TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[confusedbird]

anyone heard back from HL about their summer VS?

 

[LawyerUpPal]

Congratulations, where did you secure?

Freshfields

 

[LawyerUpPal]

anyone heard back from HL about their summer VS?

HL GR reviews apps b4 sending WG and they are still sending as far as I know esp if you applied for summer. Hang in there.

 

[anonymousowl64]

Has anyone heard back from Bird & Bird following the VI? I completed it at the end of October and still haven't heard back, wondering if it is worth emailing.

 

[Nathan_CareerChanger]

Freshfields

Well done mate that is amazing - was this a direct tc application or a vac scheme?

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

@Amma Usman @Andrei Radu @Ram Sabaratnam

Hi guys, I just wanted a bit of advice on how I could leverage my previous seat in Debt Finance to support the reason I’m interested in the firm (for their banking and finance practice area). This seat was only a day long and I simply just did research tasks and briefed a supervisor.

Hiya @Unknowncabbage,

I just wanted to build on the great response by @Tintin06. I've met many applicants who worry that a brief experience, like a one-day seat, isn’t enough to mention in a “Why Firm X” question. But the real key is to think about what you learned and why it sparked your interest in debt finance. Even a short seat can give you valuable insights! Maybe the research tasks helped you see how technical debt finance can be (if so, mention what felt technical and why that caught your interest). Or perhaps you enjoyed learning about the different challenges lenders and borrowers face in transactions, and it made you curious about how lawyers navigate these dynamics. If these ideas resonate with you, don’t hesitate to mention them and link them to the firm’s work.

To make your answer even stronger, think about what specifically draws you to this firm’s debt finance practice. Is it their reputation for certain types of financing, like leveraged finance or asset-based lending? Maybe their client base (e.g. private equity funds, multinational borrowers, or innovative financial institution) stands out to you. I'd encourage you to combine what you learned during your seat with why this firm’s debt finance work is interesting to you.

Hope this helps and good luck! 😊

 

[bangarangbass39]

I applied on 2/11 and got an invitation to an online assessment yesterday, 04/12, which I'm not doing in light of my TC offer.

Was this the CRT or the Video Interview?

 

[AI212121]

i know people cant share VI questions, but if anyone has done the CC VI before, could they offer some advice?

 

[futuretrainee2503]

HL GR reviews apps b4 sending WG and they are still sending as far as I know esp if you applied for summer. Hang in there.

Hi Thabks for this info! I got HL WG today
did you get this information from an event? I was wondering if it was automatic

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

For 'why the firm' questions is it wise to mention their emphasis on pro bono or is this a weaker reason

Hiya @legal18

While it’s definitely not a bad idea to mention a firm’s pro bono practice as part of your answer to “why the firm” questions, I’d recommend avoiding making pro bono the main focus of your answer. When you join a firm, the majority of your time will be spent working in their core practice areas, so it’s more important to highlight your interest in the specific areas they’re known for or the industries they specialise in. For example, if the firm has a strong reputation in sectors like tech, life sciences, or energy, or is well-regarded for certain work like M&A or restructuring, these should take centre stage in your answer. Many firms value applicants who show an interest in contributing to their pro bono work, and it can be a nice way to align your values with the firm’s culture, but try to use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your research into the firm's main areas of work.

Hope this helps! 😊

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

For Wilkie's final question 'Please tell us about your achievements and positions of responsibility. (500 words)' Do we need to relate these back to the firm/the role?

Hiya again @legal18 🥳

This question is really a chance for you to showcase your experiences, so don’t worry too much about tying everything back to the firm or role. While it might feel tempting to relate your achievements directly to Wilkie or the legal profession, that’s not the main purpose here. Instead, I'd encourage you to focus on highlighting the skills you used and developed in these positions of responsibility or, when mentioning achievements, what was particularly impressive about the achievement and how you went about earning it.

For example, if you held a leadership role, talk about the challenges you overcame or the impact you made. If your achievements required perseverance, teamwork, or innovative thinking, make sure to bring those elements to life. It might be worth using a very loosely applied STAR method to help you structure how you discuss each of these positions/achievements. With 500 words, you have room to give detailed examples and really drive home why these accomplishments/position of responsibility matter.

