• 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

M85672

Active Member
Aug 5, 2025
19
19
Quick question: I know I will probably not be able to write a great Baker McKenzie application from scratch, considering the deadline is New Years. Their DTC deadline is some time in April I believe. If I apply for DTC instead but soon, does that mean I have to wait all the way until after April to hear back regarding that? Or would they likely reply in line with replying to Vac's
 

iwatchsuits

Distinguished Member
  • Sep 23, 2025
    72
    151
    Birketts - anyone applied? I quite like their application process, from the website it seems to be application form -> selective SJT -> in-person partner interview.
    Any firm that does not do video interviews and crazy tests like the SHL interactive inductive reasoning test (cough cough, OC) is in my good books 😂 (love you really OC xxxxx)
     

    BealMcAlly

    Legendary Member
    Gold Member
    Premium Member
    Feb 3, 2025
    164
    169
    did anyone who had issues with mishcon not sending the automatic test after applying close to the deadline end up receiving the test?
    You won't have received this this week because grad rec was likely on holiday from the 24th, if not sooner. It was also Saturday today.

    I reckon you will hear back on 2 Jan if the grad rec team are all on holiday. Even if it's automatic, they may still be manually sending these out in batches.

    Mishcon's grad rec team is only three people, and it may not be as fast to get through the process. I applied on 10 November and got the bright apply invite on 12 November, which tells me the invites are not automated. I also did not hear back again until 19 December for the SJT. They said that post-SJT, they won't get back to anyone till end of January, so you are likely going to hear back after the Christmas period.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Lord Sumption

    londonlawyer

    Esteemed Member
    Dec 17, 2024
    92
    88
    Hi guys, I'm trying to prep answers to motivational interview questions and I'm not sure how to answer why law separately from why commercial law. When asked why law, are interviewers asking why did you decide to study law at uni or why do I want to be a lawyer (in a general sense) separately from why I want to be a commercial lawyer?
     
    • ℹ️
    Reactions: Harvey Specter

    yasmars

    Legendary Member
    Premium Member
    Jan 1, 2021
    422
    662
    You won't have received this this week because grad rec was likely on holiday from the 24th, if not sooner. It was also Saturday today.

    I reckon you will hear back on 2 Jan if the grad rec team are all on holiday. Even if it's automatic, they may still be manually sending these out in batches.

    Mishcon's grad rec team is only three people, and it may not be as fast to get through the process. I applied on 10 November and got the bright apply invite on 12 November, which tells me the invites are not automated. I also did not hear back again until 19 December for the SJT. They said that post-SJT, they won't get back to anyone till end of January, so you are likely going to hear back after the Christmas period.
    Moreover, the SJT is not automatic. You have to pass the first stage to get it. They may be progressing people in batches.
     

    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.