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Training Contracts 2015 - Let the Games Begin

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Reply 2440
Anyone heard from Bird & Bird beyond the "Partner Review" stage?
Reply 2441
Original post by pinkfizz
Anyone heard from Bird & Bird beyond the "Partner Review" stage?


I second this. Also anyone hear from AG Manchester post telephone interview?
Reply 2442
Original post by NapoleonXV
Hey guys

I will hear back from the two firms that I did VS at in a few days time, and I am wondering how long they normally give to people to decide.

I will also apply to several of the top law schools in US, and ideally, I want to wait to see their results, along with scholarship results, before making my decisions. But the law school results may not come before December. It is possible for me to postpone decision for such a long time?

Ps.I am non law so my TC will begin in 2016, if it matters.

Many thanks.


To be honest, I think this is the sort of things that firms (especially big ones) are quite happy to offer a deferral for. But do you mean that your choice of firm might depend on whether or not you get into the law school of your choice (not sure why that would be the case)? Also if you're non-law...are you proposing to go and do a 3 year JD in the US? That's the sort of thing I suspect they'll be more wary about ok-ing - an LLM is one thing, but that seems like another level. Then again I'm not in HR at these firms so I don't know!
Original post by 7195789
Anyone heard anything positive from Gateley?


Straight TC application, or post VS?

Don't think the offers to VS attendees have been made yet, but they are due by the end of the month. I know they tend to wait until they have assessed straight TC applicants before making offers, which would suggest that most ACs have occurred or are scheduled this week, so offers can be made by the end of the month as planned.

(This is because they don't think it fair to take X from the VS and then only leave Y places to the straight applicants, when they don't take a huge number of trainees.)
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by pinkfizz
Anyone heard from Bird & Bird beyond the "Partner Review" stage?


Original post by Nordic
I second this. Also anyone hear from AG Manchester post telephone interview?


Also still waiting. Seems like a long time ago that I heard about the Partner Review Stage.....
Original post by speeches
So true! Although they leave a glimmer of hope, in that the chosen candidates only "appear" to be better. That's what I'll comfort myself with.


Was this post-VRT guys or straight from application? Getting sick of the wait!
Hi all,

I just wanted to ask if any of you lovely people had any opinion whatsoever on Shearman & Sterling as a firm?

Whether your opinions are negative or positive I would very much hope to hear from you, and I would greatly appreciate anyone's account of experiences with the firm whether as a vacation scheme student, an applicant or a trainee (if there are any of you on here?)

Thank you all in advance.
Reply 2447
Original post by LM32
PFO Reed Smith - knew it was coming based on info from on here/friends however I think it was the harshest PFO yet.

"a number of other candidates appear to meet our requirements more closely in terms of their qualifications, skills and experience"

I read that as "basically everything about is crap so c ya"



Sorry to hear that - quite a harsh PFO. Was this pre/post VRT? I'm still waiting to hear back...I dunno if that's a good thing or bad thing :confused:
Original post by wawa1906
To be honest, I think this is the sort of things that firms (especially big ones) are quite happy to offer a deferral for. But do you mean that your choice of firm might depend on whether or not you get into the law school of your choice (not sure why that would be the case)? Also if you're non-law...are you proposing to go and do a 3 year JD in the US? That's the sort of thing I suspect they'll be more wary about ok-ing - an LLM is one thing, but that seems like another level. Then again I'm not in HR at these firms so I don't know!


Both the firms are MC firms and assuming that I can get both, I now have a clear preference of one over the other.

Thanks for your reply but I am not really asking for deferral in the sense that I will come back to the firm to work after law school in US. Instead I am intending to ask for deferral of decision whether to accept or decline the TC offer.
Original post by the punter
2nd round Covington :smile:)))))

I've been checking my emails all day; not a peep from Covington.

Guessing that's a bad sign then...
Original post by NapoleonXV
Both the firms are MC firms and assuming that I can get both, I now have a clear preference of one over the other.

