New Threads

Hi, I recently graduated with a degree in Politics and IR and am looking to pursue a Masters in law conversion degree. If the end goal is to be a paralegal is this a good path to take? what kind of skills and or strengths are required to be one?

Hi everyone!

I’m Azaan, going into my third year studying Law (LLB) at Leeds Trinity University this September. I plan to study for the SQE after I graduate next year.

Glad to be here and looking forward to getting involved in the community!

Hi everyone, I just found out about the TCLA scholarship that has been running for the past few years. Does anyone have any idea/info on when and if the TCLA scholarship 2025/26 program is running? I'm a socially mobile student who benefits from various bursaries from Warwick uni so I would be very interested in applying!

Hi everyone! Im a second year doing into third year Joint Honours student (non - law) wishing everyone luck with this process

Hey everyone,

Vacation Scheme application season is upon us! To make things easier for those of us preparing to apply, I have put together a list to track all the applications and their due dates for the Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes. I will keep this list updated! Please feel free to drop any suggestions to better utilise this thread. Good luck in your application and please keep us posted on your progress!

Here are the firms that have announced their application opening and closing dates for Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes 2025/26 so far:

(This list is dynamic and will be updated as firms release their application windows) LAST EDITED: Friday 17th October, 2025

Winter Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025/26:​

Specific Dates Released​

---

Spring Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025/26:​

Specific Dates Released​

---

Summer Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025/26:​

Specific Dates Released​

​

Hi everyone!

With several firms preparing to open applications for direct training contracts, we are launching this dedicated thread for the 2025-2026 application cycle.

Please use this master thread to discuss anything related to direct training contract applications. This can include everything from application and interview queries to news from particular law firms. As ever, the strength of this forum lies in its thoughtfulness and collegiality. Please continue to share your insights generously and to engage with each other constructively.

Finally, last year’s thread can be found here: TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024–25. Later this month, I will post a consolidated list of firms with their respective deadlines to assist those planning their approach for the year ahead.

Wishing everyone the very best as the new cycle begins.

Ram

Hi everyone!

With several firms preparing to open applications for their winter, spring, and summer vacation schemes, we are launching this dedicated thread for the 2025-2026 application cycle.

Please use this master thread to discuss anything related to vacation scheme applications. This can include everything from application and interview queries to news from particular law firms. As ever, the strength of this forum lies in its thoughtfulness and collegiality. Please continue to share your insights and to engage constructively with each other.

Finally, last year’s thread can be found here: TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024–25. Later today, I will post a consolidated list of firms with their respective deadlines, to assist those planning their approach for the year ahead.

Wishing everyone the very best as the new cycle begins.

Ram

Hi all, hope you're all well!

I'm a philosophy undergraduate student about to enter my final year, and I'd love to hear any advice from other non-law students on where you found relevant law experience please? I'll be applying for VS' and TC's throughout my final year, and I plan on doing a law conversion masters once I graduate next summer, but it'd be great to have something relevant to do this summer! Are virtual work experiences my only option considering I currently have no legal training? Or are there other avenues I could look into?

Thank you for any and all advice!

Hope everyone is having a great week! I am completely new to TCLA and wanted to introduce myself and get some sort of advice on my situation since ngl I have a wave of depression hitting me every. single. day.

I am International student, my age is in the higher 20s, have obtained an LLB from a UK based university (Non Russel Group) with a low 2.1; don't have the most impeccable academic results but I have got a drive like no other because I am relentless in my path to succeed. I can speak 6 languages (4 fluently, 2 on a more basic/intermediate level and currently learning 2 more), I have excellent networking & communication skills. I am currently applying to TC's within the Uk, outside of the Uk, applying to paralegal roles, internships, you name it (everything that has a legal job description under the sun basically) and so far, nothing. I also feel that because of my age and graduation date, I am truly losing in this race against time... Some days seem bleak, some hopeful but I will not give up no matter what. I guess what I am looking for here are words of encouragement and to feel like I am not alone in this path. I have many regrets concerning my academics especially having not tried as hard as I should have during high school and in university itself (I don't want to blame ADHD but after being diagnosed, it makes total sense: gifted child turned into incompetent adult).

