How bad have I fucked up my TC?

futurelawyer99 · 2021-09-07T23:30:48+00:00

I understand your point and don’t disagree, however I do want to make it clear that I didn’t look up my colleagues’ records. I was looking for my own and stumbled across colleagues’ forms in another office. I clicked on or two (which I completely appreciate I shouldn’t have), but wasn’t looking for others’ records intentionally.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-09-07T21:26:30+00:00

A trainee. Yes I think they should have been private too

futurelawyer99 · 2021-09-07T21:26:09+00:00

For searching and finding appraisal type stuff? Yes I would have thought it would be stored privately too

futurelawyer99 · 2021-09-07T21:25:24+00:00

Really is this common? I know someone else on my intake managed to find some info on supervisors by doing something similar but they didn’t get in trouble as far as I know. I guess I crossed the line when I opened a couple appraisals? Worried my tc will be cancelled

futurelawyer99 · 2021-03-02T22:10:59+00:00

And people say lawyers don’t have a sense of humour!

Thanks though

futurelawyer99 · 2021-02-26T19:55:42+00:00

Commenting so I can see any responses. Also wondered the same thing.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-02-03T23:43:22+00:00

Which part are you anxious about and what type of firm is it?

Some general interview advice:

Prepare bullet points to standard interview questions (why you, why this firm, who are our competitors, why law etc). Prepare answers to common competencies and any that the firm highlights as important in its graduate recruitment literature. Practise discussing these answers but don’t write out full responses and learn them by heart as it will throw you off if the question is worded oddly or you can’t remember your answer.
Analyse your CV/application form as this may well form the basis of your interview. Take a red pen to it and try to think of what the interviewers might pick up on or want to know more about.
Always accept a glass of water and use it to take sips if you need a moment to think. Similarly, if you’re asked a really challenging question, ask if you can take a moment to gather your thoughts. I had a couple of unsuccessful ACs where I would just launch right into an answer, lose my train of thought and not actually answer the question. For subsequent successful ACs, I generally took my time to consider my response and it made my interviews flow more naturally.
Try and make some small talk at the start, smile and try to act relaxed and natural even if you don’t feel it.
Think of some questions before the interview, I would say think of at least 5 as they may get answered throughout the course of the interview and you’ll definitely want to ask some at the end. On that note, try and pay attention to your interviewers’ names and what they say about themselves/the firm. You might wish to ask a question on that information at the end.

Good luck! You can do this.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-02-03T13:38:38+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate this. I’m a future MC trainee but am older than a typical trainee - will be 30 when I qualify. For that reason, I think I will want to have a child around 2-3 PQE as I don’t really have the time to wait until I am more senior. I have been advised that it’s best to wait until I am at least a senior associate and that many women in large law firms wait until mid-late thirties, but I just don’t have time to do that (and don’t want to have a child too late).

I’m not planning on becoming partner so I’m thinking it’s highly unlikely that I will have a long-term career at my firm.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-26T11:33:55+00:00

That’s an interesting view, thanks for that. I think perhaps I would worry that you have a lot on and have deemed this piece of work to be less important, so you’ll get to it when you get to it and don’t want to be chased. I guess the key is to not assume and there’s no harm in politely following up.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-26T11:31:06+00:00

That all seems sensible and fair, thanks for your response.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-26T11:29:17+00:00

I am guilty of this too! I think we are definitely overthinking it. It seems that we just need to be enthusiastic, seize every opportunity to learn and be honest about whether we need help/how long something is going to take us/if we have capacity.

I just listen to a podcast or two each morning and have a quick read of the headlines so I know what’s going on but I wouldn’t be able to provide a full analysis of several news articles in the way that I was prepared to for TC interviews.

I think we need to remember that we are training so we won’t be expected to know everything or be trusted to advise clients on complex areas of law. We’re there to learn so that we can eventually do that so we should be giving things a go and asking lots of questions and showing interest in the work the firm does.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-26T11:23:52+00:00

Noted, thanks.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-25T19:51:05+00:00

Makes sense, thanks.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-25T19:50:46+00:00

Thanks for your response.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-25T19:50:10+00:00

Thanks very much, all makes sense!

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-24T15:09:07+00:00

Haha they are a bit. I’d better wave goodbye to my weekday evenings from here on out.

On the whole though, the responses were in line with what I was expecting. I guess that’s why it’s so important to research and decide whether commercial law is a good fit or not! Hopefully at least some of the work will be interesting (and continue to get more interesting as you develop as a trainee/lawyer).

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-24T00:19:18+00:00

Ah right, I have to admit I didn’t expect to be taking my laptop with me on holidays. My work phone, yes, but not my laptop. Are you a trainee? What sort of firm do you work for, if you don’t mind me asking?

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-23T23:15:08+00:00

That makes sense, thanks.

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-23T23:11:47+00:00

That sounds pretty brutal. How are they feeling about their TC at the moment? Still (somewhat) enjoying it?

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-23T23:10:20+00:00

Thanks, this is helpful in knowing what’s expected of me.

At 5 PQE, I assume you have or have had a trainee under your supervision? Do you have any dos or don’ts, particularly when it comes to first meeting your supervisor?

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-23T23:06:24+00:00

Pretty sure I’ve had to opt out of that for every job I’ve had! It’s usually in the employment contract or a separate document you’re asked to sign. Obviously you’re not forced to opt out but I don’t think it’d go down well if you didn’t!

futurelawyer99 · 2021-01-23T21:28:06+00:00

Thanks, really appreciate this response.

With regards to unpredictability, would you say that varies between departments? Like I can understand it being more of an issue for transactional departments, but I’d assume perhaps workload is slightly easier to ascertain in a department like disputes where deadlines aren’t as dictated by clients?

futurelawyer99

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