TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[llblawstudent]

Simmons is holistic with their approach, which is great because that's how it's supposed to be. The people were really lovely too, so supportive and most importantly not gatekeeping. And a really diverse workforce.

A no-brainer if I could manage to prove I can be a fit.

Might be a silly question but you reckon it’s worth giving them a quick call or email, I don’t think it’s unreasonable given the lack of clarity surrounding the process hahah

 

[MaryAra299]

Just received baker mckenzie online sjt invite after the application. Is it automatic?

 

[johnsmith]

Has anyone heard back from Simmons vac scheme for Bristol office?

They said at the OD in Bristol they would invite for ACs in Jan

 

[Lawlawland]

Might be a silly question but you reckon it’s worth giving them a quick call or email, I don’t think it’s unreasonable given the lack of clarity surrounding the process hahah

They explicitly confirmed in the breakthrough event that they're waiting till the end of the deadline for AI internship, as it's a niche thing and first of it's kind, and want to give all of the people interested and enthusiastic an equal chance for consideration.

So I would probably wait until December 18/19 (deadline is December 15) to check on it.

But I don't think approaching them would make it look bad, if that gives us peace haha

 

[EfficientBag123]

Wait, you applied for Bristol Vac Scheme?
I'm glad such a high scorer is not in my competition pool😌

Regarding that, I attended the Bristol Open Evening... I believe they're trying to prioritise finalising the AI internship candidates first, as that's in April, and since they're doing it for the first time, they wanna get it right and prepare the training schedule well.

So I anticipate the Vac scheme AC to follow after that!

Okay thanks so much and best of luck, come back to the thread when you hear I am rooting for you!!

 

[EfficientBag123]

They said at the OD in Bristol they would invite for ACs in Jan

Okay, thank you so much. I really appreciate your insight it has calmed my nerves.

 

[trainee4u]

I'm also seeking stage 2 insights. However, if this helps, their VI last year was something in the lines of 'tell us about a time where your personal character was challenged' and if I remember correctly, 2 mins to record and a reasonable amount of time to respond (more than 30 secs)...

I got the Latham Stage 2 invite today. Just to understand, it looks like it's the same WG they give to every cappfinity client with the same questions, and then their own VI?

Is that correct?

 

[abc124]

Does the Latham VI include any motivational questions?

 

[lelezb1]

Just received baker mckenzie online sjt invite after the application. Is it automatic?

Congratulations! It is not automatic and may I know when have you applied?

 

[EfficientBag123]

Just received baker mckenzie online sjt invite after the application. Is it automatic?

A mate of mine said it is not, apparently they review applications and then select people to give the test to. I just got it as well. Good luck!

 

[MaryAra299]

Congratulations! It is not automatic and may I know when have you applied?

Thanks for the info. I think I applied 2 days before the deadline

 

[MaryAra299]

A mate of mine said it is not, apparently they review applications and then select people to give the test to. I just got it as well. Good luck!

Thanks. Good luck to you too!

 

[AS24]

Hi @AS24 I hope you are doing well too! Your approach looks fine: expressing what your stance is in a short introductory sentence and then signposting the different reasons you bring in support of your view shows you can present your argument in a clear and articulated manner, which is an important skill firms are looking for. There's only two things I notice I think you should be mindful of:

1. As opposed to university essays, I do not believe an important element of answering this question well is to cite sources of authority for the substance of your arguments. Recruiters have often indicated to me that when it comes to these broad moral/policy questions, they are interested in assessing the quality of your argumentation and the precision of your thinking in itself, rather than seeing if you are acquainted with the relevant literature on the topic. As such, you should be careful about how you go about citing sources - you certainly do not want to give the impression you are simply summarising and reiterating the thoughts and views of others. Personally, I would only cite sources for this type of question if I needed to back up a factual claim I bring up (eg "In 2024, it is estimated more than 20% of teenagers have experienced bullying or harassment on social media platforms") rather than the argument which is premised on the factual claim (I wouldn't cite a source for my follow-up thoughts on the matter, which could be something to the effect of "Considering minors are often unaware of such dangers on social media platforms and that severe mental health problems can result form exposure to bullying and harassment, tighter regulation is needed in this area."
2. Consider objections and counter-arguments: while I think the majority of your word count should be spent presenting a positive case for one view or the other, I also believe it would be a mistake to simply lay out your points and show no awareness of or engagement with responses that could be formulated by the other side. As such, I would advise you to consider and respond to at least one or two such points, even if you will only be able to present a very high-level analysis.

