TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[qwerty!]

does anyone know how long it takes latham to get back to you post-ac? should i assume pfo if it has been more than a week

took around 8 days for me to get an offer - i think rejections were also sent around that time too

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

queen @Abbie Whitlock (and others with interview experience) - is 2 reasons enough for a interview answer of ‘why this firm’ ? Or is 3 ideal?

Hey!

Yes, generally two well-developed and specific reasons would be enough for a "why this firm" answer.

I generally aim for 2-3 points as this allows you to cover a couple of areas, but still gives you room to go into a good amount of depth for each one. Therefore, if you believe that your answer is strongest with two main reasons, this would be absolutely fine

 

[jagath]

what are the chances HSF has simply lost my application lol

 

[BealMcAlly]

Bristows PFO post VI lmao.

Honestly I'll just get in the bin atp.

 

[tianna09]

I had an interview with Fieldfisher, reconfirmed it with HR the day of at 12pm, due to start at 2pm. No one showed up to my interview (it was virtual), I had to email HR 3 times and they offered to reschedule it the next day but no apology or explanation. I understand things can get busy, but no reply from any of the GR team for the rest of the day and no apology left a bad taste in my mouth.
This was also after the interview had been rescheduled twice, which is why I thought I should confirm it the same day

just to add onto the FF slander, not to give away too much but i am currently a mentee to a NQ solicitor there so i meet up with them virtually every few weeks and can i just say their attitude towards their own co-workers and in general their personality is probably one of the worst i have ever seen. they always reschedule and not show up, and you can just tell the company is absolutely all over the place. i have an opportunity to go down there for some work experience and i actually do not want to go and i know its an amazing opportunity but i actually cannot stand the company itself. i was encouraged by them to apply and i actually just wanted to crawl into a hole because i was just so put off which is such a shame because i used to like the firm.

 

[kelsworking]

Hi I am going to an interview for a firm that had a look at my CV (and nothing else but a screening call)
Don't think they specify what type of interview it is going to be but would appreciate any general advice!
Thank you in advance 🙇‍♀️

 

[radssss]

Proskeur Rose AC invite!!!

I would be very very grateful for any insight as it is one of my top choices and I have no clue what to expect in the AC (they will provide details closer to time of the activities).

@fTS3002 @Mart1nVa1l congrats guys!! Do Yall wanna create a gc to prep? Let me know if anyone else wants to be added.

 

[Rosie_Kitten]

Just completed the Simmons Bristol assessment. Only scored 5,6,5 on the three pillars (with Max verbal/numerical). How cooked am I - do they look at everything holistically with the VIs?

 

[yasmars]

Proskeur Rose AC invite!!!

I would be very very grateful for any insight as it is one of my top choices and I have no clue what to expect in the AC (they will provide details closer to time of the activities).

Amazing! So happy for you

 

[sbbusybee]

HSF Kramer summer vs PFO after attending one of their open days 🙃 I hope the feedback is auto generated because if not it’s actually aggravating

“Academic qualifications - We expect candidates to have had a strong record of academic achievement through each year at university.”
I have done 2 years of university so far, 10/12 modules I got a first or high first, 2/12 I got solid 2:1s. I’m currently on placement in industry and have a year’s experience in commercial real estate finance law representing a bank… a big area at the firm…


“Skills and achievements, extra-curricular activities, scholarships, prizes, positions of responsibility and work experience. These are important and provide us with evidence of skills such as taking responsibility, motivation and drive, and planning and organisation. These questions also enable us to assess your ability to write clearly and concisely and your attention to detail.”
As above, have a year’s legal experience. Was president of my uni’s law society. Mini-pupillage. Overseas business internship. Other volunteering etc.

What more do these firms want!

 

[yasmars]

Seriously…where art thou Simmons? I did their blended assessment in October and haven’t heard a beep. I’m sure it’s probable PFO atp

 

[sbbusybee]

what are the chances HSF has simply lost my application lol

If you haven’t heard back take it as a good thing imo, I’ve heard they review in phases.

