TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[kim wexler]

I'm really sorry would you mind telling us when you applied?

I believe I applied 10 days ish before the deadline

 

[Hopeful applicant]

I'm this 🤏🏻 close to losing it!!! Been doing so many SJTs and can't seem to improve my scores. All I'm getting on average is a 4466. Any help would be appreciated guys🙏🏻

Not a comprehensive guide but a couple of reflections as I definately improved my answers after several tests (ymmv and may slightly differ for different law firms):

1 Prioritise teamwork, while taking ownership - this means being happy to colaborate, but not unnecesairly sharing responsibility
2 Have your own voice - if you have something to say, say it
3 American firms often want you to be comfortable taking responsibilty
4 Do not bother partners immediately - try figuring it out for yourself first or ask a colleague
5 Remember you are applying for a junior position - this means that you will likely not be talking to the client without a superior asking you to. This also means you will not be telling partners "no" pretty much ever.
6 Be really open to new experiences
7 Be really curious to learn

Higher level points
- sometimes the firms do want you to mark extreme answers despite having a slider - you probably do not want to have your slider in the middle top to bottom
- Sometimes there is an answer that seems unrealistic (especially when you look at other answers that themselves introduce new information (e.g. you are asked to do something and have: a) I enthusiastically set out time to complete this job; b) I have a lot of other work and I am worried I may not be able to finish everything, therefore, politely refue) - While B seems more realistic, I've noticed the tests often favour A
- research the firm - some of them make it clear they are looking for something specific (see e.g. Freshfields publishing on their website something that looks like an SJT scorecard:

 

[Winter]

Slaughters PFO finallyy

Elle!! Stop checking TCLA!!! I want you coming out with 1873828 Vac offers. You deserve it fr!! Go prep for those AC’s and smash it😭❤️

 

[ilikelaw]

I was wondering whether any other users on here would support the notion of TCLA creating a seperate forum aimed at the more social and GIF side of things. That way information on here would be more easily accessible whilst also keeping the TCLA community in place, albeit on a seperate forum page.

as i feel sometimes the social side and the information side of things can be interconnected, as someone else mentioned i think having a separate forum may prove slightly ineffective as people may just do both in these seperate forums anyway, and policing this would be a lot of continuous work for moderating teams

i do definitely see you’re point though, and so i was thinking, instead of creating a separate forum altogether, what about some sort of tagging / filtering system? as in, if someone wants to post something more ‘social’ on this thread, they can tag it as a more ‘social post’. then maybe there could be an option to filter out all posts tagged as social, so people can choose to have a more informative feed?

or maybe vice versa: people can tag a post as ‘informative’ before posting, and people have the option to only view informative posts? this way the community can still remain intact, but those who are just trying to seek information can tailor their feed

i have no idea how that would be implemented bc my coding knowledge is embarrassingly elementary, just a random idea😭😭

 

[elle woods]

Elle!! Stop checking TCLA!!! I want you coming out with 1873828 Vac offers. You deserve it fr!! Go prep for those AC’s and smash it😭❤️

yes ma'am 🫶

 

[Winter]

as i feel sometimes the social side and the information side of things can be interconnected, as someone else mentioned i think having a separate forum may prove slightly ineffective as people may just do both in these seperate forums anyway, and policing this would be a lot of continuous work for moderating teams

i do definitely see you’re point though, and so i was thinking, instead of creating a separate forum altogether, what about some sort of tagging / filtering system? as in, if someone wants to post something more ‘social’ on this thread, they can tag it as a more ‘social post’. then maybe there could be an option to filter out all posts tagged as social, so people can choose to have a more informative feed?

or maybe vice versa: people can tag a post as ‘informative’ before posting, and people have the option to only view informative posts? this way the community can still remain intact, but those who are just trying to seek information can tailor their feed

i have no idea how that would be implemented bc my coding knowledge is embarrassingly elementary, just a random idea😭😭

gif culture is sadly a big part of gen z 😭 we love the idea of referencing pop culture moments or meme-ifying things to make it more lighthearted😭❤

I do like ur idea though for those that may not want to see it, I think even coding something like posts that have gifs attached to them automatically get tagged, and then users can choose a “filter” option to remove any posts with gifs.

