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The Official Vacation Scheme Thread 2018!

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Hey guys im currently at UOB. my alevels werent the best ABB. Didnt really know i wanted to go into corp law till early this year. Im a brand ambassador for Taylor Wessing too. Ill be applying for vac schemes but unsure what firms to aim for. I know some are going to be out of reach with AAB rrquirements. My first year grades are all 2.1's. 62 63 64 66 70 65. Think im aiming for mid firms and CC HSF magic circle due to being on the rare recruitment discuss programme. Ill be attending a few open days in the autumn to strengthen my app. I hope we can all help each other out! Also worked part time since 17, volunteer as a tutor and mentor. And should have a placement coming up with the environment agency soon.
I also run a commerical awareness blog if any of you want to get involved message me.
(edited 6 years ago)
Yes i like the idea of a google doc!
QUOTE=reced;73490618]2017 was my first cycle. Got a few ACs but they amounted to nothing & I ended up accepting a non-legal internship over the summer. Cautiously optimistic about my prospects this time round, though.

Best of luck to you all!

(Sidenote: Should we prepare a Google doc to track progress?)
Original post by tee beau
Hey guys im currently at UOB. my alevels werent the best ABB. Didnt really know i wanted to go into corp law till early this year. Im a brand ambassador for Taylor Wessing too. Ill be applying for vac schemes but unsure what firms to aim for. I know some are going to be out of reach with AAB rrquirements. My first year grades are all 2.1's. 62 63 64 66 70 65. Think im aiming for mid firms and CC HSF magic circle due to being on the rare recruitment discuss programme. Ill be attending a few open days in the autumn to strengthen my app. I hope we can all help each other out! Also worked part time since 17, volunteer as a tutor and mentor. And should have a placement coming up with the environment agency soon.
I also run a commerical awareness blog if any of you want to get involved message me.


Hey, the commercial awareness blog sounds good! do you have a link? I'm also a UoB student!
Hey, the link is http://commercialfluencyforstudents.wordpress.com
And what year are you in?
Original post by ES123456
Hey, the commercial awareness blog sounds good! do you have a link? I'm also a UoB student!
Original post by tee beau
Hey, the link is http://commercialfluencyforstudents.wordpress.com
And what year are you in?


I'm in third year (doing my year abroad) then I have final year and I'm doing a non-law degree, how about you?
On fair enough. Im in second year doing law x
Original post by ES123456
I'm in third year (doing my year abroad) then I have final year and I'm doing a non-law degree, how about you?
Reply 26
Does anyone have any idea what Magic Circle firms look for in their applications? I've done multiple vacation schemes and 6 or 7 interviews but they've all been with US firms. I get rejected from MC firms at the first stage.
Hi everyone,

When some firms ask for A-Level grades AAB as a minimum, but my grades were A*AC equivalent UCAS points is this the acceptable minimum? Some firms only allow you to check the box, accepting you have achieved the AAB minimum so there is no room for disclosure. What do you guys think?

Thanks :smile:
(edited 6 years ago)
Are you sure its not the tests why youre heing rejected? otherwise its just grades, extra curriculars and you need to make sure the applications are very individual. make sure youve gone to their open days too
Original post by Digsy
Does anyone have any idea what Magic Circle firms look for in their applications? I've done multiple vacation schemes and 6 or 7 interviews but they've all been with US firms. I get rejected from MC firms at the first stage.
try the mitigating circumstances section or email grad recruitment
Original post by Investigating
Hi everyone,

When some firms ask for A-Level grades AAB as a minimum, but my grades were A*AC (equivalent UCAS) points, is this the acceptable minimum? Some firms only allow you to check the box, accepting you have achieved the AAB minimum so there is no room for disclosure. What do you guys think?

Thanks :smile:
Reply 30
Original post by J-SP
If all your vac schemes were with US firms they could be wondering why you are now applying for MC firms. They can be concerned that your application is a back up plan where you have been unsuccessful with US firms and that you will jump ship to a US firm as soon as you qualify.


I did my vac schemes this summer and applied for both US and MC firms in 2016/17 to cast my net wide open. I also tailored my applications to MC and mentioned their large intakes. I am at a loss because at all my vacation schemes, about 50%+ of the candidates had already done at least one vac scheme with a MC firm or had one lined up.

Original post by tee beau
Are you sure its not the tests why youre heing rejected? otherwise its just grades, extra curriculars and you need to make sure the applications are very individual. make sure youve gone to their open days too


For CC I didn't even get to a test, Allen & Overy and Slaughters don't have tests. I failed Links' Watson Glaser and Freshfields don't specify if you're rejected based on your application or test. Even then, I've passed Watson Glasers for the likes of Weil and I score pretty decently for practice tests.
Reply 31
Original post by J-SP
The thing about applying because of a larger intake is a bit of a superficial reason to apply to a MC firm (if that was your own explanation).

