TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[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!)

 

[tclauser77898]

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!

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[TCLAAAA]

Bristows pfo- happy pfo day i guess

 

[SamiyaJ]

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!!! Also never heard of this firm before (so naive) so I’ve learnt something new today

 

[futureharveyspecter]

Hi, does anyone have any ideas for structuring legal briefs for a written assessment? @Abbie Whitlock

 

[wqueens8]

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

same, and i know my answer was not very good did anybody have the question about the values? I can't remember what it was but I remember thinking I didn't answer it properly.

 

[letthisbethefinalcycle]

Hsfk summer pfo post app. I know open days dont entitle me to expect an ac but this one was particularly hard to take…absolute dream firm, had been progressed to their ac 3 years ago, managed to get one vs at another silver circle firm, one internship overseas at an international firm and distinctions for law conversion plus SQE course since last pfo post ac. Thought I’d have a strong chance this time? But no I guess they sorted my app to the no hopers bin ahahaha

 

[kukubird]

For people who’ve heard back from Proskauer, Congrats!!! When did you apply?