TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Hanzeeb]

The only good news from my inbox today is a BCLP open day invite with Aspiring Solicitors lmao. I just received the email for it so that’s something ig.​

Haha same!

 

[8law]

hey, this is probably a really a basic/ broad question and I know there are many resources but what are specific things you have done that have made you successful after an assessment centre

 

[Eriberrie]

Does anyone have any insights for Trowers Hamlins AC?

 

[KuriTH]

baker post ac anyone?

According to Baker McKenzie grad recruit team, spring VS decisions from AC will come next week

 

[ZB]

Hi, has anyone been invited to the Gateley AC?

 

[user397485]

According to Baker McKenzie grad recruit team, spring VS decisions from AC will come next week

did you email them and ask

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hello! I actually do not have any vacation scheme experience nor did I do a placement year. I have a bunch of commercial mini pupillages and paralegalled at a public law firm (literally just needed a job). I graduated a few years ago and now work in a quasi-legal public sector field which includes managing tribunal appeals etc and I’m in management. I have been applying to DTCs slightly delusionally but I can’t take time off work for obvious reasons! Do you have any words of wisdom for me?

Hey!

I don't think you are being delusional at all - you have lots of transferable experience, so it is all about how you frame it in your applications and interviews. For DTC applications especially, firms will be looking for:

• A clear and convincing "why commercial law (and why not the Bar)?"
• A strong explanation of why you are applying to the particular firm
• Evidence that you understand the difference between public / tribunal work and commercial work
• A clear and coherent narrative that ties your past experience to where you are going

You definitely do not need a vacation scheme or a placement year to show credibility and motivation - however, you do need to be able to bridge the gap in your application to show why you explored the other areas. Right now your path sounds slightly apologetic (i.e. explaining that you just needed a job), so it might help to reframe it! For example, exploring advocacy through mini-pupillages, gaining hands-on procedural experience, and developing leadership skills in management. You can then use that to explain why you want to pivot into commercial law with that experience.

You are definitely not disadvantaged if you don't have any prior experience in commercial law - it is all about refining your overall narrative so that firms can clearly see why you are motivated to work in commercial law long-term.

Best of luck!!

 

[alexandramonica]

Hi @berocca567 my advice would be to read about several deals the firm advised on while looking proactively for mentions of the elements the question asks about. Afterwards, I would divide my answer in separate parts to ensure I have a clear structure and that my points are easy to understand:

Paragraph 1: Introduction and strategic considerations:

I would discuss the rationale for the transaction - why did the buyer (assuming this is an M&A deal) look to acquire the target company? Was it to increase general market share, to achieve synergies, to scale, to grow in particular new geographies, to expand in new sectors/sub-sectors, to acquire specialist expertise, or perhaps sought after IP, improve band reputation, or maybe to enter into a regulated market easily and without requiring approvals? Likely the rationale included a number of these considerations, which gives you some space for discretion in your analysis. Here, you can also mention any strategic risks the company was taking, such no regulatory approval of the transaction, or problems integration and talent retentions.

Other paragraphs: Complexities + what the firm did to address them

Complexities: here, you need to look for aspects of the deal that would have likely made it more difficult to execute. Perhaps the transaction was highly leveraged, or involving a distressed target which required restructuring, or involved liasing with multiple institutional shareholders with different goals that had to agree to the sale. Or maybe it involved a consortium of investors that entered the transaction, with W&C only advising one or the group - which would add to complexities of negotiations between the investors; maybe it involved a competitive bidding process with lots of turnarounds in terms of what the leading offer was, which meant W&C had to consistently analyse what terms other bidders were offering. Perhaps it involved a target company which was in a highly regulated sector, or which had ongoing reputational/legal issues, or which had internal governance difficulties with tensions between executives and shareholders? Or maybe the target just had many businesses across a variety of countries in different economic sectors, which made a huge tasks getting regulatory approvals everywhere and ensuring every part of the business is properly scrutinised to mange risk.

These are just some of the many types of complexities involved in an M&A transaction: to identify them, the key is to constantly ask yourself what could be an issue or pose a risk when researching the deal.

