TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Afuturetrainee]

Anyone know when we might expect to hear back from Weil post VI and Freshfields post stage 2?

For Weil, I'd say expect replies after the deadline.

 

[applicant3000]

I got a Simmons AC but I think I'm going crazy because they didn't put a date 😐

 

[jojo23]

Dla wg!

 

[jojo23]

I got a Simmons AC but I think I'm going crazy because they didn't put a date 😐

Just show up on a random day

 

[i-want-a-tc]

I got a Simmons AC but I think I'm going crazy because they didn't put a date 😐

Are you willing to review your amberjack scores?

 

[tjeya26]

Hi all, for those who have completed the Hogan Lovells Job Simulation test, I was just wondering whether you wouldn't mind sharing whether the questions were more focused on the situations themselves in the test (i.e., how you would respond in different scenarios), or could be related more to your personal motivation, skills, and competencies? Prepping for possible questions such as Why the firm, why commercial law would take up so much more time. Thank you so much!

Hi can I ask if this was for the summer vac scheme?

 

[applicant3000]

Are you willing to review your amberjack scores?

They weren't very good -- 8,5,4 I believe but my VIs went decently

 

[jojo23]

They weren't very good -- 8,5,4 I believe but my VIs went decently

When did you take the test/vi?

 

[qaz99]

Hiii congratulations! please when did you complete the online assessment?

28 Oct

 

[c.t.tc]

bird and bird AC! exciting

Congrats! When did you do the VI?

 

[i-want-a-tc]

They weren't very good -- 8,5,4 I believe but my VIs went decently

Thank you very much. I did the test yesterday and my scores were 8,8,4. I wanted to check if there was a benchmark you need to reach before they view your video interview responses. I think 2 of mine were really strong, and the other 2 started off well but I waffled for the last 30 seconds and repeated myself a lot on 1 of the 2. Wishing you all the best with your AC!

 

[emily3827]

I got a Simmons AC but I think I'm going crazy because they didn't put a date 😐

did you go back onto cv mail to book ur date?

 

[Amgrad]

Hi guys,

I hope all is well! I'm currently going through the Taylor Wessing application form, and I had one small query about the section where we're supposed to enter our university module results. As ever, if anyone has any ideas, I'd be hugely grateful!

Basically, candidates are asked to give a "letter grade", and a "number grade" for each module. The letter grade part is pretty obvious (you put down whether you've got a First, a 2.1, etc in that module), but I'm wondering what to put down under the "number grade" section! The problem here stems from the fact that my university gives marks out of 200 (not 100) for each module - for instance, if I got 70% in a particular module, then I received 140 marks out of 200. The problem is that the "number grade" box doesn't let candidates write down "140/200" (because the slash symbol isn't a number), nor does it let candidates enter, say, "70%" (because the percentage sign isn't a number).

At the moment, I'm planning on just writing down the score out of 200 I got (e.g. if I got 70%, just writing down "140"), as any potential confusion should be obviated by the fact that (a) I'm able to specify whether I got a First or a 2.1 for each module, and (b) because the application form allows me to attach a CV, which enables me to clarify that the university module marks are out of 200. Basically, I'm hoping that, when the application form asks me to type in a "number grade", it's not necessarily asking me to give my results as a percentage out of 100!

Does this sound like the right thing to do?

I'd recommend for emailing the grad team, Jas Hepple. She's so helpful

 

[l789]

Is anyone able to share the link for skadden online open day- I know the link will be sent tomorrow, I would be so eternally grateful, registrations closed and skadden is my 2nd choice firm.

I’d honestly pay a tip to anyone who is willing to help me with this.

 

[abc124]

For scenario-based questions, how bad is it if you answer in hypotheticals, without brining in any real-life examples?

My brain gets overwhelmed trying to explain my approach and refer to examples from my life within only 2mins and I’m scared I’ll get cut off mid-answer unless I stick to just the hypotheticals 😭

 

[Amgrad]

Is anyone able to share the link for skadden online open day- I know the link will be sent tomorrow, I would be so eternally grateful, registrations closed and skadden is my 2nd choice firm.

I’d honestly pay a tip to anyone who is willing to help me with this.

I've registered! Remind me tomorrow via DM

 

[DavidJC]

Tip would be don't answer honestly, answer with what you think the firm wants. For instance, do I prefer working to clear, defined and stable deadlines, or continually changing, tight deadlines? Well, certainly the former, but that's not the answer they want!

It's usually pretty apparent from the 5 potential responses to rank which 2 will be considered the 'right' answers.

How many years do we think before firms realise the Cappfinity SJTs are a waste of everyone's time and scrap them?

I'd say I hope they all move to something more like Amberjack if they really wanna keep online assessments. The options are more sensible and not as much of a false dichotomy as they are in Cappfinity imo but as long as VSs/TCs remain this competitive, they're gonna use whatever they can to filter people out.

It's such a shame as well because promising candidates get tripped up by these false dichotomies esp in Cappfinity tests. Take the slider questions where you get examples like "I'm practical and down-to-earth vs I'm thoughtful and reflective" (I've learned the hard way that you get better scores if you hard commit to one side rather than sit in the middle). In this example, I'd say being thoughtful and reflective can lead to you becoming practical and down-to-earth. The Cappfinity reports don't give useful, quantifiable, or seemingly substantiated feedback (as compared to e.g. Amberjack's pillars) either.

These companies must really have some excellent salespeople considering they earn millions in revenue by essentially scamming major employers within the the market for "screening high volumes of applications". Ironically, after being tripped up by a lack of clarity on the ranking questions (it didn't state if 1 was best/most likely or worst/least likely) in a non-law test once, I've been asking the firms that use Cappfinity if they've looked into this before I even make an application, and a couple of firms did say that they spotted that and made sure to adjust the wording on their tests lmao.

Really does feel like we're all being made to jump through fiery hoops and walk across trapezes on our hands to even get to an AC these days. I do hope, at the very least, that law firms move away from Cappfinity.

 

[LawAspirer]

Would a minor spelling mistake immediately disqualify you? Just went through a work experience section I already submitted and I missed an "a"

 

[johnsmith]

You the guy that gets through everything, you're in AS CAC finals right? Wishing you all the best bro (assuming you're a guy).

Thanks matte! You're right I am. Having my fair share of rejections as well ✌️

 

[l789]

I've registered! Remind me tomorrow via DM

You are the kindest! Thank you!! ☺️☺️