TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[GT1205H]

Hi everyone!
It’s me again back in the game after 10 days as usual 💪🏼😂 before hand I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. Secondly I received my first ever AC invite! I’m so nervous, I still cannot believe it, if anyone has any DLA and HSFK AC insights/tips and it’s willing to help me I would appreciate it, I’m willing to help too💕

Now the bit you all want, updating the previous list:

-HSFK: Applied 26/10, passed the test benchmark and... AC invite on 22/12🎊 (Spring)

-DLA Piper: Applied 06/10, test received 26/10, phone interview invite on 05/12. Phone interview and benchmark email both 09/12 and… AC invite on 19/12 (London)

-Linklaters: Applied 01/09, scored 35/40 on WG, still waiting to hear back.🤞🏼

-Morrison Foerster: Applied 21/11, still no response yet.🤞🏼

-Clyde & Co. Applied 17/11, test invite 10/12. Now waiting🤞🏼

- Older PFOs💀: Hogan Lovells, Bird & Bird, Slaughter and May, Reed Smith and A&O Shearman

*For context I am Non RG, most modules above 70 (only 2 below) and no legal work experience.

Just wanted to update you guys after 10 days. I would really appreciate anyone that applied to the firms that I am waiting for and has heard back to please let me know🥹🙏🏻 also I understand that everyone deals with PFOs differently but IMO we should include at least the date that we applied on when informing the forum on both invitations and PFOs. Current status below:

-HSFK: Applied 26/10, passed the test benchmark and still waiting to hear back.🤞🏼

-DLA Piper: Applied 06/10, test received 26/10, phone interview invite on 05/12. I had the interview and received confirmation that I passed the benchmark on the same day 09/12. Still waiting on next steps. 🤞🏼

-Reed Smith 💀: Applied 06/11, test invite on 20/11, PFO 16/12.🤞🏼

-Linklaters: Applied 01/09, scored 35/40 on WG, still waiting to hear back.🤞🏼

-Morrison Foerster: Applied 21/11, still no response yet.🤞🏼

-Clyde & Co. Applied 17/11, test invite 10/12. Now waiting🤞🏼

- Older PFOs💀: Hogan Lovells, Bird & Bird, Slaughter and May, and A&O Shearman

Thank you guys for your support, I hope everyone is enjoying the festivities, firms are giving PFOs as if they were Santa on Christmas days, don’t let that ruin your family time ( this advice is also to myself 🙈😂) and stay positive. Remember:

 

[user55998384]

i am applying to a firm which asks for a CV - i have been so used to j filling out the work exp section my CV isn't even up to date atm!!! I was just wondering as for insight/open days i usually group it in one section in my work exp section. But for my CV should I structure it in this way too eg put Firm X, frim Y, firm Z - Insight/Open Days or should i have a seperate heading for each one?

any guidance would be really appreciated! @Afraz Akhtar @Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock

 

[Suii]

Hi everyone!
It’s me again back in the game after 10 days as usual 💪🏼😂 before hand I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. Secondly I received my first ever AC invite! I’m so nervous, I still cannot believe it, if anyone has any DLA and HSFK AC insights/tips and it’s willing to help me I would appreciate it, I’m willing to help too💕

Now the bit you all want, updating the previous list:

-HSFK: Applied 26/10, passed the test benchmark and... AC invite on 22/12🎊 (Spring)

-DLA Piper: Applied 06/10, test received 26/10, phone interview invite on 05/12. Phone interview and benchmark email both 09/12 and… AC invite on 19/12 (London)

-Linklaters: Applied 01/09, scored 35/40 on WG, still waiting to hear back.🤞🏼

-Morrison Foerster: Applied 21/11, still no response yet.🤞🏼

-Clyde & Co. Applied 17/11, test invite 10/12. Now waiting🤞🏼

- Older PFOs💀: Hogan Lovells, Bird & Bird, Slaughter and May, Reed Smith and A&O Shearman

*For context I am Non RG, most modules above 70 (only 2 below) and no legal work experience.

