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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hi @yuktiverma96
The link below should be helpful in determining which firms sponsor international candidates. However, I would advise that it is always a good idea to reach out to the firm directly and explain your situation to graduate recruitment for the most accurate answer.
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2025-26.9717/post-219702
Hope the above helps!
milbank ac !
relatedly- when vac schemes clash what are firms’ general response for moving to a scheme later in the year? I know this will vary firm to firm but does anyone have any idea?
relatedly- when vac schemes clash what are firms’ general response for moving to a scheme later in the year? I know this will vary firm to firm but does anyone have any idea?
In most cases, it is best to prioritise your four most relevant and substantial legal experiences, rather than simply the four most recent roles. This means selecting experiences that best demonstrate:
exposure to high-quality legal work;
responsibility, analytical skills, or client interaction; and
alignment with Sidley’s practice areas or international profile.
If your most recent roles are also your strongest, then recency and relevance will naturally coincide. However, if an older role was materially more substantive or better evidences your suitability for Sidley, it is entirely appropriate to include it instead of a more recent but lighter-touch experience.
I'd also add one non-legal experience if it was particularly interesting or carries several transferable skills.
In short: quality, relevance, and impact should guide your selection, not chronology alone.
Hope this helps!
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Spring. Traditional Track.
I applied for summer, Lev finance track, fingers crossed
Yes, you can submit an application that is largely similar if the questions are unchanged, but I'd recommend making meaningful updates rather than resubmitting it verbatim.
Firms expect returning applicants to demonstrate reflection and progression since the last cycle. At a minimum, you should:
- refine answers for clarity and concision;
- update examples to reflect any new experience, skills, or responsibilities; and
- sharpen your commercial and firm-specific reasoning where possible.
Hope this helps!
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Does anyone know if Paul Hastings VS leads to a TC? I feel like I remember reading somewhere that you still have to apply separately if you attend their VS...
Tbh it was awful lmao. That’s gotta be a straight up automatic PFO. I was nervous asf but idk how they are gna assess the responses. 
Bakers VI - any insights would be much appreciated
Hi @Sharkfin
My advice is not specific to Bakers video interview (VI) however, you may find it helpful for VIs more generally.
By way of context, I struggled a lot with VIs and it was probably the stage that I found the most difficult to overcome (even more than assessment centres).
For me, improving in VIs came down to three key things:
- Create a question bank – Create a list of questions including situational, competency, and motivational and practise these regularly. This will allow you to develop confidence in speaking about your personal/ work experiences. This will also prepare you for VIs for almost every firm and also assist you in preparing for assessment centres.
- Focus on delivery – VIs are timed so there is only so much you can talk about. What will set you apart is being clear, natural, and structured in your response. Do not memorise answers (I made this mistake). Rather, get comfortable talking about your experiences in different ways. The more naturally it comes out, the more easily your personality will shine.
- Practice, practice, practice – Leading on from point [2], it is uncomfortable and awkward speaking to a screen. To overcome this, simply open your camera and just start recording yourself answering questions. Watch these back and note where you can improve. This is probably the one step that helped me the most.
Hi @futuretraineeihope
Feel free to have a look at the below link for advice in relation to VIs more generally – it may be useful for your Bakers VI.
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
Has anyone got an ac invite from HSF Kramer post passing the test? I’m very anxious as it’s one of my top choice firms :( I don't think anyone has, they're probably working on cutting down the number of applications they have rn - I would expect them to get back in the new year
www.thecorporatelawacademy.com
Good luck!
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Tbh it was awful lmao. That’s gotta be a straight up automatic PFO. I was nervous asf but idk how they are gna assess the responses.
noo don’t say that I’m sure it’ll be okay
Hi @LawAspirer
I definitely do not think that the work experiences you have listed is off putting to law firms.
During my vacation scheme, I met candidates with experiences ranging from simple retail roles (like myself) to work experiences in tech start-ups, banks and other large corporations. Therefore, I believe it is very unlikely that your work experiences itself is preventing you from getting a vacation scheme.
Instead, I would reflect upon how you are potentially framing your experiences throughout your applications and interviews. Are you properly tailoring your experiences to your interest for each firm and commercial law more widely? Are you correctly using your experiences to demonstrate alignment with the skills required of a trainee solicitor at a particular firm?
A simple shift in the way you sell your experience can genuinely take you from receiving rejections to receiving a yes.
Feel free to reach out via DM - hope the above helps!
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