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Director]

yes ma'am 🫶

 

[Rosie_Kitten]

as i feel sometimes the social side and the information side of things can be interconnected, as someone else mentioned i think having a separate forum may prove slightly ineffective as people may just do both in these seperate forums anyway, and policing this would be a lot of continuous work for moderating teams

i do definitely see you’re point though, and so i was thinking, instead of creating a separate forum altogether, what about some sort of tagging / filtering system? as in, if someone wants to post something more ‘social’ on this thread, they can tag it as a more ‘social post’. then maybe there could be an option to filter out all posts tagged as social, so people can choose to have a more informative feed?

or maybe vice versa: people can tag a post as ‘informative’ before posting, and people have the option to only view informative posts? this way the community can still remain intact, but those who are just trying to seek information can tailor their feed

i have no idea how that would be implemented bc my coding knowledge is embarrassingly elementary, just a random idea😭😭

It's Xenforo, I'm guessing there is a post tagging/lableing plug-in system. The issue will always be user error in use of any of these features.
I guess normally, keeping this thread purely informational would be good, but during this period when there is lots of stress around application outcomes, it's good to have the sad news broken with a few fun gifs etc. You can also search for specific names of VS you're interested in, but when you've applied to many I understand wanting to find information about all of them.

Perhaps we can separately have a self-report tracking form in this thread or another - when users recieve progression/PFO they report it there and it updates the thread automatically?

 

[TortillaTC]

Day 102810 of: Reed Smith anyone?😭

 

[ilikelaw]

It's Xenforo, I'm guessing there is a post tagging/lableing plug-in system. The issue will always be user error in use of any of these features.
I guess normally, keeping this thread purely informational would be good, but during this period when there is lots of stress around application outcomes, it's good to have the sad news broken with a few fun gifs etc. You can also search for specific names of VS you're interested in, but when you've applied to many I understand wanting to find information about all of them.

Perhaps we can separately have a self-report tracking form in this thread or another - when users recieve progression/PFO they report it there and it updates the thread automatically?

that self report tracking form sounds like an amazing idea

 

[BuddyingLawyer744]

I applied to Dechert in late December, and I have not heard anything yet. Not even WE. Have people been rejected from Dechert outright yet post-app or is there still a chance with this firm?

 

[user397485]

anyone done slaughters interview when will we hear back and how did you find it

 

[ilikelaw]

Day 102810 of: Reed Smith anyone?😭

nope, them and cooley have me on the edge of my seat rn

 

[TortillaTC]

nope, them and cooley have me on the edge of my seat rn

Same

 

[baj5]

Idk how no one has posted anything about hearing back. I’m waiting too, some people got PFO at the start and it’s been silence since

Exactly that’s what surprises and confuses me at the same time. Nobody has said they got a TI request.

 

[pwwzzzng]

I applied to Dechert in late December, and I have not heard anything yet. Not even WE. Have people been rejected from Dechert outright yet post-app or is there still a chance with this firm?

In the same position as you, i think it may be over for us. Havent seen any rejections so theyre probably just waiting to send them all out in one go. But as interviews have already been sent out, I dont think theyll be sending out more WE invites

 

[qwerty!]

Sorry not to open the discourse up again but has anyone heard from bakers spring today .... anyone at all ..... 😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Director]

I applied to Dechert in late December, and I have not heard anything yet. Not even WE. Have people been rejected from Dechert outright yet post-app or is there still a chance with this firm?

still waiting on my end

 

[toughcookie]

Not a comprehensive guide but a couple of reflections as I definately improved my answers after several tests (ymmv and may slightly differ for different law firms):

1 Prioritise teamwork, while taking ownership - this means being happy to colaborate, but not unnecesairly sharing responsibility
2 Have your own voice - if you have something to say, say it
3 American firms often want you to be comfortable taking responsibilty
4 Do not bother partners immediately - try figuring it out for yourself first or ask a colleague
5 Remember you are applying for a junior position - this means that you will likely not be talking to the client without a superior asking you to. This also means you will not be telling partners "no" pretty much ever.
6 Be really open to new experiences
7 Be really curious to learn

Higher level points
- sometimes the firms do want you to mark extreme answers despite having a slider - you probably do not want to have your slider in the middle top to bottom
- Sometimes there is an answer that seems unrealistic (especially when you look at other answers that themselves introduce new information (e.g. you are asked to do something and have: a) I enthusiastically set out time to complete this job; b) I have a lot of other work and I am worried I may not be able to finish everything, therefore, politely refue) - While B seems more realistic, I've noticed the tests often favour A
- research the firm - some of them make it clear they are looking for something specific (see e.g. Freshfields publishing on their website something that looks like an SJT scorecard:

I second this. My strategy for SJT in this cycle has been about aligning myself with the skills that law firms look for. I know it sounds like you're creating an alter ego, but the priority now is to secure a TC 🤪

 

[spongebob]

Cooley pfo received earlier today- summer applied 31st dec