How the firm addressed them: In terms of structure, after the introductory paragraph, I would write 2-3 following paragraphs which would each discuss one type of complexity and also how the firm can address it. In looking at that, I would describe both:

• How complexities of that nature are generally dealt with and by what teams in the firm - i.e. an ongoing legal proceeding against the target would be addressed via an indemnity clause in the SPA, which the corporate team would draft with some limited input from the disputes practice; and
• How complexities of that nature can be best addressed by White & Case in particular: here, you can look at particular strengths W&C has in delivering a good client outcome - i.e. if it has many international offices it is well positioned to deal with cross border deals touching on many jurisdictions, if it has good regulatory teams it is well positioned to deal with complexities having to do with regulatory approvals etc.). I would perhaps also look to see who are the particular practitioners working on the deal and mention them in the answer (while perhaps also making mention of their relevant past expertise and market recognition).

Pro tip: To make very easy for the recruiter who reviews your application to understand that you have addressed each part of their question, beyond this useful structure try to use their specified terms ("strategic considerations" and "complexities") often.

Hi Andrei,

Are they asking what complexities the firm did encounter and how it navigated them, or are they asking me to identify likely complexities that may have arisen in the transaction and analyse how the firm would have addressed them?

I ask because there is very limited publicly available information about the specific challenges a law firm faced when advising on a deal. Thank you.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock in the question: describe a current news story which is of interest to you and why? Can I discuss the something which is currently happening in the video games market? Like if a game publisher has decided to go for restructuring and how it has impacted the perception around the market and all other fun stuff? Or it has to be something region and firm specific?

Hey!

I would say it is usually strategic to pick something that links to the firm's practice areas, sector focus or recent deals, as it makes it easier to show commercial awareness in a way that feels tailored to the firm.

However, it doesn't have to be region or firm-specific at all. If the video games market genuinely interests you and you can discuss the below then it can be a very strong answer:

• Why the restructuring happened (commercial drivers, market pressure, etc.)
• The wider impact on the sector
• What it signals about consumer behaviour and risk in the market
• How it might affect different stakeholders (e.g. competitors, lenders, employees, etc.)

Ideally, you would combine both - that is, pick something that you are genuinely interested in and, where possible, draw a light link to the firm. However, if your analysis will clearly be better and more confident on the gaming example, then I would definitely go for that one (and you could potentially make links to the firm if, for example, they are strong in restructuring work). A well-explained niche story is likely to be far stronger than a generic answer about interest rates that you aren't particularly interested in.

I hope that assists!

 

[alexandramonica]

Hi @berocca567 my advice would be to read about several deals the firm advised on while looking proactively for mentions of the elements the question asks about. Afterwards, I would divide my answer in separate parts to ensure I have a clear structure and that my points are easy to understand:

Paragraph 1: Introduction and strategic considerations:

I would discuss the rationale for the transaction - why did the buyer (assuming this is an M&A deal) look to acquire the target company? Was it to increase general market share, to achieve synergies, to scale, to grow in particular new geographies, to expand in new sectors/sub-sectors, to acquire specialist expertise, or perhaps sought after IP, improve band reputation, or maybe to enter into a regulated market easily and without requiring approvals? Likely the rationale included a number of these considerations, which gives you some space for discretion in your analysis. Here, you can also mention any strategic risks the company was taking, such no regulatory approval of the transaction, or problems integration and talent retentions.

Other paragraphs: Complexities + what the firm did to address them

Complexities: here, you need to look for aspects of the deal that would have likely made it more difficult to execute. Perhaps the transaction was highly leveraged, or involving a distressed target which required restructuring, or involved liasing with multiple institutional shareholders with different goals that had to agree to the sale. Or maybe it involved a consortium of investors that entered the transaction, with W&C only advising one or the group - which would add to complexities of negotiations between the investors; maybe it involved a competitive bidding process with lots of turnarounds in terms of what the leading offer was, which meant W&C had to consistently analyse what terms other bidders were offering. Perhaps it involved a target company which was in a highly regulated sector, or which had ongoing reputational/legal issues, or which had internal governance difficulties with tensions between executives and shareholders? Or maybe the target just had many businesses across a variety of countries in different economic sectors, which made a huge tasks getting regulatory approvals everywhere and ensuring every part of the business is properly scrutinised to mange risk.

These are just some of the many types of complexities involved in an M&A transaction: to identify them, the key is to constantly ask yourself what could be an issue or pose a risk when researching the deal.

