TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

[Andrei Radu]

Heya, Andrei! I have some good news - I got invited to the AC!!!!!!!!!!! (My first ever one!)

I owe this entirely to your advice. To be honest, my head was spinning when I got told about it, but the only thought that was crystal clear in my mind was 'I need to thank Andrei'. Thank you so, so, so much. You are genuinely incredible.

I'd appreciate any advice (from you & anyone else) on approaching the AC. I'm going to keep on top of commercial awareness, but things like identifying potential legal issues from a business proposal are what I'm a bit nervous about. I'm guessing it would entail identifying general legal issues/risks/considerations (e.g., data protection concerns, competition law stuff) but I'm not sure how to 1.) learn the potential issues; 2.) articulate them beyond a sweeping statement like 'competition law stuff'.
I'm also a bit unsure about what a group exercise might entail but I'm going to have a scavange of the most frequently referred to TCLA overview posts on it.

Thank you again. I really appreciate your incredible support

Also, almost forgot, but I have written a couple of posts about group exercises, I will quote them bellow:

Hi @mulan0 from what I have encountered so far they tend to be either based on a negotiation, a group discussion, or a presentation task.

1. Negotiations: The exercises can have different structures and team sizes depending on the firm, but I think the default one is for you to get around 30mins-1h of preparation time with your team during which you read a brief with background information and client demands, and then devise a strategy based on that (in many cases the preparation part is also assessed by the firm). Then, you normally have around 30-45 minutes to negotiate and hopefully reach an agreement with the other side.
2. Group exercises: Normally you would also have around 20 minutes to read a brief the discussion is based on, but this is done individually. Then, together with the rest of the group, you are tasked with discussing a number of options and choosing the best one. I have seen a number of exercises here around M&A and investments, with people discussing which companies would it be best to partner with/invest in.
3. Presentation tasks: This is very similar to the group discussion, with the only difference being that instead of simply reaching an agreement, you have to also make a presentation with your findings and recommendation. You would normally have a bit of extra time to prepare, as you need to allocate speaking roles and potentially practice as well.

A common issue candidates have with group exercises, irrespective of the format, is getting enough airtime to express their ideas and show off commercial awareness while also showing themselves to be team players. Since everyone knows that at the end of the day you are assessed individually and that progression is very competitive, many people will simply be looking to speak as much as possible. As such, I think it is good to think in advance of a few ways to ensure your contribution is seen without having to constantly fight over airtime. I'll link bellow a post in which I detailed some of the things that worked for me:

Hi @Kakaboo as some other forum members have said, I think more often the problem with group exercises is that you will not be able to contribute as much as you would like, as everyone will be constantly fighting over airtime. The only context in which you would be asked to say more is if you are particularly quiet and one of the other attendees wants to show team spirit - one of the pieces of advice regarding group exercises I have very often come across is to show collaboration/leadership skills by seeking to include the person who is speaking up the least. I never personally implemented this as it seemed to me to come with a significant risk of both putting the person on the spot and in signaling them out as 'inactive', which can do more harm than good.

That said, I have seen other people do this is a very direct manner, stopping the exercise just to say to someone "Is there something you would want to say here?". I imagine this can be a quite anxiety-inducing experience and I think you are right in aiming to avoid that. To do that, the best strategy is simply to seek to be among the more active people in the room (which independently of this I would also argue is the right strategy to maximize your chances of scoring well). To achieve this despite the fight over airtime (and just for generally elevating your performance), consider doing the following:

• Offer to keep the time: this shows a proactive attitude while not being very demanding as to your mental focus. It also enables you to (i) avoid taking the responsibility of any required writing, which is more demanding; and (ii) naturally intervene at certain points in the discussion to mention time considerations, which is also an opportunity for you to add substantive points.
• Try to introduce structure and organization: although many candidates will want to immediately start the analysis, instead of simply throwing yourself into discussing substantive points, try to introduce a framework: what points will you discuss, in what order, how much time will you spend on each, and what relevant assessment criteria should you keep in mind when analyzing the points? This will ensure a more comprehensive overview and a more clear output.
• Focus on finding more niche/less-obvious analysis points: as you are given a brief for the group exercise task, you will normally have a bit of preparation time during which you can think what points to bring up. You will find some points that are really intuitive which you will know the others likely also thought of. Instead of focusing on those and fighting with everyone to get to express those obvious points, I would use that time (and the extra thinking time in the initial discussion phase when everyone is fighting to say the obvious points) to find relevant ideas that others may have missed. The, as the discussion is winding down on that subpart of the task, I would mention these more niche points. This will avoid making you seem competitive and also showcase ability for more nuanced analysis.
• Focus on synthesis and weighing: another similar strategy for impressive contribution which may not require too much fighting over airtime is to once again seek to contribute as the discussion on the substantive points is winding down. What you can do here is intervene to summarize what everyone has contributed, weigh their points, and then make an informed argument as to what the decision should be.