If you were to ask me, well then why corporate law or why law at all, I would have to say I went into this field at a very young age with the dream of making an impact in people's lives through protecting their rights aka going into criminal/human rights side of things and while studying my LLB I wanted to actually take the BTC path but due to changes in my personal life and lack of access to certain opportunities, I had to resort to the SQE path and here we are I guess...

Thanks in advance for reading this incoherent post and look forward to garnering any sort of response.

Hi

I am starting my full-time SQE LLM with BPP on 1st September. It's been three weeks since I sent them all my transcripts and other documents, and I was assured that the CAS document (without which one cannot apply for a student visa) would be issued within five days. No one in BPP bothers to reply to emails or take phone calls. I am frustrated and on the verge of panicking. Even after CAS issuance, it takes time to schedule a biometric appointment and a few weeks to receive the visa. Is this how the admin team at BPP treats students during the course as well? Is there anyone else in the same boat?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks.

Hello everyone!!
As the new application cycle is approaching, I have decided to create my own thread and keep myself accountable.
A bit about me: I am an international student who recently graduated with a 2:1 from a non-RG uni and 3 Bs at A levels (was still getting used to the UK system at the time ). I was involved in some extracurricular activities while at uni: Secretary and Treasurer of my uni's law society (2nd and 3rd year), VC of the volleyball team, campus ambassador for an organisation. I also have some office and customer service experience (through part-time jobs).

My goal in this new cycle is for it to be my last. I didn't take this (2024/2025) cycle as seriously as I was focused on my grades. I applied to 5 firms, got 1 PFO post app, 3 post online test, and 1 post interview. I learned that I need to improve my commercial awareness and video interviewing skills. My applications could also be more tailored.

MY PLAN
I'm not fully sure what kind of firm I want to work in yet as I don't have any formal legal work experience yet, so I plan to apply to a range of them:

Vacation Schemes
HSF Kramer-
Pinsent Masons-
Reed Smith-
Addleshaw Goddard-
Osborne Clarke-
Gowling-
Trowers & Hamlins-

Direct Training Contract
DAC Beachcroft-
Womble Bond Dickinson (DTC)-
Kingsley Napley-
CMS-
Wedlake Bell-
Wiggin-
HFW-
RPC-
TLT-

Key: = application submitted; = test received; = Invited to 2nd test/met benchmark; = Written Exercise; = VI; = rejection; = Assessment Centre

MY ACTION PLAN

• Listen to the FT news briefing everyday. I have already started creating this habit so I could get a better understanding of commercial news and how they affect clients and law firms. I think what I'm struggling with now is how to communicate that in interviews and stuff.
• Practice each type of psychometric test at least once a week. I am currently using Graduate First and Assessment day.
• Pre-draft my 'why law', 'why commercial law', 'why me', and 'why this firm'. I think this will help me write applications faster. The first three can be applied to all firms and I can tweak the last one to whatever question the firm asks about them.
• Create an application timetable. I currently gave myself 3 applications per month so we'll see how feasible that will be.
• Create and experience and interview questions bank. Most firms ask for similar, if not the same, skills and/or experience so I think it'll more efficient to get this done early (though I've only actually started the experience bank haha)

NB: I am going to be working full time (like 30-45 hrs) while doing this so I'm not fully sure how I am going to be balancing it all. Pray for me *fingers crossed*. I'll try to post an update every now and again just to make sure I'm actually doing the work!
Also, if anyone has any other tips for preparing for the cycle beforehand, let me know. Please and thanks!

Hi everyone!

