TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[SoonToBeTrainee]

I think it’s more likely they don’t than do.

Batches of applications will most likely get assigned to different members of GR, so they won’t be reviewing applications in linear order of when people applied

 

[g.cl.2020344]

I think it’s more likely they don’t than do.

Batches of applications will most likely get assigned to different members of GR, so they won’t be reviewing applications in linear order of when people applied

Ah gotcha thank you!

 

[g.cl.2020344]

And then some people will naturally be quicker than others at reviewing?!

 

[Jessica Booker]

When grad recruitment looks at application do they look at them in order of when they were submitted like the first-last

There can be a whole range of approaches firms take, some quite tactical and others sometimes quite random. It’s really difficult to know a firm’s approach without them telling them.

 

[AS24]

Hiya @AS24

Great question! Building on what @Andrei Radu mentioned, I can confirm that CRS does take on more trainees in its London office compared to other locations and that trainees in London often have access to a wider range of seat options (which is worth considering when thinking about the kind of work you'd like to experience during your training contract). If you're applying to the London office, it might be helpful to reflect on why this location/office stands out to you, particularly in terms of the practice areas it is known for.

Regarding DEI initiatives, while it's hard to say definitively whether the London office offers more DEI projects compared to other offices, I did get the impression that the London is actively involved with organisations like Aspiring Solicitors. I was also particularly impressed by the number of pro bono matters that London trainees are able to get involved in. If you get the chance, I’d recommend reaching out to current trainees or attending any CRS events to get more insights into what’s available in the London office. I remember doing so when I applied and found many of them to be lovely and very approachable. They were also quite helpful in terms of allowing me to understand the seat selection process and ongoing DEI efforts at the firm. Hope that helps, and good luck with your application!

Hi @Ram Sabaratnam,

Thank you so much for your detailed response.

 

[AS24]

Perhaps @Amma Usman or @Ram Sabaratnam will know more, but having had a quick look on their website and some other publications with applications information, I could not find any precise figures regarding the distribution of the TC offers across offices. All I could find is that CRS will offer around 25 TCs in London, Guildford and Cheltenham. I would suspect that the reason the firm does not publish more data is that the number of TCs offered by each office is not fixed, but varies depending on their changing needs and market conditions.

All that being said, I would still suspect that generally London gives the most TC offers and also has the most D&I projects - for most firms, London simply is the biggest and most profitable UK market. For a firm with a large private wealth practice like CRS, I would assume that is even more so the case, as a lot of HNWIs reside in London.

@Andrei Radu ,thank you so much for your response,

 

[desperateTCseeker1998]

if anyone knows which firms are hiring for 2026 this cycle (or are known to let you move forwards) I would appreciate the shared knowledge

 

[AI212121]

if anyone knows which firms are hiring for 2026 this cycle (or are known to let you move forwards) I would appreciate the shared knowledge

paul weiss is recruiting some trainees to start in 2026

 

[jojo23]

Hi guys I have 2 random questions-
Would it be particularly bad to reuse part of your 'Why commercial law' answer in your 'Why this firm in particular' answer?

When answering why firm x in particular, could you draw comparisons between firms you've attended an open day for and why you're drawn to this form more.. or something like that?

 

[SerGo2507]

Just received notice of the TW tests. Any advice for these?

They’ll send you a free account for practice tests. Do em all! Final test is very similar.

 

[AfVio24]

Hi - Has anyone who submitted CMS application last week around 28, 29th of November heard back with the WG test invite? Please reply if you have with when you applied and when you heard back. Thank you so much!

Hi, I applied on the 24th and got the WG on the 28th, waiting for the outcome now. Hope that's helpful

 

[AfVio24]

Does anyone know what happens after submitting the CMS application? Other firms I’ve applied for usually indicate that an online assessment will follow, but the automated reply from CMS hasn’t referenced that. Do they review your application first then send the Watson Glaser?

Hi, the CMS WG isn't automatic, so they review your app and then decide on sending you the WG invite

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi guys I have 2 random questions-
Would it be particularly bad to reuse part of your 'Why commercial law' answer in your 'Why this firm in particular' answer?

When answering why firm x in particular, could you draw comparisons between firms you've attended an open day for and why you're drawn to this form more.. or something like that?

I would always avoid repetition in an application and try to ensure a point is only made once in the most appropriate place.

With “why this firm” I don’t think you need to draw comparisons, you can just focus on what that particular firms offer. That is enough - trying to explain what others offer instead would just utilise word count without really answering the question.