How the firm addressed them: In terms of structure, after the introductory paragraph, I would write 2-3 following paragraphs which would each discuss one type of complexity and also how the firm can address it. In looking at that, I would describe both:

• How complexities of that nature are generally dealt with and by what teams in the firm - i.e. an ongoing legal proceeding against the target would be addressed via an indemnity clause in the SPA, which the corporate team would draft with some limited input from the disputes practice; and
• How complexities of that nature can be best addressed by White & Case in particular: here, you can look at particular strengths W&C has in delivering a good client outcome - i.e. if it has many international offices it is well positioned to deal with cross border deals touching on many jurisdictions, if it has good regulatory teams it is well positioned to deal with complexities having to do with regulatory approvals etc.). I would perhaps also look to see who are the particular practitioners working on the deal and mention them in the answer (while perhaps also making mention of their relevant past expertise and market recognition).

Pro tip: To make very easy for the recruiter who reviews your application to understand that you have addressed each part of their question, beyond this useful structure try to use their specified terms ("strategic considerations" and "complexities") often.

Hi Andrei,

Do you think they are asking what complexities the firm did encounter or what are the likely complexities that the firm faced when advising on the deal. I ask because there is very limited publicly available information about the specific challenges the law form faced when advising on a deal. Thank you.

 

[EfficientBag123]

When did people who received interview invites apply to TS

I know someone who got one and they applied as soon as it opened pretty much. I think they send invites in batches.

 

[silonthesofa]

Does Bristows WE genuinely need no prep? 😭

No prep. They’re very good about being transparent about each assessment stage.

 

[Unknowncabbage]

Have people who did Mayer Brown's AC two weeks ago heard back? (I know they said 2-3 weeks but just curious)

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

For a case study interview which topics are most likely to come up? I’ve heard M&A is one of them are there any others?

Hey!

From my experience with case study interviews, M&A is definitely the most common format. However, a few other themes could be:

• Market expansion: e.g. entering a new country or launching a new product
• Restructuring / Insolvency: e.g. discussing cost-cutting and refinancing
• Regulatory Issues: especially in sectors such as technology and energy
• Litigation Risk: this will typically including looking at reputational, financial and commercial consequence

However, rather than trying to revise every possible topic, it might help to practise structuring your thinking around:

• What is the client trying to achieve?
• What are the risks?
• What are the potential options for the client?
• Which is the best option that you would recommend, and why?

I hope that assists!

 

[FutureLawyer_]

I know someone who got one and they applied as soon as it opened pretty much. I think they send invites in batches.

I applied like minutes before the deadline 💀

 

[flamingocelot]

One thing I hate the most about the application process (and there are a lot of things) is the timeline of it all. If I am successful with the vac schemes I have applied for, they won't be until June or July, and god knows how long after that it'll be I find out if I get a TC. And for most DTC applications, you interview over Summer, so it is the same problem. I think I just hate the idea of graduating from uni with my future completely uncertain - I am not from London, so even the practicalities of not knowing whether I have to sort accom for September in London... gah I just hate it. I needed to rant!!

 

[aspiringtcholder]

Hey!

I don't think you are being delusional at all - you have lots of transferable experience, so it is all about how you frame it in your applications and interviews. For DTC applications especially, firms will be looking for:

• A clear and convincing "why commercial law (and why not the Bar)?"
• A strong explanation of why you are applying to the particular firm
• Evidence that you understand the difference between public / tribunal work and commercial work
• A clear and coherent narrative that ties your past experience to where you are going

You definitely do not need a vacation scheme or a placement year to show credibility and motivation - however, you do need to be able to bridge the gap in your application to show why you explored the other areas. Right now your path sounds slightly apologetic (i.e. explaining that you just needed a job), so it might help to reframe it! For example, exploring advocacy through mini-pupillages, gaining hands-on procedural experience, and developing leadership skills in management. You can then use that to explain why you want to pivot into commercial law with that experience.

You are definitely not disadvantaged if you don't have any prior experience in commercial law - it is all about refining your overall narrative so that firms can clearly see why you are motivated to work in commercial law long-term.

Best of luck!!

This is so helpful thank you! And yes I think I should’ve rephrased, I absolutely did fall into the public law world through paralegalling in it first but I love it which is why I stayed. Thanks for this advice

 

[KuriTH]

did you email them and ask

I heard from someone that did

 

[KuriTH]

did you email them and ask

I heard from someone that did

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Does anyone have any tips for group exercises? I’ve just had my first one and don’t feel it went particularly well and I have another coming up soon

Hey!

