TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[cookedlawstudent]

Just got my report back from the Hogan Lovells stage 1 test and I'm trying to get an understanding of how good this is:

My top skills: Work ethic, Adaptability
My development area: Personal responsibility

 

[ttlaw12344]

does anyone have any tips on how to tackle SJTs?

 

[Disgruntled SQE Student]

Just got my report back from the Hogan Lovells stage 1 test and I'm trying to get an understanding of how good this is:

My top skills: Work ethic, Adaptability
My development area: Personal responsibility

Honestly I don't think it means much, just an AI generated report with about as much meaning as a buzzfeed quiz. The fact that you can't be multifaceted as a person, both adaptable and willing to take on personal responsibility for instance, makes no sense. You'll know asap whether you passed it or not, I believe they won't even review your "personality feedback" until after the VI.

 

[MeWantTCPlz]

Dla pfo post passing WG email

 

[zonnonomo]

Honestly I don't think it means much, just an AI generated report with about as much meaning as a buzzfeed quiz. The fact that you can't be multifaceted as a person, both adaptable and willing to take on personal responsibility for instance, makes no sense. You'll know asap whether you passed it or not, I believe they won't even review your "personality feedback" until after the VI.

i would love for anyone who has been involved in the recruitment side of an SJT to explain what they see and how they use our responses to filter us, it makes 0 sense to me as a tangible differentiator

 

[flamingocelot]

Did my Withers vac scheme interview over a week ago and still haven't heard back... anyone else in the same boat or have people started getting acceptances?

 

[Saul_specter]

anyone got advice or insight for macfarlanes 2nd round assessment

 

[TCLAAAA]

Does anyone know how DLA roles out TIs and PFOs... its so random

I sent an email to ask about the progress of screening summer vs after I passed the benchmark for so long, and they replied really generically:
"Thank you for your email. It is great to hear you have applied to our summer internship programme.
Applications are currently being reviewed, and candidates will be contacted via email in due course regarding any update. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding."

 

[hxnnahrobinson]

DLA Piper WG invite, pleasantly surprised as I applied an hour before the deadline

 

[zara elles]

Has anyone tried YourLegalLadder? Looks promising but not sure if its worth it

 

[Z48]

i would love for anyone who has been involved in the recruitment side of an SJT to explain what they see and how they use our responses to filter us, it makes 0 sense to me as a tangible differentiator

Haven’t worked on the recruitment side but this is how I see it, hope I make sense! For cappfinity, I think they use similar scoring to amberjack but we just don’t see the scores.

So in the below example in a cappfinity report I’d just be told my strengths = applied intellect and digital mindset, and my weakness = grit. Someone else could get the exact same strengths and weaknesses even if they scored 9 in their top two and 7 in their lowest.

So it doesn’t really matter what your strengths/weaknesses are, they use our scores to make decisions and unfortunately we don’t get told these

 

[TCLAAAA]

Received an AC invite at 11:45PM last year. It was a US firm of course

Omg, I went back to check: I got one AC invite 23:58 last year. Also a US firm

 

[Disgruntled SQE Student]

i would love for anyone who has been involved in the recruitment side of an SJT to explain what they see and how they use our responses to filter us, it makes 0 sense to me as a tangible differentiator

I have heard from others that they don't really use it pre-2nd stage. It automatically tells them whether you have passed the cognitive portion of the test (like the HL proof reading section), then the AI looks at each inputted set of answers and matches it as best as possible with inputted model answers the firm gives it. Even then, this data isn't reviewed until post 2nd stage when it is reviewed by a person who would rather look at your VI questions to achieve the same impression. I also suspect that it's a cappfinity thing, owing to the same exact questions on different firms 1st stage SJT. The firms outsource it to cappfinity who then do the BTS processing. It would make sense consider most GR aren't massive.

 

[sjm251102]

awaiting this Latham PFO.... I started laughing in the VI cause I was so shocked by the questions

 

[Bbhu19]

I applied ages ago but haven't heard back! they're taking their sweet time lol

Have you done the Vi?

 

[meredithgrey]

i would love for anyone who has been involved in the recruitment side of an SJT to explain what they see and how they use our responses to filter us, it makes 0 sense to me as a tangible differentiator

I spoke with someone at Mills & Reeve and they said that you’re given points based on your responses. E.g. for ranking questions you need to get the most likely and least likely correct to get the points.

Not sure if this is also the case for other firms but I thought this may provide some insight.

 

[Bbhu19]

Any invites from Kirkland today?

Anyone heard from the following:

Latham Post stage 2
Goodwin Post app

I genuinely cannot cope with the wait haha

Goodwin won’t reply till next yr

 

[Bbhu19]

I applied ages ago but haven't heard back! they're taking their sweet time lol

Follow up did you get the email that they will respond in the next two weeks?

 

[Bbhu19]

And did anyone who received a Latham PFO attend the open day?

 

[llblawstudent]

Did my Withers vac scheme interview over a week ago and still haven't heard back... anyone else in the same boat or have people started getting acceptances?

Side note but do you reckon it’s too late to apply if they’ve already started giving these out?