• Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training Contract
    Now half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
    Join Premium →

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

CuriousLawStudent

Standard Member
Dec 20, 2025
8
0
When is the deadline ? Does this mean I can complete it on Monday ? I received the email on Monday 15th December.
"Please complete the test within one week of receiving this email. For example, if you receive your test invite on Monday 15th December, your deadline will be on Monday 22nd December."
It just says: "You must complete the interview within seven days of receiving this email"
 

FutureTrainee213

Active Member
Dec 18, 2025
14
34
Thank you both so much! I feel like I blank a lot haha when I actually start recording, even if I have bullet points ready in my head prior 😂 I guess I just need more practise!
Haha no worries and everyone blanks at some point, but it’s how you come back that matters. Taking a few second breaks, or giving yourself a little time to think - even during an answer, is perfectly normal. After all, this is how you’d speak in person too. So don’t expect to be perfect, just be yourself - and anytime you blank, breathe, think of what you need to say and continue. Remember, their questions are always about getting to know you, so the content is always in your head, it’s not like you don’t know it. You just need to make sure there are no blockers from tapping into that knowledge for when you speak.

P.S I think it was for DLA, but I stumbled on a question, laughed it off and continued during the VI. I still got invited to an AC. So, i really don’t think a few little blanks are something firms look down on. Good luck!
 

shadowboxer909

Star Member
Oct 20, 2025
41
68
Cleary – "To succeed, candidates need to demonstrate exceptional academic ability. We normally expect candidates to be on course to attain a high 2.1 degree or better from a leading university and to have achieved at least AAA at A-Level or the equivalent."​

Surely it is not right to only be successful if you go to a leading university! So it is a guarantee that anyone that falls outside of this but meets the grade requirement will be rejected?​
I wouldn't worry to be honest.

Law firms seem to be way more flexible than I expected. Because my grades are nowhere near enough to be considered a 'strong 2:1' for a firm and yet they gave me a interview.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trophy

shadowboxer909

Star Member
Oct 20, 2025
41
68
What uni if you don't mind sharing. Bcz they are definitely more lenient for oxbridge.
Mid-tier university so not Oxbridge for sure.

Grades are all A*s for GCSE and A-level.

And then a few thirds for module grades at uni, a few 2:2s and some 2:1s and then some 1sts (what can I say, I like what I like and hate what I hate).
 

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Get Our 2026 Vacation Scheme Guide

Nail your vacation scheme applications this year with our latest guide, with sample answers to law firm questions.