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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hello,
For people who have passed Clifford Chance WG test - what scores were you getting out of 40 in your practice?
Thank you
For people who have passed Clifford Chance WG test - what scores were you getting out of 40 in your practice?
Thank you
Hi! @Abbie Whitlock I attended Willkie's application writing event yesterday, and their grad rec said that we shouldn't talk about skills developed in the WE sections but mere results/achievements in each WE, and she recommended the CAR structure (context; action; result) => is it okay to mix action+result together, since writing about them separately seems a bit odd? e.g. "I drafted x document (action), that helped y.. (result)" instead of putting the result in the next paragraph?
Also: she advised against describing skills in WE entries but their open day application form doesn't have a separate skills Q - would it be a really bad idea to talk about relevant skills in WE after all? she pointed out that candidates sometimes connect experiences with unrealistic skills (e.g. working at McDonalds won't give you commercial awareness) but what about actually valid skills eg. Juggling an internship with my studies developed my time management skills that will help me manage conflicting deadlines as a trainee?
Also: she advised against describing skills in WE entries but their open day application form doesn't have a separate skills Q - would it be a really bad idea to talk about relevant skills in WE after all? she pointed out that candidates sometimes connect experiences with unrealistic skills (e.g. working at McDonalds won't give you commercial awareness) but what about actually valid skills eg. Juggling an internship with my studies developed my time management skills that will help me manage conflicting deadlines as a trainee?
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Oh cool I wasn't aware of that, thank you for letting me know!
For those who have applied to Freshfields, is there verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning in the online test?
Hi all,
for video interviews are we expected to prep for situation based questions eg: xyz happens how do you deal with it?
or do they typically tend to be motivational and competency based only?
for video interviews are we expected to prep for situation based questions eg: xyz happens how do you deal with it?
or do they typically tend to be motivational and competency based only?
After a previously unsuccessful cycle (did not convert my VS into a TC), we're back to applying... So far Slaughter and May and Macfarlanes PFOs...
Applied to 30 firms already, down 2, 28 remaining.
Applied to 30 firms already, down 2, 28 remaining.
Is Jones Day for summer? If yes, if you don't mind, when did you apply?
I applied to White and Case 10 sep for summer vs, because they're rolling... And I didn't receive an email to complete the test, and just logged in and saw the test was issued 10 sep as well... Did anyone else not receive an email informing them to do the test?
Hey!
That’s a great question! While the podcast seems really interesting, I’d recommend choosing a written article for this question - just to be on the safe side. Since DLA Piper specifically asks you to select an article, they’re probably expecting a direct reference to a written piece from their Insights Page that you can analyse and link clearly to your ambitions.
Using a written article could make it easier to structure your answer and demonstrate your ability to engage with DLA Piper’s insights in a clear and thoughtful way. However, you could potentially draw inspiration from the podcast when choosing an article on a similar topic, so your genuine interest comes through
Apologies if this is a dumb question, but this is my first actual application cycle and I was wondering why firms issue rejections and then don’t progress people soon after? I’ve noticed so far that people have been rejected from HSF and macfarlanes but they haven’t released any assessment centres yet? Is this normal?
Hello!
On your first question: I think it’s totally fine to combine the action and result into one sentence or short paragraph, especially in a short work experience section where space is limited. Something along the lines of ‘I drafted X document, which was later used in Y’ is clear and efficient, and shows the impact whilst making the most of the space.
In relation to including skills, I’d say that this is definitely firm dependent. I would follow the advice that the Willkie graduate recruitment outlined for their application (as that will reflect what they are looking for). Some firms will prefer a very factual, CV-style approach whereas others are more open to candidates discussing key skills. The key is to keep it relevant and realistic, such as your example about juggling an internship and studies to show time management - that is a solid, credible link.
I would say that as a general rule of thumb (unless otherwise stated), I would link key transferable skills if they are relevant, but try to not overdo it. Firms will want to see that you know what skills trainees need and that you can demonstrate how you have them, but I wouldn’t try and force a connection that isn’t there.
I hope that helps!
Thank you so much, very helpful!!Hello!
On your first question: I think it’s totally fine to combine the action and result into one sentence or short paragraph, especially in a short work experience section where space is limited. Something along the lines of ‘I drafted X document, which was later used in Y’ is clear and efficient, and shows the impact whilst making the most of the space.
In relation to including skills, I’d say that this is definitely firm dependent. I would follow the advice that the Willkie graduate recruitment outlined for their application (as that will reflect what they are looking for). Some firms will prefer a very factual, CV-style approach whereas others are more open to candidates discussing key skills. The key is to keep it relevant and realistic, such as your example about juggling an internship and studies to show time management - that is a solid, credible link.
I would say that as a general rule of thumb (unless otherwise stated), I would link key transferable skills if they are relevant, but try to not overdo it. Firms will want to see that you know what skills trainees need and that you can demonstrate how you have them, but I wouldn’t try and force a connection that isn’t there.
I hope that helps!
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