TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[johnsmith]

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?

I think it's a USP, but you'd need to explain why that is important to you specifically. Also worth noting the secondments are linked to particularly high performance levels in previous seats and often connected to particular practice groups.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock @Andrei Radu

I have an upcoming AC with a written exercise being a briefing note.

Do you have any tips on how to structure and write this?

Hey!

Congratulations on the AC invite!

A briefing note is essentially a short document that is used to bring a colleague or client up to speed on an issue, and help them make a decision. Therefore, the focus should be on clarity, prioritisation, and offering an overall recommendation.

A structure that I would adopt is:
1. Purpose / Issue: why the note is being written and what decision is required
2. Key background facts: make sure that you only discuss facts that are relevant for the decision being made
3. Analysis: set out 2-3 key points that are influencing your view on the decision
4. Risks and Mitigation: discuss any material risks that would impact the situation, and how these could be managed in practice
5. Recommendation and Next Steps: lastly, make sure that you offer a clear and practical conclusion (even if it is dependent on other factors).

In terms of the style of the document, I would remember that it is likely being written for someone who is busy - therefore, you should aim to be concise and commercial-focused. You could perhaps utilise headings and bullet points to make it easier to read, and easier to scan for the more important information. I would avoid sitting on the fence in relation to the decision, but it is perfectly acceptable to acknowledge that there is uncertainty where appropriate.

They will be testing on how you think and communicate under time pressure, not whether you know everything. I would focus on making your note clear and structured, and as long as you offer a decision that makes sense based on the overall note, you should do great.

Best of luck!

 

[cinnamonspice]

yeah mine were ok I thought? They asked about their competitor and I gave a thing about Bird & Bird ,what more do you want!?!?!

at least they gave some okish feedback, albeit where is the five!?

However, below are some top tips that we would like to share that may help interview performance in the future.
1. Make sure you are answering the question that you have been asked.
2. When talking about your previous experience, identify the key transferable skills that you have used or developed to face these situations.
3. Avoid using your generative AI to create a script for your answers to video interview questions, as we would like to see you speak with authenticity.
4. Expand your understanding of the role of a solicitor, and the work you will do as a trainee, you can do this by reading day in the life style blogs or attending firm events. Your increased knowledge of the role you are applying for will come across in your responses to our questions.
6. When researching law firms, make sure you have an understanding of the wider commercial field that we operate in, and the full service offering of the firm.

i mentioned bird and bird too! maybe they have agenda against them lmao

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

is it frowned upon to email grad rec asking about a timeline re hearing back? im waiting on about 10 firms to get back post stage 2 and its been over a month since I did the last one, and I think its a bit ridiculous considering they're spring schemes

Hey!

I'd say it would be acceptable to send the graduate recruitment team a polite email to ask for an update on your application. Normally, one month isn't an abnormal amount of time to wait for an update, but if they are spring schemes, a brief check-in should be completely fine. Just make sure to keep it professional and avoid chasing them repeatedly (which I'm sure you weren't planning on doing anyway!)

 

[gao8899]

does Proskauer send interviews in batches?

 

[yasmars]

yeah mine were ok I thought? They asked about their competitor and I gave a thing about Bird & Bird ,what more do you want!?!?!

at least they gave some okish feedback, albeit where is the five!?

However, below are some top tips that we would like to share that may help interview performance in the future.
1. Make sure you are answering the question that you have been asked.
2. When talking about your previous experience, identify the key transferable skills that you have used or developed to face these situations.
3. Avoid using your generative AI to create a script for your answers to video interview questions, as we would like to see you speak with authenticity.
4. Expand your understanding of the role of a solicitor, and the work you will do as a trainee, you can do this by reading day in the life style blogs or attending firm events. Your increased knowledge of the role you are applying for will come across in your responses to our questions.
6. When researching law firms, make sure you have an understanding of the wider commercial field that we operate in, and the full service offering of the firm.

I feel like this is really good feedback

 

[fTS3002]

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.

Congrats to you as well A gc would be great to prep, pls add me!

 

[Donna Paulsen]

I keep track on Notion...and the amount of grey tabs is depressing lol

Mine are in red😭 icl the firm rejections that have hurt me the most have just been deleted from the whole spreadsheet because I cba even seeing their name ever again #goodbye #nocontact #blacklisted

 

[bluesky]

Has anyone else not heard back from HSFK? It's 6 pm, so surely we won't get more PFO till tomorrow?

 

[Carrington Lane]

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.

Since we are spilling teas about 🏟🐟, a few years ago I worked at a legal clinic with a 🏟🐟 trainee and an associate as my supervisors.

Before our initial interview with the client, the first thing the trainee said was that she would not take any notes and basically say " you're on your own kid, you always have been."

The drafting phase was fine, but the juicy bits came after the case is closed. When the client flagged that there was some inaccuracy in the letter because of my mistakes, sure, I immediately rewrote it and asked them to re-approve the letter.

They immediately said no cause they have done their part on the case, the case had closed and they didn't want anything to do with it anymore. I was so shocked cause it was only 1 or 2 sentences that needed re-approval, even after I copied it to our email chain and beg them to approve only one sentence.

Anyway, my client, sweet lady though, has to wait from December to next year March just to get her finalised letter cause we have to ask for another associate from a different firm.

 

[legallybrunette8]

i mentioned bird and bird too! maybe they have agenda against them lmao

I mentioned them too and got a PFO 😭 There might be a trend here

 

[Donna Paulsen]

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

Tbh nothing beats when someone was spamming me with ChatGPT-formulated messages asking about an AC I didn’t do of a firm that PFOd me😭 honestly guys I know you just want support but please don’t go and message absolutely everyone who has mentioned the firm????

 

[yasmars]

I mentioned them too and got a PFO 😭 There might be a trend here

Do you remember how you compared Bird & Bird to Bristows. I remember being pretty thrown by this as they’re quite similar.

 

[summersun]

Tbh nothing beats when someone was spamming me with ChatGPT-formulated messages asking about an AC I didn’t do from a firm that PFOd me😭 honestly guys I know you just want support but please don’t go and message absolutely everyone who has mentioned the firm????

Same I kept getting emails telling me about how great it was to have an AC when I had not made it past the application stage for these firms?
And sometimes people kept insisting I had when I didn't??

 

[Chak]

Proskauer AC!😭 I could cry literally - my hands are shaking ahahaha

 

[radssss]

Tbh nothing beats when someone was spamming me with ChatGPT-formulated messages asking about an AC I didn’t do of a firm that PFOd me😭 honestly guys I know you just want support but please don’t go and message absolutely everyone who has mentioned the firm????

OMG SAME SAME SAME AND ITS HAPPENED 10 times this cycle - it’s the same message from these two ids all the time😭😭😭😭

 

[sadlawyer01]

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

hey congrats on your AC when is urs

 

[Donna Paulsen]

OMG SAME SAME SAME AND ITS HAPPENED 10 times this cycle - it’s the same message from these two ids all the time😭😭😭😭

Lol was it Burges Salmon because that was one of my favourite firms and to be repeatedly messaged about the AC I didn’t do enraged me😭😭😭

 

[adfs456]

i mentioned bird and bird too! maybe they have agenda against them lmao

I haven't heard back yet but yapped about Bird & Bird too 😭 Oh well see you soon PFO gang 🤩

 

[Chak]

Congrats to you as well A gc would be great to prep, pls add me!

I would be so happy to join you too guys🥹