Official Vacation Scheme Thread 2013 GET ON IT EARLY!!!

HI.

Which firms do not accept your TC application if you have been rejected for a VS? I belive Slaughter & May take this approach and Simmons.

Thanks,

Hi there,

I would always divide the law firms into two categories: those that look at all applications individually, even in the same recruitment cycle and those that have a policy of 'dual' applications.

You must also clarify at what stage you get rejected. Generally, if you are rejected on an application stage than you can reapply BUT as long as you modified your application form and improved it. This is just common sense because there were reasons for rejecting your first application.

However, if your application was successful and you were rejected in one of the later stages, such as phone interview or an AC, than it is completely different. I had the experience with BLP, where I applied for a TC one year but was unsuccessful in the end. I then reapplied and got a phone interview for a VS with them next year BUT because I didn't get through that stage they said I could not reapply in the same cycle/year.

The final thing to remember is that all Magic Circle and most City law firms have the policy of 'one strike, out'. This means that if you attended they AC/interview and were unsuccessful than there is almost no chance of you getting a AC/interview in the future. I was told that almost explicitly in Freshfields, Slaughter and May and Linklaters. Of course, there is a chance but it is very slim and you may have to show that after you graduated you worked in the commercial/business world for some time and developed more experience.

I hope this helps.

All the best,


Erus35.

Anyone heard from CMS, Olswang or Farrer?

Slaughter and May summer work experience interview. Anyone else?

Hi there,

I would always divide the law firms into two categories: those that look at all applications individually, even in the same recruitment cycle and those that have a policy of 'dual' applications.

You must also clarify at what stage you get rejected. Generally, if you are rejected on an application stage than you can reapply BUT as long as you modified your application form and improved it. This is just common sense because there were reasons for rejecting your first application.

However, if your application was successful and you were rejected in one of the later stages, such as phone interview or an AC, than it is completely different. I had the experience with BLP, where I applied for a TC one year but was unsuccessful in the end. I then reapplied and got a phone interview for a VS with them next year BUT because I didn't get through that stage they said I could not reapply in the same cycle/year.

The final thing to remember is that all Magic Circle and most City law firms have the policy of 'one strike, out'. This means that if you attended they AC/interview and were unsuccessful than there is almost no chance of you getting a AC/interview in the future. I was told that almost explicitly in Freshfields, Slaughter and May and Linklaters. Of course, there is a chance but it is very slim and you may have to show that after you graduated you worked in the commercial/business world for some time and developed more experience.

I hope this helps.

All the best,


Erus35.

Slaughter and May summer work experience interview. Anyone else?

Does anyone know how many open days Cleary holds as part of the vacation scheme process? Is it just the one? I won't be in the UK on the day of the Open Day they have offered me so I was wondering if there are any other open days.

Hi - the one that I'm attending to is on the 14th. but i saw somewhere that there are two days available. just email them and ask.

I just did and they already replied There's one on Feb 4th so I'm on that one now. Good luck with yours!

Interesting strategy, however you can't get a TC without any legal work experience can you. I have zilch work experience

Also interview with Herbert Smith Freehills! applied 18th dec, got the invite this morning - guess they're sending out emails today.

I got an invitation for the Cleary Gottlieb open day/AC last night, did anyone else get this as well? It says no advance prep is required.. there will be an interview + other tests though. If anyone has attended an open day with them, any general tips would be much appreciated!!

Completely off-topic and just a silly anecdote for entertainment purposes, but I was out recently and we were in a bar and a woman, I'd say in her 30s, overheard me say 'barrister' - she drunkenly came running over and asked if I was a pupil like her (lol) and I said no. We got chatting and I told her I was starting as a trainee next year. She then drunkenly told me to save my soul and take as much time off as possible before starting a training contract(nothing to do with my firm, just corporate law in general apparently) and then went into a very emotive speech about how she trained at Cleary and was 'haunted' by the experience (apparently she hates law so much she thought being a barrister would be different ).

You meet some interesting people!