Good luck! 😊

 

[ashwright]

I've seen a few people do 'suggest firms for me' posts recently and I thought it would be fun and helpful to hop on the trend!

There are some non-negotiables for me - decent/good firm culture, international opportunities and supportive/well-structured training. I understand they are largely subjective but they are still important for me to say at the outset because at some firms, these qualities might categorically not be present (e.g., narrow focus on one market). Also, by 'culture', I don't mean work-life balance, just that the people are friendly.

Other fun facts: very interested in the US, interested in IP and life sciences (but happy to explore anything else - I am far from committed to a specific sector), I have decent language skills.

Academic record is strong (GCSEs, sixth-form, second year uni), but with a bad blip in first year (with mitigating circumstances). Non-Oxbridge; RG.

No VS, no open day experience

I appreciate any thoughts

 

[NCTC2025]

Freshfields

I thought Freshfields deadline is in January and is non-rolling?

 

[Samridhi Jain]

Hey I just used the test platform the firm gives you access to and did all the questions multiple times haha

hey, when do they give you access to this? i got an email that i will be getting the test invite Friday but did not get access to prep

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

when an application asks, 'what skills would make you good trainee solicitor at XYZ firm' are you meant to be specific about the firm or more general like - good at communication because that's important as a lawyer?

Hiya @elizabethkate

I’d definitely recommend mentioning at least one or two skills that you can tie specifically to the firm. While general skills like communication are important for any lawyer, the question allows you/invites you to tailor your answer to the firm. By doing so, you can show that you’ve thought carefully about their environment and what skills might be expected from their trainees. For example, if you’re applying to a US firm with a smaller trainee intake, you’ll likely be given significant responsibility from the outset. This means skills like excellent time management and organisation are crucial. You could mention this briefly and then link this to examples from your own experience, such as balancing multiple deadlines or managing high-stakes tasks.

Similarly, if the firm’s training contract structure gives trainees plenty of interaction with clients or senior colleagues, they will likely place a strong emphasis/value on trainees demonstrating excellent written and verbal communication skills. Again, you could mention this and then draw on examples from your own background, like any client-facing work, pro bono projects, or other roles where clear, professional, client-facing communication was a key element of your role. Good luck with your application! 😊

 

[Tclarocks123]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. I have some extra time to allocate to applications.Does anyone know of a private equity law firm that has no A-level requirements. Already applying to Paul Weiss, Willkie and Jones Day.

Ropes

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. I have some extra time to allocate to applications.Does anyone know of a private equity law firm that has no A-level requirements. Already applying to Paul Weiss, Willkie and Jones Day.

Heya @sunshine101

That’s great that you’ve got some extra time to focus on applications! In addition to the firms you’ve already mentioned, I’d definitely recommend looking into Ropes & Gray (thanks @Tclarocks123 🥳) and Akin. They’re both well-regarded in private equity and have no minimum A-level requirements.

If you’re open to firms that might not be as immediately associated with private equity but still have strong corporate practices, Baker McKenzie is another great option. Their corporate M&A work is highly respected, and they don’t impose A-level requirements either, so they could be a good fit. Best of luck with your applications, and feel free to reach out if you need any more suggestions or help! 😊

 

[tarty23]

what is defined as a small v large trainee intake? I know some firms offer 70+ which is obviously significant, however would an intake of 10 be seen as small though some firms take even less than that?

 

[plshireme]

No cover letter needed - I secured the vac scheme this year (prayed a lot though)

o

Congrats! Can I ask when you submitted a CV did you include any legal work experience (if you did any) and dates for when you worked where? I've spent a lot of time travelling so my employment dates have gaps in them, wondering whether it's worth just removing them

 

[LawyerUpPal]

Was this the CRT or the Video Interview?

Not video interview and not sure what CRT means but its the online assessment like WG I assume. I didn't access it. Email just said: "Lois Colquhoun from Akin sent you a message "Application to Akin - Invite to Online Assessment ".