I've been reading some TC threads on here, which inspired me to start my own! For some background, I just graduated from an RG uni with a 2:1. I've applied for vacation schemes in my second and third years but none of the applications passed the first stages. In hindsight, I was feeling very lost for the past three years: I am coming from a low socio-economic background, attended a state comprehensive school, first generation university graduate, and neither of my parents have ever stepped foot in corporate. These factors really affected my confidence, as I was surrounded by peers coming from backgrounds entirely different from my own. However, I have still largely participated in the life at university, and held some really good society positions. I also have experience in office-based roles, legal advice roles, hospitality and customer service.

Now I'm back home and preparing for the next application cycle. So far I have:

• Been working on reframing my mindset regarding my background (it's a fake it till you make it situation sometimes, but I'm working on it!).
• Created a list of prospective firms I'd like to apply to. I am re-applying to some firms and adding others to my list.
• Started conducting a more in-depth research on firms from my list.
• Re-assessed my motivations for pursuing corporate law and law in general.
• Been reading and engaging more with news in attempts to improve my commercial awareness.
• Reached out to future and current trainees from 2 firms I'm interested in.

My goals:

• Improve my commercial awareness. To do this, I keep a digital commercial awareness diary, where I record news stories that interest me, summarise them, reflect on why I find them interesting, and how do they relate to law firms. I've already been recording at least one story every day.
• Improve my application technique. To do this, I will review my previous applications and analyse where do I think I went wrong. The goal is to review 1-2 applications weekly.
• Practice Watson Glaser. This is self-explanatory.
• Create better firm profiles. I want to understand the firms I'm applying to on a deeper level. To do this, I will research firm strategy, recent deals, recent hires, clients, and learn what actually differentiates the firms I'm applying to.

On my firm criteria:

• Must have a strong presence in at least one of the sectors I'm interested in: real estate, technology (including fintech and crypto), and / or financial services.
  • I find a lot of topics interesting, but these are some that I naturally gravitate towards usually.
• Must have an international presence.
• Ideally, it will offer either a client or an international secondment.

To be honest, it is a bit difficult establishing my criteria - I haven't been successful in the past, and I feel like I don't really have the privilege of being selective here. However, I am sure that as I continue my research, I will remove some firms from my prospective list. My goal is about 15 applications.

Finally, I am considering a TCLA subscription. It's quite pricey, so I've been indecisive, but it seems to have a lot of benefits.

This is the start of my diaries. If anyone has any comments or advise, I'd love to hear it. Good luck in the next application season!

Hi all, just for a bit of context I’m Swiss and was, until about a week ago, on a student visa in the UK. I deferred an exam which means I can’t get the graduate visa, but I wanted to ask a question regarding sitting 2 short SQE courses next year.

SQE 1 with my provider starts in Sep and teaching ends in December, and SQE 2 is from Feb 2nd until early March. However, the course also included the several revision weeks and holidays, which take up around 4-5 weeks. In summary, however, I calculated it by planning out when I would fly in and out, and I would only be in the UK for 5.5 months in total.

I just wanted to ask if anyone has experience with this.

Hi everyone, my name is Anjola and I’m a law student at the University of Kent, graduating in 2026. I’m originally from Canada and studying here in the UK as an international student. I’m starting to think seriously about training contract applications and wanted to ask how many people usually apply for. I’d also love to hear any tips on how to prepare well and give myself the best chance.

Also, do grades carry most of the weight in these applications? I’m a bit unsure about my second year results, so I’m wondering how much that might affect things and what I can do to strengthen the rest of my application.

Any advice or insight would really mean a lot.

Thank you in advance!

[unsure how to delete post]

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some guidance.

I’m currently pursuing an LLM in the UK, and I did my undergraduate law degree in India. My issue is how to address my academic grades in applications. My overall percentage is 57%, which looks quite low by UK standards. However, my university had a very strict marking system—60% is considered a first class, and 55–60% falls into the “high second class,” which can roughly correspond to a 2:1 in the UK. Despite the percentage, I was ranked 6th out of a batch of over 300 students, and I have a letter from my university confirming this.

