TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Tangcy]

Hi all, just wanted to ask what kind of information do you guys asked when going to a law firm open days? I just want to know what kind of "insider scoop" that I can asked for to demonstrate my research and my motivation to apply for that particular firm. I would really appreciate any examples or things i could consider.

 

[lilymaltaba]

A close friend is a partner at Goodwin and rates it. I quote “not many d**heads at all”. I’m biased though as it’s been my top firm since I started this process.

Fabulous problem to have!

Thank you and good luck

 

[Legallywhatever]

When grad recruitment tells you that they’ll be giving a response by the end of this week, do we think they mean the working week or is it possible they mean by the end of Sunday?

 

[AS24]

When grad recruitment tells you that they’ll be giving a response by the end of this week, do we think they mean the working week or is it possible they mean by the end of Sunday?

It should be Friday, is this Mishcon?

 

[Boating]

Hi @Amma Usman @Andrei Radu I've been asked to prep a commercial story for an upcoming interview, do you think discussing the rise in private credit would suffice or is that too broad?

 

[Legallywhatever]

It should be Friday, is this Mishcon?

Michelmores and I’ve just remembered that it’s bank holiday weekend so it must be Friday (today) 😬

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

When grad recruitment tells you that they’ll be giving a response by the end of this week, do we think they mean the working week or is it possible they mean by the end of Sunday?

Highly unlikely to be Sunday unless its an international team who are partly/all based in a country like Dubai that works on Sundays.

 

[Kakaboo]

Weird question!! I have to drop my passport off at the office for my SVS, should I dress smart?

 

[Legallywhatever]

Weird question!! I have to drop my passport off at the office for my SVS, should I dress smart?

I don’t think so to be fair, but smart casual never fails!

 

[TCLA Community Assistant]

Weird question!! I have to drop my passport off at the office for my SVS, should I dress smart?

No need to turn up business smart - smart casual will be fine. Maybe just avoid jeans/trainers - but I suspect that with the weather like it is, people in the office (assuming they are not all WFH due to the bank holiday) might even be in dress down today.

 

[cwyk]

Faegre Drinker VS!! Yay!!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi @Amma Usman @Andrei Radu I've been asked to prep a commercial story for an upcoming interview, do you think discussing the rise in private credit would suffice or is that too broad?

I think the rise of private credit is a great story to discuss. Every major commercial topic you can discuss, from inflation and monetary policies to trade wars, will be quite broad in the sense of affecting almost everything in the global economy - if anything, I would say the rise of private credit is a slightly more niche and finance-focused topic. The fact they are quite broad does not mean that you should not discuss any of them. The trick is to narrow down the scope of your analysis: instead of saying 'I will discuss the causes and effects of the rise of private credit', which commits you to an impossibly comprehensive presentation, you can state you will discuss one or two of its major impacts, the way it is affecting a particular industry, or its connection to the law firm you are applying at.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Faegre Drinker VS!! Yay!!

Huge congratulations @cwyk , definitely take the moment to celebrate this 🥳 🥳 🥳 !!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi all, just wanted to ask what kind of information do you guys asked when going to a law firm open days? I just want to know what kind of "insider scoop" that I can asked for to demonstrate my research and my motivation to apply for that particular firm. I would really appreciate any examples or things i could consider.

Hi @Tangcy the questions I asked were always around the firm's selling points, so that I could hopefully integrate and quote an answer into a 'Why the firm' answer connected to that selling point. Thus, before the open day, I would advise you to research the firm a bit and identify what features distinguish them from most rivals and make them attractive from an applicant's perspective. Then, just think about how you can ask questions about that feature of the firm that only insiders know about - some examples of what I have seen work with almost all firm selling points are:

• Has this aspect of the firm been a focus in the firm's strategy?
• What motivated the firm to invest in developing these aspects, and how does this compare to what rivals are doing?
• Has this aspect of the firm influenced your life and work here, and if so, how?

Now, these questions are quite neutral in terms of what particular distinguishing feature of a firm you choose to connect your motivations to. However, in practice, a significant majority of convincing 'why the firm' reasons are tied to practice area/sector strengths. Thus, to the extent that your own research has not clarified this, you can ask questions such as:

• Is the firm developing the practice at a generalist level, or does it focus on more specific types of mandates? Are there any types of matters for which the firm is more of a market leader than in others?
• Who are the firm's biggest competitors in this practice? Who do you most often find yourselves pitching against?
• What are the firm's selling points of expertise for this practice area from a client perspective? Are there any major selling points that you think rivals have and you do not?
• How is the firm planning to develop the practice in the coming years? In particular, what is the firm's strategy around retaining and securing talent in a very competitive partner lateral hiring market?
• How does the firm go about business development in this area? Are most client relationships institutional (relationships of the firm itself) or personal relationships of partners?
• How much of the firm's revenue does the practice account for, and how comparatively profitable is it to other practices?
• Who are the biggest clients of the firm in this area?
• What is the most interesting matter you have worked on in this practice?

