TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Afraz Akhtar]

Hi trainees!

I’m working on the Farrer VS application, which asks: “In what ways have your academic studies, qualifications, and work experience equipped you for a legal career?”

I've already described my professional experiences in the work experiences section of the application (1. content redesign project at HuffPost, 2. product marketing role at a tech company, 3. communications coordinator at a literary non-profit) in standard CV point form that details my day-to-day tasks and results. For this application question, I’m unsure whether it would be better to:

1. Expand on those same roles, focusing on specific instances where I demonstrate transferrable legal skills (have it drafted and ready to go) or
2. Introduce different experiences not on my CV, such as:
   • My PGDL studies, where I managed eight subjects over eight months and achieved distinction -- hoping to demonstrate time management / resilience here
   • Founding a student start-up, EasyWaste, leading a team, developing an MVP, and pitching to investors -- this would demonstrate motivation and drive
   • My freelance content design practice in San Francisco, where I redesigned small business websites and worked closely with clients -- this would demonstrate client-facing communication skills and analytical skills.

Would it be more effective to go into legal-specific detail on my professional roles, or to bring in new experiences here?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Hi @Pearl3181

Although both answers could be good. The examples themselves are not the important detail, so expand on your roles or bring in different experiences not on your CV - but make sure the takeaway (whether its insight or skills) that you mention are akin to that of a legal career/what the firm is looking for. If it helps, you could begin by jotting down a list of your academic studies/qualifications/work experiences and for each one think of how that would be similar to your role as a trainee/transferable skills that align with what the firm is looking for. Once this is done, try to focus on one experience from each category and remove the ones with repetitive skills. That should help you decide what to go for in the end (whether or not it is already included in your CV work experience).

 

[User2640]

Hello!

Whilst I can't remember the specific number of questions in Reed Smith's VI (and someone else who has completed it this cycle may be able to confirm!), I personally found this video on TCLA really useful when I was preparing for the VI and online assessment last cycle. As discussed in the video, the questions are a mix of motivational and strengths-based questions!

Wishing you the best of luck with your video interview, I'm sure you'll smash it!

Thank you so much Abbie, will take a proper look at the video <3 !!

 

[Lawlawland]

Slaughters Interview Invite! Been off the thread for a few days to try get it off my mind. Applied 23rd Nov.

Congratulations!!!
Rooting for you, May this go well✨

 

[TCGrad1642]

For firms that are rolling, with deadlines around the new year, is it worth applying over the next few days up to Boxing Day? Or perhaps best to apply after? Many thanks!

 

[yk1906]

Is it worth applying to Katten as an international? Not much info out there about the firm 🙃

 

[Superfrozone]

Is it worth applying to Katten as an international? Not much info out there about the firm 🙃

I was just about to ask about applying to Katten. I have started my app but I’m not an international but wanted to hear if anyone has had an AC in prior years

 

[cookedlawstudent]

Was that a universal holding email or did you email them? Thanks!

I emailed them myself. This is the email verbatim: "We can confirm receipt of your completed online immersive assessment. We are currently still processing your assessment and will be in touch with an update in the new year."

 

[yk1906]

I was just about to ask about applying to Katten. I have started my app but I’m not an international but wanted to hear if anyone has had an AC in prior years

Mysterious firm... Seems interesting though! Thinking of spending a couple of hours on the app just in case

 

[Bree]

Hey I just got an email from Early Careers saying that they are currently processing my online assessment and will give me an update next year. As you said you completed it on the same day as I did, you'll probably hear back then aswell

I did not get this email

 

[emily3827]

Oh boy let me tell you about simmons...its been 48 days
Yes, im counting because im petty💅

i did a simmons ac over a month ago and radio silence lmao i managed to do another ac and the vac scheme itself in the time i’ve been waiting

 

[Kakaboo]

Is BCLP Manchester rolling?

 

[Bree]

I got 22/36 in Weil, with 7 in grit, 3 in Applied Intellect, 6 in both Creative force and digital mindset, bad?

 

[cookedlawstudent]

I did not get this email

I emailed them myself. This is the email verbatim: "We can confirm receipt of your completed online immersive assessment. We are currently still processing your assessment and will be in touch with an update in the new year."

 

[Bree]

@cookedlawstudent Thanks for this, hopefully it is just taking time cause of holidays

 

[shadowboxer909]

I got 22/36 in Weil, with 7 in grit, 3 in Applied Intellect, 6 in both Creative force and digital mindset, bad?

Use some of that creative force and come up with an answer.

Ignore me, I'm just being so sarky today. This process brings out the frustration in me. 😂

 

[Lord Sumption]

@Afraz Akhtar @Abbie Whitlock
What are the most effective questions to ask partners at the end of a training contract interview? Which ones have you found work well?

 

[Afraz Akhtar]

Honestly, at the end of the day, no one really knows why anyone gets rejected at any stage except for the specific person/people who make the final decision to reject at that stage i.e. Grad Rec/Partners depending on the stage (as far as I'm aware)

This is very true! Sometimes, the rejection is simply the result of a highly competitive process - where most candidates were good but they still only have 25 TC's on offer. It's funny because we tell ourselves the rejection itself is so bad without considering the fact that there is so much behind it that we don't know. We assume that we're not good enough because we applied to the same firm two cycles in a row and think that's it, but we never consider the the potential behind how close we may have been this time around. The truth is, with each rejection, there is always little success candidates never get to see e.g. the first time you applied you were ranked 98/600 applicants and they could only shortlist 50, and the second time you applied you were ranked 57/2000 and they could only shortlist 50 - candidates just see the rejection, but we can see your improvements. This is why, you should never give up, tomorrow you may be 12/2000 and they're still shortlisting 50!

 

[kukubird]

I'm writing an answer to Akin's commercial issue question they ask to outline how it would impact clients and the type of work the firm does, would it be a cop out to use AI as an example?

@Afraz Akhtar

 

[Afraz Akhtar]

@Afraz Akhtar @Abbie Whitlock
What are the most effective questions to ask partners at the end of a training contract interview? Which ones have you found work well?

Pleasure to make your acquaintance Lord Sumption.

The possibilities truly are endless, you could ask about a particular piece of work they did historically or whether they think there are any opportunities or challenges in their department, what's keeping them at the company, what the challenges are for trainees at the firm, or quite simply, what they would expect from a successful trainee 1 year into the TC. It really depends on what you're hoping to learn from them, however these are a good start if your mind is blank. I would also point out, that you should make notes during your interview if you can (when they're introducing themselves), you'd be surprised how easy it is to form an enjoyable question for them based on details they provided.

 

[lolololol]

What would you do if two supervisors both gave you tasks which were needed by the end of the day, but you cannot complete both in time? - how would one answer this and structure it as well?