TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[enyildiz]

In case this is helpful to anyone, this is how my application which was rejected last year (edited for anonymity) looks side by side with my seemingly active application:

 

[yasmars]

In case this is helpful to anyone, this is how my application which was rejected last year (edited for anonymity) looks side by side with my seemingly active application:

View attachment 7422

Thanks for the case study. I think it could be plausible to think that archived means rejected.

 

[Trophy]

Just checked and I have the famous archived status for CC I had done their open day and of 3 of their forage courses. Can only see what happens next week

 

[Rads]

Just checked and I have the famous archived status for CC I had done their open day and of 3 of their forage courses. Can only see what happens next week

Was your successful application on the same portal? What does it say?

 

[Amgrad]

the only way i know is to go onto the solicitor apprenticeship application, click apply, log into the portal and then check the dashboard for ur dtc app!! lol

Just checked it says still under review and I am applying for 2028 TC. I'd take it as a jackpot if I got shortlisted to AC as I never intended to apply before since I never went to their events or OD prior submitting my app like any other Magic firms! Lol

 

[Trophy]

Was your successful application on the same portal? What does it say?

My open day application isn’t on there as they used vantage (candid) last year so not sure how the person above had a last year application status as this is a new portal

 

[yk1906]

Just checked it says still under review and I am applying for 2028 TC. I'd take it as a jackpot if I got shortlisted to AC as I never intended to apply before since I never went to their events or OD prior submitting my app like any other Magic firms! Lol

I think the whole “under review” discussion was regarding CC, not AO

 

[yk1906]

What I’m interested about is Slaughter and May… I saw someone who had their status changed to “interview” but they weren’t officially invited by email. I wonder what’s up with that

 

[Trophy]

What I’m interested about is Slaughter and May… I saw someone who had their status changed to “interview” but they weren’t officially invited by email. I wonder what’s up with that

If you make it known you want to progress with them they’ll reject you! I think they’re after the nonchalant type I fear I emailed them stating I had another offer at 6pm as they state that you must let them know if you do. They rejected me next day 9:30am and didn’t respond to my email.

 

[yk1906]

If you make it known you want to progress with them they’ll reject you! I think they’re after the nonchalant type I fear I emailed them stating I had another offer at 6pm as they state that you must let them know if you do. They rejected me next day 9:30am and didn’t respond to my email.

Was this this year? And what do you mean by an offer? Vs or DTC?

 

[Trophy]

Was this this year? And what do you mean by an offer? Vs or DTC?

This was all last week.

I have a TC offer and they say if you have one to email then so they can interview you earlier. Obviously I was too good so they rejected me

 

[yk1906]

This was all last week.

I have a TC offer and they say if you have one to email then so they can interview you earlier. Obviously I was too good so they rejected me

Oh, I’m so sorry!!! But also huge congrats for the TC offer )

 

[Amgrad]

I think the whole “under review” discussion was regarding CC, not AO

Yep, I never attended both firm events prior submitting, just Legal Cheek Fair post deadline, so I wrote the app based on my holistic due diligence and never thought I'd pass, that's why I said so.

Do you think CC does prefer candidates who did VS in any law firms like Linklaters? I had no legal experience, so that might be explaining in case I got a no from them just like last year applicants.

Also, I noticed that they sort of wait-list candidates last year, wondering if this kind of thing happens again now. It's my first cycle anyway.

 

[yk1906]

Yep, I never attended both firm events prior submitting, just Legal Cheek Fair post deadline, so I wrote the app based on my holistic due diligence and never thought I'd pass, that's why I said so.

Do you think CC does prefer candidates who did VS in amy law firms like Linklaters? I had no legal experience, so that might be explaining in case I got a no from them just like last year applicants.

Also, I noticed that they sort of wait-list candidates last year, wondering if this kind of thing happens again now. It's my first cycle anyway.

I have no idea, tbh...

 

[routetotrainingcontract]

This was all last week.

I have a TC offer and they say if you have one to email then so they can interview you earlier. Obviously I was too good so they rejected me

still applying to firms despite securing a tc? i could never

 

[Trophy]

still applying to firms despite securing a tc? i could never

Luckily it’s me and not you then. Who said I didn’t get my offer after applying to slaughters

Not every firm is for everyone. 2 years working 9-14 hour days in the wrong place can have a hit on you. Not saying the firm I hold an offer from is bad but we all had our reasons

Tc offer doesn’t = securing a tc

 

[Amgrad]

I have no idea, tbh...

Me neither, it was all due to the cloudflare outage so can't confirm exactly how the process would be. Then, they didn't attend the booth on the rescheduled date.

I am thinking of withdrawing my Linklaters London-Asia TC as well before submitting. I just don't wanna waste more time and got rejected despite too excited when passed WG exceptionally. Someone here said got PFO after 99th percentile WG at Links lmao.

 

[Prudentia]

Me neither, it was all due to the cloudflare outage so can't confirm exactly how the process would be. Then, they didn't attend the booth on the rescheduled date.

I am thinking of withdrawing my Linklaters London-Asia TC as well before submitting. I just don't wanna waste more time and got rejected despite too excited when passed WG exceptionally. Someone here said got PFO after 99th percentile WG at Links lmao.

You don’t know why that person got rejected. Maybe their application was weak. Maybe they were in a pool of extremely competitive candidates. I’d just focus on your own applications and don’t worry about/benchmark yourself against other people.

 

[Amgrad]

You don’t know why that person got rejected. Maybe their application was weak. Maybe they were in a pool of extremely competitive candidates. I’d just focus on your own applications and don’t worry about/benchmark yourself against other people.

But in case of Linklaters it's more direct than CC. It states on the job description it requires at least 2 week subsequent legal work experience. I was assuming it's 'slightly preferred', now I interpreted it as 'highly preferred' or even mandatory.

 

[Prudentia]

But in case of Linklaters it's more direct than CC. It states on the job description it requires at least 2 week subsequent legal work experience. I was assuming it's 'slightly preferred', now I interpreted it as 'highly preferred' or even mandatory.

Did this candidate have that experience?