reputation, but it actually later turned out that it most likely would (and the partners leading the deal were unwilling to accept that fact out of fear of losing the deal or client altogether).

Would it be fine in this scenario for a trainee or associate (on grounds of the work being ethically questionable) to refuse the work? How do firms balance their need to take on work which is billed to clients, which helps firms make revenues and profits for equity partners, whilst also making sure that the work isn't ethically questionable and won’t have an impact on the firm’s reputation?

I understand this is probably a very strange and unlikely scenario, but it crossed my mind and I thought if this came up in an interview, I need to have considered everything. 😂😂​

It is not an unlikely situation. Trainees often have to work on matters they may not feel entirely comfortable with. It is part of the job though and representing organisations or individuals you might not agree with is something you have to factor in to the realities of what your job is.

However, it really depends what the matter is and also what your reasons are for wanting to refuse the work. In most cases where it is a preference rather than something that links to your beliefs (especially if those beliefs are a protected characteristic), I'd honestly say you have to suck it up more times than not. Trainees are not going to be very "visible" in representing the client - the partners/senior lawyers will be those putting their reputation on the line.

However, it is very common for those, especially with certain religions, to not work on matters that go against their beliefs - for instance working with gambling companies or tobacco companies.

But it was very common in interviews in one of the firms I worked for for us to address this upfront and ask questions like "what would you do if we asked you to work on X type of matter/for Y client?". For instance, when people talked about ESG matters in applications or having a very strong interest in green energy, we'd ask them what they would do if they were asked to work on a project for a major oil client that would lead to environmental damage or go against any green agenda.

 

[EA95]

I am thinking it’s going to be both motivational and competency questions so I am preparing for both just in case. 🥲​

When are interviews being held? And are they in person or remote via Zoom/MS?

 

[bsh]

I am thinking it’s going to be both motivational and competency questions so I am preparing for both just in case. 🥲​

Do you think it is worth emailing Paul just to check? I agree with you though, preparing for both is the best option atm