Is it looked down upon by firms if you haven’t secured a Vacation Scheme even if you have lots of other law work experience (e.g. pro bono)? I read on a blog that people getting TCs with no Vacation Scheme is the exception not the rule, but I’ve also read that many people do secure TCs without having done a VS, so I’m a bit confused!
It is possible, but very, very difficult, and I'd definitely query the "many" bit of what you've read. The point is that naturally commercial law isn't everyone's cup of tea - the subject matter, the hours and so on dissuade a lot of people. On top of that, a lot of people really don't understand exactly what a commercial lawyer does when they first think of applying.
From a firm's point of view, it's much better that if they make you a TC offer - a costly and time-consuming process, - you already have evidence that you already have
some semblance of an idea of what the work/life of a corporate lawyer is, so you are less likely to drop out or cause havoc by falling behind on work, will require less unnecessary handholding, and so on. Having a VS at a commercial law firm shows that at least in part you can handle this life and have an understanding of what goes on/what is expected of you.
I know two people who managed to get a TC without a VS first: one had done a stack of mini-pupillages at some of the top commercial barristers' chambers, the other had interned at the ICC. It's not impossible, but it really isn't very common either.
The other point of the "many people" is exactly
where they got offered a TC. This isn't meant in a snobbish sense, just that some smaller and less elaborate firms might be more willing to do this than a Moneylaw/MC/SC/WS firm, which was probably what the blog (and most people on this forum/legalcheek commenters etc) are thinking of.
Lastly, it's worth remembering that quite a few firms exclusively recruit from their vac schemes (
Davis Polk, Jones Day, HSF,
Ropes & Gray, Shearman & Sterling, etc); theoretically recruit from outside their VS but don't in reality (
Skadden,
Kirkland & Ellis); or give the overwhelming majority of their offers to vac schemers (
Linklaters & the rest of the MC), so your odds of getting a TC by direct application range from comparatively slim to zilch.