Thanks for your reply but I am not really asking for deferral in the sense that I will come back to the firm to work after law school in US. Instead I am intending to ask for deferral of decision whether to accept or decline the TC offer.



Well, then where is the problem in accepting the one you prefer immediately (provided you get both?) I am not sure I can see your logic in needing to wait on law schools in America to get back to you, in order to make a decision on which firm to train with? Is it not a given that you will go to some form of law school, and then train at some firm. Choose the firm now, and let the law school take care of itself come December.

Also, if you are going for 2016, then you are already deferring. This is the 2015 cycle.

To answer your question, I do not think any firm will wait on you until December. These places are highly sought after, and if you are not in a position to accept it within a reasonable time period (I believe 4 weeks is the norm), they will give it to someone else. Bottom line is accept what you get, and best of luck with the rest.
Original post by NapoleonXV
Both the firms are MC firms and assuming that I can get both, I now have a clear preference of one over the other.

Thanks for your reply but I am not really asking for deferral in the sense that I will come back to the firm to work after law school in US. Instead I am intending to ask for deferral of decision whether to accept or decline the TC offer.



Also, why are you even going to law school in the US? Surely you would need to do a law degree here, if you intend to train here?

Forgive me, but I do not think you have made your problem (if you even have a problem), clear at all.
Original post by DesperateTimes
Well, then where is the problem in accepting the one you prefer immediately (provided you get both?) I am not sure I can see your logic in needing to wait on law schools in America to get back to you, in order to make a decision on which firm to train with? Is it not a given that you will go to some form of law school, and then train at some firm. Choose the firm now, and let the law school take care of itself come December.

Also, if you are going for 2016, then you are already deferring. This is the 2015 cycle.

To answer your question, I do not think any firm will wait on you until December. These places are highly sought after, and if you are not in a position to accept it within a reasonable time period (I believe 4 weeks is the norm), they will give it to someone else. Bottom line is accept what you get, and best of luck with the rest.


The point is that going to American law schools and training at a UK firm are mutually exclusive options.

Either I do GDL+LPC+TC+practice in England, or I do American Law School+practice in States.

I am not from either England or US, so I do not really have a definitive preference working either place. So ideally, I want to get a sense of what American law schools can offer me with before making a choice.

But yeah just as your answer said, I am perfectly aware they are brutally sought after places.


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Reply 2453
Original post by flaresamc
Straight TC application, or post VS?

Don't think the offers to VS attendees have been made yet, but they are due by the end of the month. I know they tend to wait until they have assessed straight TC applicants before making offers, which would suggest that most ACs have occurred or are scheduled this week, so offers can be made by the end of the month as planned.

(This is because they don't think it fair to take X from the VS and then only leave Y places to the straight applicants, when they don't take a huge number of trainees.)


Straight App. I haven't heard anything, I know there were a round of PFOs a couple of weeks ago, but I hadn't heard of anyone getting an interview or AC offer. Do you know for definite if the straight applicant AC's have happened?
Original post by NapoleonXV
The point is that going to American law schools and training at a UK firm are mutually exclusive options.

Either I do GDL+LPC+TC+practice in England, or I do American Law School+practice in States.


I am not from either England or US, so I do not really have a definitive preference working either place. So ideally, I want to get a sense of what American law schools can offer me with before making a choice.

But yeah just as your answer said, I am perfectly aware they are brutally sought after places.


Posted from TSR Mobile


Can't have your cake and eat it mate.

I would say have a long think about it before you:

a) deprive someone of a place here, which you will then pull out of in a year's time;

b) Spend an atrocious sum of money on education in the US, without wishing to pursue a career there, which will certainly be a financial mistake. I am sure there will be arguments made about what a "life-changing" experience it was.

While I cannot recommend either one to you, as it is a personal preference, a UK training contract is gold-dust. They will also pay for your GDL and LPC, and give you some cash to maintain yourself.

Once you qualify here, you can actually take the NY bar, or the California bar, or just hang out at your local bar and pursue a career here.