 

[radssss]

Amazing! So happy for you

You’re so kind and thank you

 

[TheSlapDotCom]

what are the chances HSF has simply lost my application lol

same😭

 

[HopefulTC]

Has anyone heard from HL post VI for Summer VS or shall I assume PFO

 

[DoNotRedeem]

For the folks that got proskauer AC invites could I ask when you guys applied? Thanks

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey @Abbie Whitlock and everyone else that can help!!

I have an assessment centre soon and my first one, I am quite worried about the group interview and the written task + presentation. This is what I know so far:

Written Task and Presentation
- Written task is first then followed up with a separate follow-up virtual conversation, this will be the presentation task. Both will be based on the same scenario/brief. 50 minutes long in total. 5 minutes to review your instructions and 45 minutes to read the information provided and complete written response. 10 minute break in between written task and presentation. The presentation will be an opportunity to discuss the approach you had taken earlier in more detail. 40 minutes total for presentation so 5 minutes to review instructions given by assessor and 10 minutes to prepare for the presentation and then 25 minutes to present and discuss.

Group Exercise
Group of 3 or 4 candidates. In the morning before you are introduced to the exercise you will be told who your team is and if you are doing defendant summary A, B or C. Assessor will introduce the exercise and themselves then begin preparation time. You will evaluate defendant summary and give feedback to the group. As a group you will discuss how you will reach a conclusion to brief. 5 minutes to review instructions given. 10 minutes to read information provided. 15-20 minutes to do a group discussion. 20 minutes to present back to assessors and q&a.

I have no idea how or what to prepare so please anyone help! Thank you so much

Hey!

It is completely normal to be nervous before an AC, especially your first one! I'm happy to offer some pointers on how I would approach each task below

Written Task and Presentation

I would try to focus on using a clear structure and showing well-reasoned judgement, rather than trying to give a "perfect" answer.

For the written task, try to:
1. Start with a clear recommendation
2. Support this with 2-3 key reasons
3. Flag any main risks, and explain how you would mitigate these

Overall, aim to keep it concise and commercial-focused - it can be easy to slip into "essay-style" writing, but avoid this where possible!

For the presentation, you won't be expected to repeat what you wrote word for word. I would use the presentation to explain why you took that approach and the trade-offs that you considered. You should aim to show your thought-process, and any relevant factors or considerations that you took into account. This could also involve flagging areas where you might need more information before making a definitive decision, or practical steps that could be taken.

If challenged (which happens most of the time, so don't panic that they're doing it because your answer is "wrong"), make sure to talk through your reasoning calmly - it is absolutely fine not to know everything, but talking the assessor through what you are thinking helps a lot.

Group Exercise

This is usually much more about how you work with others, rather than the overall final answer. The assessors will usually be looking for collaborative behaviour and clear contributions to the group - however, this doesn't mean that you have to talk the most! I always aimed to be neither the quietest or the loudest in the room, and found that a middle ground struck the right balance. You could contribute by helping the group stay structured and on time, and helping track the progress as you go along.

It can be difficult to prepare for a group exercise and written task, but you could practise summarising lots of information quickly (e.g. by reading a commercial news story and creating a brief summary), as well as practise explaining your thinking out loud to others (e.g. your friends or family).

Overall, I'd try to go into the AC with the mindset of being a good future colleague, rather than trying to be the perfect candidate. Best of luck, and I'm sure you'll do great!!

 

[AryanAgg]

I'm curious: is a firm giving a wide range of international secondment opportunities also a unique selling point for a why this firm? question or it can be considered as potentially generic?

 

[lawstudent2]

anyone have any final advice before my ac tomorrow?
I received a rejection post weil ac today and my prep time and confidence have taken a pretty big hit as I haven't gotten any feedback yet so idk what went wrong and has made me wayyy more nervous for tomo

 

[trainee4u]

Someone DMed me "hey congrats on your AC, when is urs".

Like bro, you've been a member for 4 years, you've made two posts in that time, and you're asking me for info and could have said like "hey congrats on your AC, I'm X nice to meet you, I'm going on 10th", just annoying tbh