I’ve also done over 36 months' worth of internships, won several moots, and have a strong profile in terms of practical experience.

According to TCLA’s review, my application (cover letter, commercial awareness responses, etc.) was good, so I’m wondering if the grades are possibly hurting my chances.

How should I address this in my future applications? Should I include a brief explanation in the cover letter or attach the university’s grading policy?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I am currently applying for LLLM Law Conversion with SQE 1 at BPP and MA Law (SQE1) at University of Law. I studied English as my undergrad, despite undertaking legal work experience and attending open days for Law at Oxford. I now work at a magic circle firm in marketing and my spirit for law has been reignited.

Does anyone have any personal statement examples or tips for applications? I'm hoping to applying for a scholarship as well so any guidance would be immensely appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I received an offer for the GLD assessment centre and I was wondering if anyone has any advice or useful resources for the written assessment section of the AC?

I found that many resources for written assessments or case studies are commercial law focused and I wanted to practice with more assessments more focused for the GLD.

If anyone has any help they can offer for this it would be greatly appreciated!

hi am also planning to crack SQE so I really need some help in getting SQE Revise notes and other study material here sothat I can download it...

Hi TCLA,

Just wanted to get a quick outlook on my application prospects this year. I go to a RG uni and had a blip in first year for two of my modules. Got a third for 2 them while still getting a good 2:1 for the other 2. I do have and applied with extenuating circumstances- but saw little success obviously.

This year(second year) had a academic turnaround---averaging a high 2:1 across all modules. I'm just looking to get the past the intial stages of applications- last year was a bit disheartening. Overall I am quite okay with my results since first year doesn't count.

But wanted the POV on how firms generally look/respond or react to a trajectory like this! I have excellent extra-curriculars so that shouldn' be an issue. But do not want to lower my ambitions, want to get that vac scheme/TC in my third year and will be going ahead applying to MC/SC firms as well!

Hello guys I need some advice.

So I’m currently doing the law conversion course (masters) at BPP and I failed one of my modules that I will have to resit and I imagine this will have immense consequences of getting a TC or a VS.

My mental health has also been completely down the drain and I am actively s*icidal. I know that is not an excuse but I think I do genuinely need help but I have no friends or support system so this forum is the only thing I really have…

I’m just wondering if it would better to drop out the PGDL and focus my time on applying for TC’s/VS’s in hopes I get it and a firm sponsors for my PGDL later down the line instead of me funding It myself. Thoughts?

Or maybe it’s better I drop the PGDL altogether and just start doing the SQE at my own pace.

Thoughts?

Hello, after an unsuccessful second year of applications, and a not so great second year grades I am a little bit worried and am looking for some advice,
For context these are my first year grades:
Tort- 76
Contract-70
EU Law- 68
UK Constitutional law- 63
Intro to English Law- 63
Individual and state- 56

My second year grades are:
Trusts- 72
Land-65
Public international-63
Criminal- 55
European Human Rights- 64
Legal Philosophy- 54 ( actually got 65 but grade was capped because uni didn’t take into consideration mitigating circumstances)

Even though I got an overall mid 2:1 I was wondering how much my grades would hinder me and if I wouldn’t apply to some law firms.

Additionally, I was wondering how much does law firms consider mitigating circumstances considering it was mental health issues in my case.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!
I'm Myra and am currently in the process of securing a TC.

Hi

Can anyone who has studied SQE full time or knows about it, help out? I am starting my sponsored full time SQE with BPP in September and as an international student, would like to travel to my home country in December to both rejuvenate as well as prepare for SQE1. Is there a formal break from studies for atleast a couple weeks in December to allow this? Do most international students stay put in UK through Christmas preparing for the upcoming SQE1 in January OR is it ok to travel out and study remotely and then get back to UK in time for the exams?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

.