 

[BonanzaBih_]

Does anyone have tips for a written assessment in the form of an article? Usually it's an email to a client/partner and unsure how to prepare for this.
Thank you! @Jessica Booker @Andrei Radu

 

[AlegalA]

Are Slater + Gordon not doing TC applications this year? I keep looking at their website but the TC app page is for last year's cycle and is closed... Just wondering as we're now in December and last year the closing date was 23 of Jan so not a lot of time to prepare if they do have a cycle!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi guys I have 2 random questions-
Would it be particularly bad to reuse part of your 'Why commercial law' answer in your 'Why this firm in particular' answer?

When answering why firm x in particular, could you draw comparisons between firms you've attended an open day for and why you're drawn to this form more.. or something like that?

Hiya @jojo23

Great questions! I'll take these in order.

First, I generally recommend that applicants avoid reusing part of their answer to 'Why commercial law' answer in their answer to 'Why this firm'. I think these questions serve different purposes:

• 'Why commercial law' is all about your broader motivations, i.e. why you’re drawn to the challenges and opportunities that are really distinctive of working in commercial law.
• 'Why this firm' is your chance to show you’ve done your research and understand what makes this firm unique. This is where you demonstrate why it stands out to you beyond just being a commercial law firm.

That said, I think it's possible to reframe your points so that your answers don't sound repetitive. For example, if you mention you're interested in working on cross-border deals in your answer to why commercial law, and you want to mention a similar point in your 'why this firm' question, then reflect on why the firm's cross-border expertise really stands out here. Are there certain sectors or matters they've advised on which are particularly tricky from a cross-border perspective? Does the firm's cross-border expertise extend beyond transactions to include regulatory or disputes capabilities? These are just some points to reflect on in order to ensure that your answer to the two questions seem distinct.

Second, comparing firms can work, but I usually suggest focusing on what excites you about this firm specifically. Drawing explicit comparisons can be tricky to get right. Instead, you can mention experiences that shaped your interest in a practice area or sector and then highlight why this firm is particularly appealing. Here's one way that I approached this in my own application:

• “By attending open days at several US-headquartered firms with life sciences expertise, I became interested in the way commercial lawyers often assist in areas such as drug discovery and development, often working closely with key regulators and leading life science researchers. Firm X's work in this area particularly stands out to me because of its unique combination of both transactional and regulatory expertise in the life sciences, as seen in [specific example and brief explanation of why the deal/case is commercially/legally interesting]..."

This kind of comparison shows thoughtful engagement with certain sectors/practice areas without explicitly comparing the firm you're applying to with other firms you might've interacted with.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your application! I'm also sure that @Andrei Radu and @Amma Usman would have much more brilliant insights to add here.

 

[Lastseasonwonder]

A&O Shearman TC PFO

 

[elizabethkate]

anyone heard from forsters?

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

For Goodwin’s 100 word limit on ‘why Goodwin’ how should we approach answering it, do you think we need to link back our experiences I.e if we’re interested in life sciences.

Hiya @Unknowncabbage


It's at tricky one to answer with only 100 words, but can be done! When I approached the question in my application, I found it important to be as concise as possible. Try your best to be specific and direct, even if you can't explore certain points or experiences in much depth. If you’re particularly interested in life sciences, you might highlight their work with biotech startups and spin-offs. I also briefly mentioned my conversations with two trainees to evidence my interest in the firm's distinctive training style. To make your answer personal, I'd encourage you to briefly link this to your background/experiences. Here's how I approached it:

• “Having worked for several years in UChicago's Medical Center, I am interested in Goodwin’s Band 1 ranked life sciences practice. Goodwin's experience [insert specific example and discuss briefly/concisely as to why it's interesting]... My conversations with trainees [X] and [Y] have also drawn me to [insert specific aspect of the firm's culture/training programme and state why it aligns with you/your experiences].

With such limited space, focus on how you can concisely demonstrate your alignment with the firm's practice area specialties and/or the demands of its distinctive training contract style. Good luck with the application!

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

has any1 heard from Skadden? Their apps are closed but haven't heard anything since my sept application.

Hiya @g.cl.2020344


As @IneedaTCASAP noted, they are non-rolling, so you should generally only expect to hear back after the deadline. That being said, in previous cycles, they have sometimes interviewed a handful of applicants prior to the application deadline (though it hasn't always been clear why they've made the exception in those cases). At any rate, I expect you'll receive a response in the coming weeks and hope you hear back from them soon with good news! Good luck with your other applications