I would not turn down a magic circle TC, undertake the financial burden of a US education just to "see how I feel".

That's me though, and then there is you... but I hope this helps in some way.
Original post by 7195789
Straight App. I haven't heard anything, I know there were a round of PFOs a couple of weeks ago, but I hadn't heard of anyone getting an interview or AC offer. Do you know for definite if the straight applicant AC's have happened?


I don't know for sure that they have occurred, but I know for certain that they said they make offers (at least to VS attendees) at the end of August, and they said that they do so after assessing straight TC applicants...
Original post by NapoleonXV
The point is that going to American law schools and training at a UK firm are mutually exclusive options.

Either I do GDL+LPC+TC+practice in England, or I do American Law School+practice in States.

I am not from either England or US, so I do not really have a definitive preference working either place. So ideally, I want to get a sense of what American law schools can offer me with before making a choice.

But yeah just as your answer said, I am perfectly aware they are brutally sought after places.


Posted from TSR Mobile


If you get a TC offer and your immediate response isn't to accept it, I'd say your heart isn't in it and you'd be better going the US route, so do that.
Original post by DesperateTimes
Can't have your cake and eat it mate.

I would say have a long think about it before you:

a) deprive someone of a place here, which you will then pull out of in a year's time;

b) Spend an atrocious sum of money on education in the US, without wishing to pursue a career there, which will certainly be a financial mistake. I am sure there will be arguments made about what a "life-changing" experience it was.

While I cannot recommend either one to you, as it is a personal preference, a UK training contract is gold-dust. They will also pay for your GDL and LPC, and give you some cash to maintain yourself.

Once you qualify here, you can actually take the NY bar, or the California bar, or just hang out at your local bar and pursue a career here.

I would not turn down a magic circle TC, undertake the financial burden of a US education just to "see how I feel".

That's me though, and then there is you... but I hope this helps in some way.


I definitely do not want to deprive anyone of their TC, so I will communicate well with the firm :smile:

Financial consideration is not my primary consideration the moment. I definitely enjoyed my time so much doing VS at the two MC firms and it is absolutely fascinating.

But since I will just hit 20 by the time I graduate from undergrad, I want to do a proper education in law, and cover jurisprudence, constitution, the sort of things I am intellectually interested in. From what I have learnt about GDL and LPC, they might not be able to offer this.

So basically this is less a career decision, than an education decision.

Culturally, I might prefer Mc firms to US firms, and that's why I will have another long think about it. Many thanks for your advice!


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Original post by NapoleonXV
I definitely do not want to deprive anyone of their TC, so I will communicate well with the firm :smile:

Financial consideration is not my primary consideration the moment. I definitely enjoyed my time so much doing VS at the two MC firms and it is absolutely fascinating.

But since I will just hit 20 by the time I graduate from undergrad, I want to do a proper education in law, and cover jurisprudence, constitution, the sort of things I am intellectually interested in. From what I have learnt about GDL and LPC, they might not be able to offer this.

So basically this is less a career decision, than an education decision.

Culturally, I might prefer Mc firms to US firms, and that's why I will have another long think about it. Many thanks for your advice!


Posted from TSR Mobile



Well best of luck. It sounds like you have a rough idea what you want to do.

However, if you don't like things across the pond, you will still have to come back and do the GDL + LPC. So add 2 years to your JD.

Have you considered doing an undergraduate degree in Law? I have a friend who was in a similar position to you, and decided to do Law as an undergrad, following a previous undergrad degree in the UK.

That will put some years on your youthful face, and give you the intellect you desire. Although, I think most GDLers on here would tell you that the GDL is not an easy feat.(!) However, as a law student, I understand your point about Jurisprudence etc... The GDL will not offer you that.

Speak to more people, it is a tough decision, but I am biased towards the UK, speak to someone biased towards the US, maybe that will help balance things for you a little.
Anyone heard from Addleshaw post-phone interview?

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