TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Abbie Whitlock]

Q. Do you require permission to work in the UK?
I'm unsure of how to answer this question. I do have permission to work during the VS but I will need it for the training contract. And the only options are yes/no - with no space for clarification.
@Abbie Whitlock

Hey!

Whilst I'm not 100% sure, I would tick select the 'Yes' option. Even though you already have the right to work for the vacation scheme, you did require permission for this and will also need it for the training contract - so the most complete answer is that you do require permission for the long-term role.

If you wanted to be sure, you could email the graduate recruitment team after submitting your application and explain the context of your situation. Most firms are used to this situation, so I think communication is just the most important thing!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Thank you Abbie!
Hope you're having a great weekend ✨

No problem!

I am, thank you - I hope you are too!!

 

[pfoapplicant]

No, not at all!

Thank you so much - you've been tremendously helpful!

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Hey!

Whilst I'm not 100% sure, I would tick select the 'Yes' option. Even though you already have the right to work for the vacation scheme, you did require permission for this and will also need it for the training contract - so the most complete answer is that you do require permission for the long-term role.

If you wanted to be sure, you could email the graduate recruitment team after submitting your application and explain the context of your situation. Most firms are used to this situation, so I think communication is just the most important thing!

Thank you!

 

[yk1906]

Thank you so much - you've been tremendously helpful!

No worries - I was also terrified in the beginning after looking at the practice test because I thought there were going to be numericals etc, etc. But the real test was just a slightly harder version of WG. Good luck!

 

[DavidJC]

Just received my FF stage 1 report.
Strengths are:
Thriving under pressure
Delivering extraordinary outcomes
Embracing transformation

Weakness:
Challenging ourselves
Campaigning our clients and giving them edge

Am I cooked? And, is this also reflective of the WGT equivalent? If not, how can I get to know about ny performance in that?

Having done both FF tests, and echoing what Abbie's said, my weakest traits were the ones I thought I'd answered quite well on, it's just the nature of the Cappfinity feedback report that insists on there being weaker traits. You got this!

 

[Dannie]

does anyone have any insights on the HL Simulation VI bit?

 

[Legallylaw]

@Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock

Hi Andrei and Abbie, I hope you are well! I wanted to ask a question about re-applying to the same firm again. In the why commercial law questions, my motivations haven't changed but I do have noteworthy experience to add this year. However, adding anything is taking me over the word limit and I also wanted to keep my previous answer. So I am confused as to whether I need to change everything or change specifically the answers where I can add more details?

Thank you so much for your time!

 

[Amelia.05]

I didn’t get a rejection but no 2nd test!

When did you do it?

 

[Shaky_Pete]

"You are working on a query for a new client, which has to be responded to tomorrow morning. You were told it was important as Eversheds Sutherland want to impress them. However, you have a lot of work on and the query is taking you longer than you expected. You are now behind on your work for today. You also have emails from other people chasing you for work you have not yet started. What would you do? As part of your answer, please also describe what personal strengths would you draw upon and what would you find energising in this situation?"

Do we get extra points for pointing out grammatical errors in application questions? To show our attention to detail.

 

[yasmars]

"You are working on a query for a new client, which has to be responded to tomorrow morning. You were told it was important as Eversheds Sutherland want to impress them. However, you have a lot of work on and the query is taking you longer than you expected. You are now behind on your work for today. You also have emails from other people chasing you for work you have not yet started. What would you do? As part of your answer, please also describe what personal strengths would you draw upon and what would you find energising in this situation?"

Do we get extra points for pointing out grammatical errors in application questions? To show our attention to detail.

No, I don't think you would. I would just focus on creating a strong application, free from spelling and grammatical errors.

 

[Amelia.05]

Milbank second stage assessment!

How long after the first one did you find out you had the 2nd?

 

[DavidJC]

"You are working on a query for a new client, which has to be responded to tomorrow morning. You were told it was important as Eversheds Sutherland want to impress them. However, you have a lot of work on and the query is taking you longer than you expected. You are now behind on your work for today. You also have emails from other people chasing you for work you have not yet started. What would you do? As part of your answer, please also describe what personal strengths would you draw upon and what would you find energising in this situation?"