Thank you so much @Andrei Radu

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

I have my Latham and Watkins VI which will be competency questions I (I think) tomorrow morning. it's 1 minute prep, 3 minute video. I've never done a video interview, how do I prepare, what do I do in the 1 minute preparation time, how should I speak/structure/talk about, what kind of questions should I expect from Latham and Watkins? I would like any sort of advice/tips/guidance as I have never done a video interview before and honestly every time I had a competency based question, it has always been terrible due to my anxiety even when I use STAR.

Hello!

It's totally normal to feel nervous, especially if it's your first video interview - a bit of structure and preparation can make a huge difference! Whilst I have not completed the VI for Latham & Watkins before, I've copied some advice below that I have previously provided for approaching VIs, which is hopefully a useful starting point!

I would also really recommend this forum post by Andrei for approaching competency questions - there is a specific section for competency questions in VIs, which is super useful!!

In terms of what you should do in the 1 minute preparation time, i would use it to quickly outline your answer rather than trying to script it. For example, I'd try to:

1. Identify the example you'll use (try not to overthink this - pick one and commit to it!)
2. Map it to STAR in bullet form: what was happening (S), what was your responsibility (T), what you did (A), and what happened + what you learned (R).

Since you don't have a lot of time, I'd just jot mental notes like: "Group project - tight deadline - I organised tasks - finished early + communication improved". You should be able to fill in the gaps from memory once you start speaking!

There are a few ways to make your answer stand out - a strong video interview usually shows three things:

1. Clear structure: using something such as STAR helps you stay focused and prevents rambling. This allows you to deliver your answers in a more clear and concise way, which allows the graduate recruitment team to follow along easier
2. Personal insight: the graduate recruitment team want to understand why you made certain choices and what you learned. Adding reflection is what lifts a seemingly generic answer into something memorable and personal
3. A real sense of motivation: this is where your genuine enthusiasm and research can come in. Show that you understand the firm, the role of a trainee, and that you've thought about how your skills and ambitions make you a good fit.

As some more general tips in order to stand out in video interviews, I always used to try to:

• Prepare a bank of examples for each competency in advance: this meant that I was able to refer to them quickly if they were asked in a video interview, which made it easier to incorporate more of my own personal experiences when I didn't have loads of time
• Be specific, not vague: instead of simply saying "I worked well in a team", explain exactly what you did and what the impact was. This is where specificity is really key - using measurable results can really help hone this in!
• Bring energy and presence: I always found that in my earlier video interviews, I came across as slightly robotic and 'stiff' due to not being used to the VI format. However, this isn't necessarily how you would act in a normal interview - things such as good posture, eye contact with the camera, and natural tone make a big difference and really let the graduate recruitment team see your personality. Remember, whilst you have to have the skills for the role, they are also looking to hire trainees they can imagine would be a good fit!
• Link back to the role of a trainee: wherever you can, it's always useful to link how any skills or traits that you discuss will help you succeed as a trainee at their firm. Even a quick line such as "This is relevant to the role of a trainee at X because..." shows that you understand the role and the firm.

Overall, I think most successful answers will be structured, genuine, and reflective - I used to think of it as not being rehearsed, but clearly prepared!

For video interviews in particular, structure is really important - using the STAR method can help keep your answers focused and prevents rambling (which I used to be guilty of!). It also really helped me to practice in advance, particularly making sure that you are speaking clearly and at a steady pace - don't be afraid to pause briefly to think before answering. I can totally understand how awkward video interviews can feel, but making sure that you are looking at the camera and treating it like you would a normal interview is really important.