 

[jojo23]

Has anyone heard back from Stephenson Harwood in regards to the summer vac scheme? I have received no word since my application - am I to assume that I got rejected?

The last email I received from them was on the 4th of April essentially saying ' we will be in touch'😩

 

[trainee4u]

Has anyone heard back after uploading the CV to Sky?

This is very much uncool.

They promised to let us know this week.

I am 99% sure I have been PFOed, as I have not been asked to upload my CV.

Today is a Bank Holiday. I have plans to make which depend on me either attending or not the Sky placement.

They would seem very unlikely to do anything before Tuesday now.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Didn’t convert my SVS feeling very demoralised rn

I completely understand how disheartened you must be feeling right now; nothing is as frustrating as getting so close to a goal just to not get over the final hurdle. Nothing I or anyone can say here can really chance that. In these circumstances it is a normal emotion that you need to process. Even if you could, I do not think it would really help you if you could somehow bury it within to avoid feeling it.

That said, I do think you should try to remind yourself that, from a rational perspective, your situation is likely not as bad as you are perceiving it right now. Being selected for a vacation scheme is an incredible achievement, one that the vast majority of applicants chase for years and years before they get. Having gotten to this stage is clear proof that you are one of the best applicants out of an immense pool and that you have everything you need to succeed.

At the same time, you should internalize the fact that failing to convert to a TC right now does not mean you are not really fit for the job or that you are not competent. Of course, you should seek feedback and try to learn from any mistakes. However, as you know, converting from vacation schemes is a game of extremely small margins, where law firms have to make difficult choices between candidates they really like. There is a significant luck factor involved here. Maybe another candidate scored slightly better than you in some criteria this specific firm happens to emphasize. Nonetheless, if you had done a VS at another firm, it may well have been the case that they would have emphasized the aspects you excelled in instead. In that case, you would have gotten the offer and some other candidate would be the one feeling so demoralized right now.
I can attest to the fact that among the firms I have done vacations schemes with, very different factors were determinative for conversion decisions.

All this is to say, I understand this is a difficult moment to be in right now. But try to be kind to yourself, learn from the experience, and you will come back stronger from it!

 

[trainee4u]

The last email I received from them was on the 4th of April essentially saying ' we will be in touch'😩

I haven't received anything from them since applying on 28th February.

 

[TheInevitableTCholder2024/25🙏]

Hi everyone, I have a question. When filling in application forms, they ask for 1st-year grades. Given that it was a COVID year and 3 exams were assessed online, technically, my transcript doesn't have a mark on there, although I have the marks online that I got. My university, Warwick, also had the letter attached to explain. Should I still put the online marks or not? Just wanted to ask because I realise it might cause confusion in the future

 

[User5678]

Hi everyone, I have a question. When filling in application forms, they ask for 1st-year grades. Given that it was a COVID year and 3 exams were assessed online, technically, my transcript doesn't have a mark on there, although I have the marks online that I got. My university, Warwick, also had the letter attached to explain. Should I still put the online marks or not? Just wanted to ask because I realise it might cause confusion in the future

I go to warwick as well. I know people have put in their grades in the application forms and if they got an offer they have submitted the letter alongside the transcript and also provided with a screenshot of the tabula page with the grades or asked their personal tutor to write a letter certifying the grades are accurate (make sure you mention all grades on that letter).

Don’t take my word for it tho as every firm is different but I think in the initial application stage, it’s easier to progress if you provide all your grades. Best to email the firm and check.

 

[aphelion]

Congratulations! Did you do your AC in Feb or March?

Mine was on 24 March. We were told we'd hear back early May so I was very surprised to hear back so soon

 

[Willgetthere]

Happy Good Friday, everyone.

I just wanted to share a word of encouragement for anyone facing setbacks. Today reminds us that Christ endured immense suffering for our sake—and through His sacrifice, we are empowered to overcome even the toughest of challenges. So, as you reflect today, remember: there is hope, strength, and victory in our struggles because of what Jesus has done. Keep going—you’re not alone, and there is purpose in the process.

 

[helenaskelton]

Mine was on 24 March. We were told we'd hear back early May so I was very surprised to hear back so soon

Mine was on 27th March. Do you think they're calling everyone? If no call do we assume PFO?

 

[Chris Brown]

Hi everyone,

A few people have been asking about Breezy and his whereabouts. Can confirm he will be back on this account by Monday.

