TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[jojo23]

It takes exactly one week to get a feedback report after you do the test ( it’s mentioned in their assessment invite email too)! If it’s been a week and you haven’t received one, I suggest you email grad rec to check this and also check on the all hires portal if you 100% submitted the test

Ahh ok I think i did the test on the last day which was the 8th or 9th

 

[Samdeacon1902]

Does anyone know how long it takes to hear back from DACB post VI - feel like they review them as they go.

 

[SamiyaJ]

Holding myself accountable again (PW rejection)

CC* ✅📝❌
HSF ✅📝❌
NRF ✅📝❌
Weil ✅❌
Akin ✅❌
Sidley ✅❌
Orrick ✅
Willkie ✅🎥❌
Cooley ✅❌
Latham ✅❌
Milbank ✅
Kirkland ✅❌
Dechert ✅❌
Skadden ✅❌
Goodwin ✅❌
Covington ✅❌
Linklaters* ✅📝❌
Paul, Weiss ✅❌
Slaughters* ✅❌
Freshfields* ✅📝❌
Fried Frank* ✅
Gibson Dunn ✅
Macfarlanes* ✅📝
White & Case ✅❌
Morgan Lewis ✅📞
Paul Hastings* ✅
Hogan Lovells* ✅📝
Cleary Gottlieb ✅❌
A&O Shearman ✅📝❌
Vinson & Elkins ✅❌
Arnold & Porter ✅
Baker McKenzie ✅📝❌
King & Spalding* ✅
Winston & Strawn ✅
Morrison Foerster ✅
Sullivan & Cromwell ✅❌

Key: ✅ = application submitted; 📝 = test received; 📞 = telephone interview; 🎥 = video interview; ❌ = rejection.

*Training Contract applications

TC apps left to do: Stephenson Harwood; Sullivan & Cromwell, possibly White & Case.

Sorry about PW! Did they send you the PFO today?

 

[Chris Brown]

Holding myself accountable again (PW rejection)

CC* ✅📝❌
HSF ✅📝❌
NRF ✅📝❌
Weil ✅❌
Akin ✅❌
Sidley ✅❌
Orrick ✅
Willkie ✅🎥❌
Cooley ✅❌
Latham ✅❌
Milbank ✅
Kirkland ✅❌
Dechert ✅❌
Skadden ✅❌
Goodwin ✅❌
Covington ✅❌
Linklaters* ✅📝❌
Paul, Weiss ✅❌
Slaughters* ✅❌
Freshfields* ✅📝❌
Fried Frank* ✅
Gibson Dunn ✅
Macfarlanes* ✅📝
White & Case ✅❌
Morgan Lewis ✅📞
Paul Hastings* ✅
Hogan Lovells* ✅📝
Cleary Gottlieb ✅❌
A&O Shearman ✅📝❌
Vinson & Elkins ✅❌
Arnold & Porter ✅
Baker McKenzie ✅📝❌
King & Spalding* ✅
Winston & Strawn ✅
Morrison Foerster ✅
Sullivan & Cromwell ✅❌

Key: ✅ = application submitted; 📝 = test received; 📞 = telephone interview; 🎥 = video interview; ❌ = rejection.

*Training Contract applications

TC apps left to do: Stephenson Harwood; Sullivan & Cromwell, possibly White & Case.

Jheeze how have you managed to send in so many applications! 😮 Absolute machine frfr! 🙂

Are you planning on applying to White & Case Direct TC this application cycle? I don’t know if they allow more than one application per cycle so you can either apply for the VS or TC. I don’t know for sure though.

Best of luck with your remaining applications. It only takes that one yes! 🙂🙂​

 

[AlegalA]

Does anyone know how long it takes to hear back from DACB post VI - feel like they review them as they go.

Got a holding email today:
Thank you for applying for the Training Contract 2027 – England and Wales role.

All applications are currently being reviewed. We hope to have final outcomes early March.

If you are successful, you will be invited to complete an assessment at the location you have chosen to apply for. Please be mindful that we are unable to offer alternative dates or locations for the assessment centre, so we appreciate your flexibility of being available on the following dates:

Bristol:

• Tuesday 18th March
• Thursday 20th March

Leeds:

• Tuesday 18th March

Newcastle:

• Thursday 20th March

Manchester:

• Wednesday 26th March

London:

• Wednesday 26th March
• Friday 28th March
• Monday 31st March

Thanks,

 

[Samdeacon1902]

Got a holding email today:
Thank you for applying for the Training Contract 2027 – England and Wales role.

All applications are currently being reviewed. We hope to have final outcomes early March.

If you are successful, you will be invited to complete an assessment at the location you have chosen to apply for. Please be mindful that we are unable to offer alternative dates or locations for the assessment centre, so we appreciate your flexibility of being available on the following dates:

Bristol:

• Tuesday 18th March
• Thursday 20th March

Leeds:

• Tuesday 18th March

Newcastle:

• Thursday 20th March

Manchester:

• Wednesday 26th March

London:

• Wednesday 26th March
• Friday 28th March
• Monday 31st March

Thanks,

Yes, same, but I haven't done the critical thinking test yet and have noticed some people have already done it?

