Can anyone who has done an AC at Reed Smith give some last minute tips on what helped them the most in their preparation? Or tbh any general advice would be appreciated. Is it normal to not feel prepared despite everything 
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
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Do you guys write out your interview answers to questions? Or do you end to just bullet point some general ideas
whilst I can't speak on the RS AC, I can say that it is normal to not feel prepared! Because ACs come with an element of uncertainty, you can never feel truly prepared.Can anyone who has done an AC at Reed Smith give some last minute tips on what helped them the most in their preparation? Or tbh any general advice would be appreciated. Is it normal to not feel prepared despite everything
if it's tomorrow (aka today), my best advice would be to get enough sleep and calm yourself down before going in tmr! Best of luck, you've got this!
haha I get you, but trust me, don't let it consume you! what will help you most is to walk in there with confidence, knowing that you deserve to be there just as much as anyone else!Thank youJust having a major imposter syndrome moment rn lol
I mind map general ideas for competency interviews just so I can see what examples my brain has in there, and that’s the only prep I will do.
I then remember to use the STAR when guiding my thought process while discussing.
You're right... just need to fake it until I make it
genuinely really appreciate your reply 
What about for motivational questions? I know it sound silly but apart from why commercial law and why this firm, what else counts as motivational?
The annoying thing though is we’ll do the prep but as soon as we go into the interview it’s like:
These are 10 examples that come to mind but idk if I’m deeping it way too much lmao:
1. Why a US/MC/SC firm?
2. Why this location (e.g., regional office)?
3. What practice areas interest you?
4. Where else have you applied?
5. Why our firm over our competitors?
6. Why do you want to be a solicitor?
7. Why a city law firm?
8. What do you hope to gain from a legal career?
9. Why law? Why not finance, consulting, IB?
10. Why an international vs national law firm?
1. Why a US/MC/SC firm?
2. Why this location (e.g., regional office)?
3. What practice areas interest you?
4. Where else have you applied?
5. Why our firm over our competitors?
6. Why do you want to be a solicitor?
7. Why a city law firm?
8. What do you hope to gain from a legal career?
9. Why law? Why not finance, consulting, IB?
10. Why an international vs national law firm?
For those I will usually bullet point, so I have a structure.
I usually prepare for the following:
Why Law / Why Commercial Law? (Sorry they’re getting both in one, THIS IS MY INTERVIEW!)
Why this firm?
Rare:
Why the city and not regional?
Why not our competitor?
Where else have you applied?
Ultra Rare:
Why not go into Human Rights / IB / Politics (I was not prepared for this one
BUT it’s only been asked once)
Thank you so muchFor those I will usually bullet point, so I have a structure.
I usually prepare for the following:
Why Law / Why Commercial Law? (Sorry they’re getting both in one, THIS IS MY INTERVIEW!)
Why this firm?
Rare:
Why the city and not regional?
Why not our competitor?
Where else have you applied?
Ultra Rare:
Why not go into Human Rights / IB / Politics (I was not prepared for this one
Partner: “Didn’t you already say that point?”The annoying thing though is we’ll do the prep but as soon as we go into the interview it’s like:
Me: *Mind went blank because I noticed a window cleaner in the background*
Partner: “Didn’t you already say that point?”
Me: *Mind went blank because I noticed a window cleaner in the background*
Partner: “Okay let’s move on to the next question: can you explain the lifecycle of a PE fund?”
Me: *realises I’m cooked and grad rec are ready to launch the automated PFO email in 3 2 1…*
Me: *realises I’m cooked and grad rec are ready to launch the automated PFO email in 3 2 1…*
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The case study for RS AC 2025 is highly contextual on the materials they give you - it felt more like a reading comprehension assessment with a bit of general commercial awareness. Just make sure to read the docs carefully and you'll be fine. There were a few motivational and competency questions at the end but those were not out of the blue. (P.S. take this with a pinch of salt as I was unsuccessful last year)Can anyone who has done an AC at Reed Smith give some last minute tips on what helped them the most in their preparation? Or tbh any general advice would be appreciated. Is it normal to not feel prepared despite everything
Hello!Can anyone who has done an AC at Reed Smith give some last minute tips on what helped them the most in their preparation? Or tbh any general advice would be appreciated. Is it normal to not feel prepared despite everything
Huge congratulations on receiving an AC invite! It's totally normal to not feel prepared - I only had a couple days to prepare for my Reed Smith AC as I completed it the week following a vacation scheme, so I'm sure you've done more prep than I did!