 

[Legallywhatever]

When grad recruitment tells you that they’ll be giving a response by the end of this week, do we think they mean the working week or is it possible they mean by the end of Sunday?

Was indeed the working week and it is indeed a pfo - for Michelmores post test!

 

[Starfish31]

Thank you and good luck

Congrats on the Goodwin TC - when did they get back to you?!

 

[Boating]

I think the rise of private credit is a great story to discuss. Every major commercial topic you can discuss, from inflation and monetary policies to trade wars, will be quite broad in the sense of affecting almost everything in the global economy - if anything, I would say the rise of private credit is a slightly more niche and finance-focused topic. The fact they are quite broad does not mean that you should not discuss any of them. The trick is to narrow down the scope of your analysis: instead of saying 'I will discuss the causes and effects of the rise of private credit', which commits you to an impossibly comprehensive presentation, you can state you will discuss one or two of its major impacts, the way it is affecting a particular industry, or its connection to the law firm you are applying at.

Great thank you! its always the 'story' part that throws me off, like I could talk about the Thames water situation, for example, as that's a story, but it's harder to link the wider trends of that to a firm

 

[Andrei Radu]

Thoughts on choosing between TCs from W&C and Goodwin?

Some of Goodwin's pros would include:

• The firm is really strong in investment funds, life sciences, and mid-market PE.
• Arguably the leading firm for venture capital (VC).
• It consistently tops the global charts for the volume of deals they work on, although their average deal value is lower than of other elite US firms.
• Known to have quite an entrepreneurial culture.
• Lower trainee intake, so you will probably get more exposure to higher responsibility tasks here.

As for White & Case:

• It has larger operations than Goodwin, both in London and at a global scale, so it may be the stronger brand name.
• It is more full-service, so it offers a wider selection of practice area choices in which the firm has good expertise.
• Among the best in the market for capital markets, international arbitration, banking & finance, and energy & infrastructure work.
• Larger cohort and platform means more organized training sessions and more opportunities to network/socialize.
• Guarantees an international secondment, which, from what I hear, is often one of the best experiences in a TC.

Ultimately, what the decision should come down to is your interests and priorities - there is no right or wrong answer. That said, both firms are among the most successful and prestigious in the world, and culture-wise have a good reputation, so you will be set to have a great career irrespective of your choice.

 

[Chris Brown]

Great thank you! its always the 'story' part that throws me off, like I could talk about the Thames water situation, for example, as that's a story, but it's harder to link the wider trends of that to a firm

I think the link would be the precedent set by the deal or dispute. For Thames Water, there were a number of novel points that the courts considered re the restructuring. 🥲

The UK High Court approved the restructuring and the UK Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal made by the different creditors, upholding the UK High Court decision. 🥲

Reading firms’ summaries of it is a good way of understanding the link between wider commercial trends and the impact on law firms. I have linked some of them below:

Three’s a Crowd? The Thames Water Restructuring Plan(s)

Key Takeaways: In one of the most high-profile and hotly-watched cases in the London restructuring market, on 18 February 2025, the English High Court approved the restructuring plan proposed by Thames Water. The Court gave permission to appeal the Court’s order to a group of challenging junior...

www.paulweiss.com

Thames Water: Court of Appeal Delivers Judgment Rejecting Challenges to Restructuring Plan | Publications | Kirkland & Ellis LLP

www.kirkland.com

Hopefully this helps with connecting the story to the firm, factoring in wider commercial and legal implications. I think the best way would be to use PESTLE, but I’m not too sure. 🙂​

 

[lilymaltaba]

Some of Goodwin's pros would include:

• The firm is really strong in investment funds, life sciences, and mid-market PE.
• Arguably the leading firm for venture capital (VC).
• It consistently tops the global charts for the volume of deals they work on, although their average deal value is lower than of other elite US firms.
• Known to have quite an entrepreneurial culture.
• Lower trainee intake, so you will probably get more exposure to higher responsibility tasks here.

As for White & Case:

• It has larger operations than Goodwin, both in London and at a global scale, so it may be the stronger brand name.
• It is more full-service, so it offers a wider selection of practice area choices in which the firm has good expertise.
• Among the best in the market for capital markets, international arbitration, banking & finance, and energy & infrastructure work.
• Larger cohort and platform means more organized training sessions and more opportunities to network/socialize.
• Guarantees an international secondment, which, from what I hear, is often one of the best experiences in a TC.

Ultimately, what the decision should come down to is your interests and priorities - there is no right or wrong answer. That said, both firms are among the most successful and prestigious in the world, and culture-wise have a good reputation, so you will be set to have a great career irrespective of your choice.

Thank you so much!