I'm sorry to hear that you felt it didn't go very well, and I'm sure it went better than you think! We tend to ruminate on the elements that we think went wrong, but it's likely that you did a lot of things right as well! I remember thinking I did terribly in a group task in one of the virtual ACs that I completed, and I ended up receiving a VS offer afterwards - try to remain optimistic if you can!

I have written some previous posts on group exercises, which I have quoted below. I hope they are useful when you are preparing for your next assessment - wishing you the best of luck with it!

Hi @LegallyBrunette_ !

Huge congratulations on being invited to AC - what a fantastic achievement!

In the AC that I completed for my TC, I had to complete both a group exercise and a case study interview, so I can understand wanting to do all you can to prepare in advance. I can share what worked best for me!

Group Exercise

• In the group exercise, they are typically looking at how you work with others, not just what you contribute. Be collaborative, listen actively, and build on other people's points.
• Aim to contribute regularly but avoid dominating - asking others for their views on a topic can show leadership without being overbearing. I would always aim to not be the loudest or the quietest in the room, although I know finding this balance can be quite tricky!
• Keep the group focused on the task! I would always try and keep track of your progress and summarise the key decisions made as you go along.
• If you have to select an idea, don't worry if yours isn't chosen. What matters is how you respond and whether you support the group's direction.

Case Study Interview

• You'll usually be given a business / legal scenario with background documents. I would start by reading quickly to understand the big picture, and then go back to confirm the smaller details.
• Structure your response clearly - identify the client's goals, outline the key issues, and suggest practical next steps.
• They won't expect you to know black-letter law. Focus on logic, prioritisation, and showing that you can think commercially.
• Talk the interviewer through your thought process - even if you get stuck or seem confused, they can see how you reason.
• If given a contract to assess, make a note of the exceptions and calculations in the contract. You might be asked how your stance would change if X event occurred, and it's useful to be mindful of when it might fall under any exceptions.

I would also brush up on Jones Day's structure (e.g. their non-rotational training system and international work) just in case it comes up. They're assessing potential, not perfection - so as long as you stay calm and do your best, you'll be fine.

At the end of the day, they want to see the real you - someone who can think clearly, work well with others, and stay composed under pressure. If you go in with a collaborative mindset and a clear structure for approaching problems, you'll put yourself in a strong position.

Best of luck - you've already done the hard part by getting to this stage!

Hello!

First of all, huge congratulations on being invited to the PwC virtual AC - that's an amazing achievement! Whilst I'm not too sure on the specifics of PwC's AC, I can share some general advice when it comes to preparing for a virtual assessment centre, as I completed a few last cycle. I have also quoted some of my previous posts below that discuss other assessment types that might be useful, as I wasn't too sure what is involved in the PwC AC.

Some general tips:

• Prepare the basics: you may have already been doing this, but make sure you understand PwC's values, business areas, and the current market issues that will affect them. You don't need to know absolutely everything (so try not to panic!), but it's good to have an awareness of what PwC does so that you can link this to why you are interested
• For group exercises: usually, the focus of the group exercise isn't actually what you say - it is how you interact and communicate with the others around you. Focus on being collaborative rather than trying to dominate the conversation - I always tried to be neither the quietest nor the loudest (which can be a tricky balance!). I found this particularly challenging for virtual ACs where it can be difficult to get the timing right, but try to listen actively and build on others' ideas. When you do present your part of the group exercise, make sure to clearly explain your reasoning and thought process!
• For interviews: if you are asked competency questions, it's always helpful to have the STAR structure in the back of your mind, and have a few examples ready that show teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. As part of my preparation for assessment centres, I used to spend an hour or so just noting down all my experiences and what skills / competencies came out of each. This means you aren't desperately racking your brain for examples in the moment!
• Virtual elements: it sounds silly, but make sure that you test your technology beforehand (i.e. WiFi, camera, microphone) and choose a quiet space - I even made sure to let all of my housemates know so that none of them disturbed me. I would make sure that you have water and a notebook nearby, as you never know when you might need to jot something down.

Most importantly, be yourself! Focus on showing how you think and work with others when you are performing at your best, rather than trying to be "perfect" overall. Firms are often looking for potential, not perfection!

Everyone is nervous going into ACs, so you're definitely not alone! You've earned your place there by excelling in the process so far - so just go into it and try your best Wishing you the best of luck, you've got this! 💪