It's hard to know what you are falling down on without seeing an example though.


I can show you but I don't want to inconvenience you. I imagine a lot of people from this thread ask you for feedback.
Original post by Digsy
Does anyone have any idea what Magic Circle firms look for in their applications? I've done multiple vacation schemes and 6 or 7 interviews but they've all been with US firms. I get rejected from MC firms at the first stage.


The reality is that working as a trainee in an MC firm involves doing extremely long hours on work that can actually be extremely tedious. The firm needs to know that you are up for it and that you have an interest in the work.

You need to express an interest in the work, and you need to show that you have an understanding of what makes working at an MC firm different to for example working for a national firm in Leeds or a smaller high street firm. For example saying you are particularly interested in working on cross-border transactions would be a good start.

HSF did a series of youtube videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCseR3Okj1nlh94OyeZ-JUDg) which have some useful application tips. It has examples of "good answers" and "bad answers" to interview questions, such as why do you want to work in an international law firm. I think the videos are really great.
(edited 6 years ago)
Hi Everyone,

My name is Daniel and I am proceeding to enter my final year of BA Criminology at Durham University. I decided to embark on a career in law during my second year and as such I applied to a plethora of firms, both MC and US. I managed to secure an interview with Slaughter and May (albeit on a weak CV) but unfortunately didn't advance to the next stage, whereas my other successful application was with Sidley Austin, to whom I applied for a vac scheme but I found out I wasn't eligible yet they offered me an open day placement because of my apparently impressive application haha. For a bit of background, my A-Level grades are A*A A D3 in Spanish, Religious Studies (Philosophy and Ethics), Psychology and History (Pre-U) in that order. My first year grades are 82, 73, 70, 65, 64 and my second year ones are 78, 74, 70, 68, 66. This time around I am thinking of reapplying to Slaughters and Sidley Austin as well as to Shearman & Sterling, Ashurst, Jones Day, Norton Rose Fulbright and Herbert Smith Freehills for now.

I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences regarding any of these firms as well as offer any advice based on the information I provided above. I have also started a blog in the hopes of enriching my commercial awareness. I'm looking forward to hearing from anyone!
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by J-SP
Yes - that is the equivalent. You meet the basic criteria so really don't worry about that.


thank you very much, J-SP!
Reply 35
what firms is everyone applying to and what year of law studies are you in?
Original post by rlawuni
what firms is everyone applying to and what year of law studies are you in?


I am applying to Shearman & Sterling, Jones Day, Ashurst, Slaughter and May, Sidley Austin, Norton Rose Fulbright, Herbert Smith Freehills so far.

I am in the third year of a non-law degree. Which firms are you applying to?
Hi, I'm about to go into my final year at Oxford reading English and am thinking of applying for vacation schemes this winter and summer, but am confused about the timeline of events (should I be fortunate enough to get one in the first place!). If someone could help me out with the following questions, I would be very grateful!

- Can a winter vacation scheme result in the offer of a training contract? If so, and you were lucky enough to get sponsorship from a firm, when could you start the training (in my case, the GDL)? Would I have to wait a year and apply separately to a law school to start the GDL in 2019, or could I start the summer after I graduate (ie. 2018)?

- If I got onto a summer vacation scheme for 2018 which resulted in the offer of a fully funded training contract, would I then have to take a year out to apply for the GDL separately, or could I start the GDL in September 2018?

Basically, I’m just wondering if, in either eventuality (a winter or summer vacation scheme), I have to take a year our after I graduate. If I do, does anyone have any recommendations for how best to spend that year, or whether that year is spent applying for the GDL? Essentially what I'm asking for is an ideal timeline for non-law applicants. As you can probably tell, I’m super confused and would be grateful for any help! Thank you in advance and good luck with all your applications!!
Original post by J-SP
You wouldn't need time out. You are applying at the right time as a non-law graduate. You would start the GDL in the September after graduating. You could sign up to that course fairly late on if needed, so even a late TC offer after a summer scheme would probably give you enough time to sign up to the GDL.



Firms wouldn't run vacation schemes of any kind unless they thought they could convert vac schemers into trainee recruits




Thank you so so much, that’s so helpful! I had absolutely no idea and was worrying about what the hell I’d do in that filler year! Thank you :smile:
Reply 39
Does anyone know if there's a list somewhere of which firms do and don't screen appson a rolling basis?

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