I have quoted a post below on some previous general advice I have given for the types of tasks that might come up during the AC (although they may have changed the process!) - hopefully it is a helpful starting point! My main tip would be to make sure that you have a good understanding of the sectors that the firm works in, and how recent events and news stories could affect the firm's clients in those areas. I'd also prepare your answers for the most common interview questions (e.g. 'Why Law', 'Why X Firm', 'Why You', etc.), as it is always useful to know these in case you get asked. Lastly, have confidence in yourself and your abilities - the firm clearly sees that you have the potential, now it's about showing your interest and fit!
Best of luck - I'm sure you'll do great!!
Hi!
Huge congratulations on receiving the AC invite for Reed Smith!!
Whilst I can't share any specifics, I'm happy to share some general tips for case studies, motivational interviews, and proof reading exercises! Across all of the exercises, I would say that structure and clarity are really key. The assessors are usually less focused on you having the "perfect" answer and more on how you approach the task, prioritise issues, and explain your reasoning as you go along.
For the case study, I would absolutely make good use of the preparation time. What helped me was to read through all of the documents first to get a sense of the overall scenario, and then go back over it to familiarise myself with the finer details. If there is anything that is unclear or confusing, I would try to work it out during the prep time so that, if it comes up in the interview discussion, you are able to explain your understanding confidently (or at least explain your thought process in working it out if you are still not 100% sure!). One piece of advice that my mentor gave me that I found really helpful was to become comfortable with what contracts actually look like in practice - i.e. understanding common clauses, what they mean, and the effect they can have (and whether they are favourable / less favourable to your client). I would also try not to overcomplicate it - this is something I really struggled with at first, but if the answer feels like it is relatively straightforward, I would go with your gut! If the interviewers / assessors require more information, they might be able to ask follow-up questions that you can then address.
For the motivational interview, I would make sure that you have researched the firm (which I'm sure you have!) and can clearly articulate why Reed Smith specifically. Think about how your experiences and interests align with the firm's distinctive features (e.g. its sector focus or initiatives like the Professional SQE Placement Year). For example, I linked my previous vacation scheme experience at a firm with shipping expertise to Reed Smith's expertise in the area, as I could explain how my interest in the area had developed and why Reed Smith's practice stood out to me (compared to the other firm). As with any interview, it also helps to prepare a few thoughtful questions to ask at the end - although if any questions naturally arise due to things discussed in the interview, I'd always encourage you to ask those! Importantly (and I know this is the most annoying advice ever), be yourself! They're assessing your fit to the firm as much as motivation and experience, so I'd try to be friendly and match the atmosphere in the room as this really does go a long way.
For the proofreading exercise, I would encourage you to work slowly and methodically. One practical tip that I found helpful was to use your finger to guide yourself through the text and make note of anything that stands out. While I didn't personally do a proofreading exercise at my Reed Smith AC, I have done similar ones elsewhere and always looked for things such as defined terms (and whether they're capitalised consistently), spelling / grammar, and whether dates and deadlines match throughout the document. These are things that you might not necessarily think to check in a proofreading exercise, but are always important in the legal context!
Above all - stay calm, be structured, and try to explain your thinking clearly wherever you can. It sounds silly to say, but I did really enjoy my Reed Smith AC and I felt that the partners and graduate recruitment team wanted me to do well, rather than trying to catch me out.
I'm sure that you will smash it, and best of luck!
another day of asking the girlies for advice
.....really any help is appreciated!!!!Abbie’s back!! Welcome back 
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