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The Official Vacation Scheme Thread 2017!

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Hey! Can somebody give me some advice. Say if I want to apply for a training contract not in a traditional City or commercial law firm, but in organisations such as the Government Legal Service (I still wish to pursue a legal career as a solicitor, though I do prefer to work in a more 'political' environment), would it still be a good idea for me to go through the traditional process a solicitor would normally go through, eg, apply vac scheme first in a law firm before do anything else?
Thanks a lot! :wink:
Original post by J-SP
You probably want to register with Aspiring Solicitors. They offer a number of work experience programmes within the GLS. A few other diversity organisations do too (BLD) but Aspiring Solicitors is one where you technically don't have to come from a minority group/lower socioeconomic background.


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Great! Yes, I'm registered with Aspiring Solicitor, so I'm on the right track then. Thank you! :smile:
Just sent off my Ashurst application. I know they are strict on grades but I did come across an interview with one of their people which states they look at the application holistically and won't just base their decision on grades, then again it did appear to be one of the less lenient firms regarding ucas points. however, you've got to be in it to win it and if I do get pfo'd then at least it was useful practice, especially the cover letter part of the form. I took a long time on my cover letter and the 2 questions and researched a lot, plus put some stuff in that I don't think a lot of people (I hope) would know about or find interesting. lets see what happens. now to start looking at BLP.
Do Ashurst recruit on a rolling basis?
Original post by aspriringlawyer
Do Ashurst recruit on a rolling basis?


yeah they allocate vac scheme places on a rolling basis
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 65
Original post by neal95
Just sent off my Ashurst application. I know they are strict on grades but I did come across an interview with one of their people which states they look at the application holistically and won't just base their decision on grades, then again it did appear to be one of the less lenient firms regarding ucas points. however, you've got to be in it to win it and if I do get pfo'd then at least it was useful practice, especially the cover letter part of the form. I took a long time on my cover letter and the 2 questions and researched a lot, plus put some stuff in that I don't think a lot of people (I hope) would know about or find interesting. lets see what happens. now to start looking at BLP.


You have nothing to lose by applying and its definitely good practice for other applications you make. Good luck!

If you don't mind me asking, how long was your cover letter? I saw that the limit is 1000 words and I'm not too sure whether we should be reaching that.
Original post by ba_23
You have nothing to lose by applying and its definitely good practice for other applications you make. Good luck!

If you don't mind me asking, how long was your cover letter? I saw that the limit is 1000 words and I'm not too sure whether we should be reaching that.


Thanks, that was my ethos too :smile: I think I did around 950 words but I talked about a range of stuff and didn't focus on any one area for too long.
BLP application done and dusted, now got a verbal reasoning test to complete. going to do some practice ones online. they're really big on diversity and heavily into contextual recruitment so I have hope for this one. really want one of these winter vac scheme places, would be awesome if I can bag one but I'm going to stay realistic and keep my expectations muted. back to uni soon and then to wait until 1st October which is when the app season really begins
Reply 68
Hey guys,

Massively premature to be looking at this sort of thread, but I'm going into my first year at Oxford in a few weeks and I was wondering if somebody could give me a quick run-down on timings of this sort of thing. Do people usually apply for summer vacs for the end of their first year, or second, or even third?

Also, with TCs, do you secure them in your second or final year?

I have spent so much time perfecting my knowledge of the UCAS process that this seems so foreign! :-)
Original post by Aquaxo
Hey guys,

Massively premature to be looking at this sort of thread, but I'm going into my first year at Oxford in a few weeks and I was wondering if somebody could give me a quick run-down on timings of this sort of thing. Do people usually apply for summer vacs for the end of their first year, or second, or even third?

Also, with TCs, do you secure them in your second or final year?

I have spent so much time perfecting my knowledge of the UCAS process that this seems so foreign! :-)


hey, summer vac schemes are usually applied for in your second year if your doing a law degree, and your third year if your doing a non-law degree. most firms that have winter vacation scheme keep them for third years or post graduate, but some firms like BLP and Ashurst don't specify anything and allow second year students onto the winter schemes. if you fail to get anything in your second year, then you can try again in the next cycle. As a first year student you will want to be applying to open days and insight schemes, such as the spring scheme run by Hogan Lovells and the one week work experience by Herbert Smith Freehills and Allen and Overy.
Reply 70
Hey guys,

One question re Jones Day - in the extra curricular activities section, would it be prudent to use bullet-points?

It's only 100 words and I'm finding it considerably difficult to write a coherent text.
Anyone heard back from Jones Day?
Reply 72
Original post by iano101
Much like Dlaiden and Conzy. I found the previous year's thread incredibly useful and have equally attained a TC at NRF, having competed vac schemes at Skadden, NRF, Macfarlanes and Jones Day.

As the aforementioned have said I would be happy to answer any firm questions, app questions or questions regarding general interview stuff.

The best advice I can give is: get your applications off early, tailor them, network during any presentation events on campus and finally, spell check the hell out of your applications.


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Hey, congrats on your offer! NRF is one of my top choices and I'll be applying for their winter vac in a few weeks. If I get to interview I may well pick your brains if that would be ok!
Reply 73
Original post by hodgey111
The latter. I think in that scenario I would probably opt to leave my full-time employment to experience the entirety of the vacation scheme as they are a great means by which I could secure a training contract.


I took two weeks' annual leave this year to complete an Easter vac scheme. Is that not an option for you?
Just completed the BLP Verbal Analysis test, any ideas on how long they will take to tell me the outcome?
Potentially stupid question:

Can I put down Open Days in the work experience section of applications?

I found an article in which an NRF grad recruiter says that Open Days do count as work experience, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

Cheers
I would mention open days. But list all open days as one piece of work experience.
Original post by DOHHammie
Potentially stupid question:

Can I put down Open Days in the work experience section of applications?

I found an article in which an NRF grad recruiter says that Open Days do count as work experience, but it just doesn't feel right to me.

Cheers


Yeah 100% put them on your applications.

I always added one sentence highlighting something I had taken away from the day which links to the firm I'm applying for e.g. How international firms run a global deal or how important sector focus is etc.


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I was just wondering, for those applying for PWC, I'm having issues with the online system i.e. I can't even access it. Has anyone else had this problem?
Original post by Conzy210
Repped.

I also have secured a TC this year, with Slaughters, but I'll also be about on this thread if anyone has any questions. I also completed a Vacation Scheme at Linklaters, and turned down a scheme at Hogan Lovells. Much like the above poster I'm very grateful to users of TSR throughout the years, so would like to help if possible.


Congrats! Could I ask why you opted for Slaughters instead of Links or Hogan Lovells? Were you on their vac scheme as well?

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