Good luck with both of your AC's am sure you will convert them both into VS.

 

[GT1205H]

Good luck with both of your AC's am sure you will convert them both into VS.

My dearest friend thank you for your support ☺️🙏🏻

 

[Apple]

Woo NRF VI!

 

[M_m]

Should I lose hope with Reed Smith? Have they got back to anyone else who applied on the deadline? Or is it just an automatic rejection now.

 

[EfficientBag123]

Hi everyone!
It’s me again back in the game after 10 days as usual 💪🏼😂 before hand I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. Secondly I received my first ever AC invite! I’m so nervous, I still cannot believe it, if anyone has any DLA and HSFK AC insights/tips and it’s willing to help me I would appreciate it, I’m willing to help too💕

Now the bit you all want, updating the previous list:

-HSFK: Applied 26/10, passed the test benchmark and... AC invite on 22/12🎊 (Spring)

-DLA Piper: Applied 06/10, test received 26/10, phone interview invite on 05/12. Phone interview and benchmark email both 09/12 and… AC invite on 19/12 (London)

-Linklaters: Applied 01/09, scored 35/40 on WG, still waiting to hear back.🤞🏼

-Morrison Foerster: Applied 21/11, still no response yet.🤞🏼

-Clyde & Co. Applied 17/11, test invite 10/12. Now waiting🤞🏼

- Older PFOs💀: Hogan Lovells, Bird & Bird, Slaughter and May, Reed Smith and A&O Shearman

*For context I am Non RG, most modules above 70 (only 2 below) and no legal work experience

How do you know what your WG score was for linklaters?

 

[BealMcAlly]

How do you know what your WG score was for linklaters?

Email grad rec and ask for your score

 

[TheSaulGoodman]

Just got the Millbank email (woohoo) - For everyone else who did - congrats + did you apply for traditional or lev/fin?

Also if anyone has any insights on Addleshaw Goddard, White&Case or Goodwin Procter it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Donna Paulsen]

Just got the Millbank email (woohoo) - For everyone else who did - congrats + did you apply for traditional or lev/fin?

Also if anyone has any insights on Addleshaw Goddard, White&Case or Goodwin Procter it would be greatly appreciated!

Got mine earlier, congrats to you too! I applied for traditional

 

[AMullin]

NRF VI! Not sure if its automatic but I definitely wasn't expecting this one!

 

[TCLAuser2002]

NRF VI! Not sure if its automatic but I definitely wasn't expecting this one!

Definitely not automatic!

 

[spamelinazoid]

Should I lose hope with Reed Smith? Have they got back to anyone else who applied on the deadline? Or is it just an automatic rejection now.

my experience has always been that if you write a good enough application, applying on the deadline isn't necessarily something that would kill an application (FF, HL and Bakers previous apps all sent minutes before the deadline and still progressed to next stage).

I assume GradRec are currently ploughing through a horde of deadline-day applications, which is why we haven't heard anything since the 24th. Many people leave it until the last day to submit.

 

[Future Trainee 1792]

Hi!! Any insights into W&C Online Test?

 

[Winter]

NRF VI! Not sure if its automatic but I definitely wasn't expecting this one!

Congrats!! when did you complete the test?

 

[AMullin]

Congrats!! when did you complete the test?

Thank you!

I did the test on 17/11 and got 2/4/4/3

 

[applicant457]

Anyone got a VI for NRF? And if yes what do you think the questions might be?

 

[adf43256]

Those that got the NRF VI invite today was this for the Winter or Summer VS? I submitted my Summer VS app in early December and have not heard back im assuming thats a rejection then.

 

[baj5]

anyone have any recs on how long the cover letter for Perkins LBA is supposed to be? And are we meant to answer just the two qs? I'm struggling to decide.

 

[jojo23]

DLA AC OMGOMG😭

Caught me so off guard I started crying and laughing in public😭

How do I ask for a different date though?
Also, what do I need to do/learn/prepare for the AC?