Do we get extra points for pointing out grammatical errors in application questions? To show our attention to detail.

If I had a quid for every spelling and grammatical error I've spotted in grad rec marketing material, websites, and application forms, I'd never have to worry about paying bills ever again, but we take the high road.

That said, the funniest typo I've seen so far is in Fried Frank's TC brochure: "Ethically Diverse Group of Employees" instead of "Ethnically" 🤣🤣🤣

 

[lawstudent2]

I realised after applying to a firm that I had incorrectly stated an a level grade as higher than it was, it was via AllHires so I added a note to the additional information part of the form. Should I also email grad rec or is adding the additional information to the form enough?

 

[SemperParatus]

i applied on the deadline (21/11) for dla london summer internship, nothing yet assuming a rejection

 

[Andrei Radu]

I realised after applying to a firm that I had incorrectly stated an a level grade as higher than it was, it was via AllHires so I added a note to the additional information part of the form. Should I also email grad rec or is adding the additional information to the form enough?

I think it should be fine, as the additional information form will serve as concrete proof the mistake was unintentional and that you gave the firm notice of it as soon as you realised it. Nonetheless, if you want to be extra safe, there is no problem with emailing grad rec about it to ensure they are actually aware of it.

 

[Lawlawland]

I have a very different experience with the Mischon Chat interview... I finished it in barely 60 mns, it rarely asked any follow-up questions (only once or twice tbh). I genuinely don't know if that's good or bad.

The process felt pretty easy with voice notes. The only issue was the video interview presenting time...

 

[Andrei Radu]

@Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock

Hi Andrei and Abbie, I hope you are well! I wanted to ask a question about re-applying to the same firm again. In the why commercial law questions, my motivations haven't changed but I do have noteworthy experience to add this year. However, adding anything is taking me over the word limit and I also wanted to keep my previous answer. So I am confused as to whether I need to change everything or change specifically the answers where I can add more details?

Thank you so much for your time!

Hi @Legallylaw I hope you have had a good weekend as well! You certainly do not need to chance everything in your reapplication - in fact, if you put yourself in the perspective of the firm, it would be quite surprising if all of a sudden all of the main themes of your motivations and skills changed. Nonetheless, at the same time, you certainly want to make some changes; if you are asking the firm is to consider you as a candidate again, you cannot put forward the same application that was unsuccessful last year.

To show why they should reconsider your candidacy, you thus want to show some improvement, which can take the form of new experiences you can reference, but can also just be a better explained and reason version of the previous substantive answers. Thus, my advice is to not leave the answer exactly the same as before, but to redraft it to include the new noteworthy experience you mentioned.

 

[DavidJC]

I've spent the last two days working on my Skadden application and I'm very nervous as I really like the firm. I've now done multiple rereads constantly trying to figure out how replaceable "Skadden" is with another firm in my answers but remain unsure about it :/

At the very least, I think it's almost always replaceable with Latham or Kirkland and possibly any other firm doing cross-border M&A except where specific deals/names are mentioned lol

Just wondering if anyone else ever feels like this when trying to tailor their applications (not necessarily in relation to these firms and cross-border M&A specifically)?

 

[A worried paralegal]

I've spent the last two days working on my Skadden application and I'm very nervous as I really like the firm. I've now done multiple rereads constantly trying to figure out how replaceable "Skadden" is with another firm in my answers but remain unsure about it :/

At the very least, I think it's almost always replaceable with Latham or Kirkland and possibly any other firm doing cross-border M&A except where specific deals/names are mentioned lol

Just wondering if anyone else ever feels like this when trying to tailor their applications (not necessarily in relation to these firms and cross-border M&A specifically)?

I took a look and from what I can see, Skadden has a smaller cohort than Latham and offers slightly more broad work than Kirkland who are more PE-heavy