It is also worth brushing up on a few recent commercial or legal developments that interest you so that you can demonstrate commercial awareness if prompted, particularly with the firm's key practice areas / sectors. I would try to show genuine enthusiasm and authenticity - this can feel tricky over VI, but they're assessing how you communicate and whether you'd be a good fit for their culture, so it's important that you are yourself!

I've linked the TCLA Wiki page on video interviews - there are a couple of resources here that might be useful to have a read over before your VI.

Lastly, it's totally normal to feel anxious before / during any kind of interview (and I know I definitely do!). I would keep water nearby, and make short bullet-point notes during the preparation time to give you something to refer to in case your mind goes blank. They're assessing communication and self-reflection, not perfection - it's completely fine if something goes slightly wrong!

I hope that helps - and best of luck with your VI, I'm sure you'll smash it!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi,
I am looking at Farrer & Co and this is the last question I have to draft. However, I am not sure how to interpret it. I would really appreciate if anyone gave me some guidance. I did not know if I should address position of responsibilities/hobbies and the skills or if this was more aimed towards discussing open days, law fairs or other non work experience events related to law.
"Outside of formal education and work experience, what steps have you taken to prepare for a career in law and why have these experiences been useful?"

Hey!

That's a great question - it can feel a bit unclear at first, but the way that it is worded suggests that Farrer & Co is looking for anything you've done beyond academics and formal work experience that shows initiative, genuine interest in law, or development of relevant skills.

You are not limited to legal events - you can include both law-related engagement and extracurricular activities that helped you build qualities valuable to a future solicitor.

As such, I would break it down into two parts:

1. What you have done outside education / work experience

Examples could include:

• Open days, law firm events, webinars
• Mooting / negotiation / debating
• Legal podcasts, newsletters, books you have read
• Volunteering, clinics, pro bono
• Societies, sports teams, leadership positions
• Hobbies that show discipline, teamwork, resilience, communication, etc.

2. Why those experiences helped prepare you for a legal career

Focus on the skills or insights that you developed, such as:

• Legal research, advocacy, and commercial awareness
• Teamwork, time management, and organisations
• Exposure to the legal profession and understanding of different practice areas
• Commitment, initiative, and curiosity about the profession

You might structure your answer as:

1. Brief intro sentence
2. One or two legal-focused activities and what you learned from them
3. One or two extracurricular / hobby examples and the relevant transferable skills
4. Make it clear why these position you well for training at Farrer & Co

From my time on the firm's vacation scheme, I really got the sense that Farrer & Co value individuality and want to understand what makes each candidate unique, rather than just seeing a checklist of legal experience. Therefore, if you have a hobby or extracurricular that's meaningful to you and has helped you develop transferable skills (e.g. teamwork, resilience, organisation, communication, etc.), it's definitely worth including it! It doesn't have to be strictly legal - the firm appreciates well-rounded applicants. Just make sure you explain why the activity helped prepare you for a career in law, rather than just listing it.

I hope that helps - best of luck with the application!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

probably a stupid question, but would you guys consider most extracurriculars as positions of responsibilities? just trying to gauge what's acceptable to include in Willkie's question.

Hi!

Not a stupid question at all!

Extracurriculars can count as positions of responsibility, but usually only if you had an active role - e.g. society committee, team captain, project leader, mentoring, organising events, etc.

Simply being a member of a club is valuable, but not typically classed as a "position of responsibility" unless you took on specific duties. I'd focus on any examples where you demonstrated initiative, leadership, or transferable skills

 

[silonthesofa]

If anyone else has done the TW test over the last few days I would also be curious as to how you might have found it? I just want to guage whether it’s fine for me to have found it super difficult

it was absolutely not easy by any means! Feel free to DM if you want to discuss it more

 

[Bbhu19]

Is milbank only sending AC after deadline?

 

[EfficientBag123]

Has anyone heard back after Latham stage 2?

 

[wooliewoo]

Does anyone know whether Simmons VI Qs are unlimited time prep?