 

[AlegalA]

Yes, same, but I haven't done the critical thinking test yet and have noticed some people have already done it?

Oh, sorry idk, I did it end of Jan but idk if it's rolling or not

 

[aphelion]

Jheeze how have you managed to send in so many applications! 😮 Absolute machine frfr! 🙂

Are you planning on applying to White & Case Direct TC this application cycle? I don’t know if they allow more than one application per cycle so you can either apply for the VS or TC. I don’t know for sure though.

Best of luck with your remaining applications. It only takes that one yes! 🙂🙂​

Someone in one of the groupchats emailed White and Case about this and the response from grad rec said if you get to the VI stage or later for the VS you can't apply to direct TC in the same cycle, which suggests you can reapply if you were only rejected after the application stage.

 

[Samdeacon1902]

Oh, sorry idk, I did it end of Jan but idk if it's rolling or not

How long did it take to receive the test after you did the VI. Tbf I'm probs being impatient, I only did the VI like a week ago.

 

[AlegalA]

How long did it take to receive the test after you did the VI. Tbf I'm probs being impatient, I only did the VI like a week ago.

Invite for VI on 06/01 and invite to test on 20/01

 

[Samdeacon1902]

Invite for VI on 06/01 and invite to test on 20/01

Great thank you!

 

[Diana54]

I have an upcoming AC with Reed Smith and would really appreciate it if someone that has done the AC can provide any insight or advice. I have been rejected from the ACs that I have done this cycle and this is my last chance this cycle. This is my fourth year applying and I really do not want to start over again.

Any help or insight would by much appreciated.

 

[simplyfaith]

Current 2025 application cycle progress. I boldly applied to only 10 competitive firms. I'm also working on a personal project related to economics while I wait for them to get back to me. Hopefully at least one of these endeavours will be fruitful.

Orrick - 📝 > 😴
Linklaters - 📝 > 😴
Ropes & Gray - 📝 > 😴
Goodwin - 📝 > VI > 😴
Paul Weiss - 📝 > OA > 😴

Cooley - 📝 > 😔
Covington - 📝 > 😔
White & Case - 📝 > 😔
Baker McKenzie - 📝 > 😔
Sullivan & Cromwell - 📝 > 😔

Previous application cycle highlights:
2024: Morgan Lewis TC TI
2023: Mishcon de Reya VI; Simmons & Simmons VI

Other notable highlights:
2025: xAI AI Tutor offer (lmao)
2024: Aspiring Solicitors Barclays experience offer
2023: Aspiring Solicitors GLD experience offer; AS CAC Semi-Finalist

 

[BillSikes]

Does anyone know how long it takes to hear back from DACB post VI - feel like they review them as they go.

Outcomes by early March

Ac dates:

 

[theruleofno]

anyone heard from Mayer brown or W&C post AC?

MB are still doing ACs all the way through until the start of March so it might be after then

 

[Tintin06]

Jheeze how have you managed to send in so many applications! 😮 Absolute machine frfr! 🙂

Are you planning on applying to White & Case Direct TC this application cycle? I don’t know if they allow more than one application per cycle so you can either apply for the VS or TC. I don’t know for sure though.

Best of luck with your remaining applications. It only takes that one yes! 🙂🙂​

Yes - W&C confirmed you can re-apply.

 

[Tintin06]

Sorry about PW! Did they send you the PFO today?

They sent a rejection over yesterday.

 

[pleasepleaseplease]

Hi @pleasepleaseplease as I have never been assessed under this particular format I will not be able to speak from experience, but as I see it this exercise is set out to test mainly two things:

1. Firstly, your commercial awareness. More specifically, since you mention it could be unrelated to current issues, it will likely test you ability for commercial analysis. That is, can you identify the most relevant business considerations that arise from any particular issue? Can you explain how exactly they matter for a business' operation? Can you identify the different stakeholders and identify their positions? Can you then point out the possible courses of action and then make an argument in favour of one? For this, I think the best you can do is to read widely about commerce and to try to engage critically with the materials. However, in these last few days in the buildup to the AC, you could focus a bit more on materials giving an overviews about how businesses work - a great resource I recommend here is Investopedia.
2. Secondly, your ability maintain composure under pressure, to think on your feet, and to defend your views. For this, I think the best practice is to simply simulate the assessment condition. If you can, get a friend to select a longer business article and then have them question you on it. While the questions will likely differ from what you get in the actual interview, if properly set up this will give you useful experience with this type of assessment and should make you feel more at ease on the day.

Best of luck !

Thank you, that is very useful!

 

[LawHopeful1]

Does anyone know when we’ll hear back from OC post the virtual AC?

 

[missfuturetraineemaybe]

Hi @Andrei Radu

Quick question- I’ve got a summer vac scheme with GD, but have seen that a few people on LinkedIn who applied for direct tcs have received offers already. Knowing that the firm recruits such a few number of trainees, will these direct tcs impact the number of trainees taken from the vac scheme?