Thank you all for being so kind and welcoming to me whilst I’ve been on here. It’s been nice to interact with you all these past 2-3 weeks.

This is my final post on this account. The next one will be by Breezy himself. Good luck to all of you in this cycle.​

 

[aphelion]

Mine was on 27th March. Do you think they're calling everyone? If no call do we assume PFO?

I would assume it's the standard call to offer/email to PFO, but given we don't know their timeline in terms of making offers I don't see any reason to assume a PFO at this stage

 

[jojo23]

I haven't received anything from them since applying on 28th February.

Thats very odd...Did you apply for all 3 schemes or just the summer ones?

 

[LegallyBrunette_]

Thats very odd...Did you apply for all 3 schemes or just the summer ones?

I haven't heard anything back either since submitting my application on the 28th February - I just applied to the summer schemes. Which schemes did you apply to?

 

[User5678]

The last email I received from them was on the 4th of April essentially saying ' we will be in touch'😩

Same I’ve not heard anything post app, it’s kind of getting frustrating now as well. I applied for summer and spring both on deadline day but have not heard back

Has anyone emailed for an update?

 

[l789]

@Ram Sabaratnam @Andrei Radu or anyone else who can help me from Tcla team.

Is it inappropriate for me to reference a personal experience which sparked my interest in a firms practice area.

For Cooley- this would be their product liability practice which is ranked tier 1. My interest in it stems from my experience within dermatology, having struggled with a skin condition, I’ve had to seek out medical lasers from private dermatologists and there’s a grey area as not all doctors are qualified to operate such strong lasers and these are causing more and more damage to patients skin, lasers aren’t heavily regulated and it’s become an increasing concern as any medical professional has agency to operate them, but they are extremely dangerous when used in unqualified hands (cosmetic doctors who aren’t trained, yet are able to obtain lasers for their clinics) and there’s been a rise of litigation.

I’m not going to sell the whole sob story but can I briefly mention this as a point of interest?

 

[jojo23]

I applied for all 3 🤣. I recall submitting the application 2 weeks before the deadline

 

[jojo23]

Same I’ve not heard anything post app, it’s kind of getting frustrating now as well. I applied for summer and spring both on deadline day but have not heard back

Has anyone emailed for an update?

I'm tempted to but I feel that since the summer schemes are quite far away, I'm not sure how early they'd send results.

 

[helenaskelton]

I haven't received anything from them since applying on 28th February.

I completed an assessment for them on 16th March and haven't heard back since. They sent their assessments out around feb/march time and it included a VI.

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

@Ram Sabaratnam @Andrei Radu or anyone else who can help me from Tcla team.

Is it inappropriate for me to reference a personal experience which sparked my interest in a firms practice area.

For Cooley- this would be their product liability practice which is ranked tier 1. My interest in it stems from my experience within dermatology, having struggled with a skin condition, I’ve had to seek out medical lasers from private dermatologists and there’s a grey area as not all doctors are qualified to operate such strong lasers and these are causing more and more damage to patients skin, lasers aren’t heavily regulated and it’s become an increasing concern as any medical professional has agency to operate them, but they are extremely dangerous when used in unqualified hands (cosmetic doctors who aren’t trained, yet are able to obtain lasers for their clinics) and there’s been a rise of litigation.

I’m not going to sell the whole sob story but can I briefly mention this as a point of interest?

Hiya @l789

Absolutely, this is perfectly fine to mention. I’ve seen applicants talk about everything from personal experiences with medical devices to the impact of certain therapeutics as a way into their interest in life sciences and product liability. Mentioning these sort of experiences can add a layer of authenticity as well. I'd just make sure to keep it concise and frame it as something that sparked your interest, rather than the sole reason for it. You'll also want to reflect more broadly on what draws you to product liability as a practice area. For instance:

1. Mixture of legal and scientific complexity: For many people I've spoken to at Cooley and elsewhere, it’s the mix of legal, scientific, and strategic complexity. You often need to engage with technical detail (e.g. understanding how a product works, consulting experts, and analysing potential failure points). There's also some of challenges of balancing clients' regulatory obligations and exposure to litigation risks.
   
   
2. The high-stakes nature of the work: Product liability cases often involve significant financial exposure, media attention, or reputational risk, especially for clients in the life sciences or tech sectors. There are too many to mention here, but you'll find some of the work Cooley has done in this area in its Legal 500 page.

So again, yes you should feel free to include the personal angle briefly, but use it as a stepping stone to demonstrate a well-rounded and thoughtful interest in the practice area itself (and specifically on the defendants' side, which is what Cooley is particularly well-known for). Good luck!