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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
personally I don't think you can prepare that much for amberjack. You have to go with your gut feeling. It's supposed to assess how you personally react and what you personally prioritise. So one person might naturally be a leader in a group situation, another might be a solid team player. Both are important skills but amberjack will assess your natural tendency. Relax and it will be fine.
Sorry to bother you again (am v anxiously waiting for news..) - which scheme did you apply for?They called! I was busy so missed it, but they left a voicemail
- Feb 17, 2018
- 4,902
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wait is acc killing meVS offer received from Debevoise! I attended the Mar 3rd Open Day and they sent offer emails
Hey!
Of course, no problem!
For a panel interview, it is usually run quite similarly to a normal interview, just with each partner asking questions in turn. I wouldn't worry too much about the format being slightly different - I think the main thing is to treat it like a normal interview and engage with whoever has asked the question, while still maintaining good eye contact with the rest of the panel.
When it comes to asking your questions at the end, I would just ask them naturally to the panel as a whole rather than directing them at one specific partner (unless the question clearly relates to their specific practice area). I have found that one partner will take the lead in answering, and then the others will add their perspective afterwards too. I would still prepare around 2-3 thoughtful questions in advance, as that is normally more than enough to show genuine interest without taking up too much time.
Best of luck with the interview!
Hi!
Congratulations on the AC invite! I definitely wouldn't assume that you won't convert it, and it can often go much better than expected!
I have quoted a few posts below on case studies, interviews, and group exercises - I hope they are useful!
For a partner interview, I would suggest preparing bullet points rather than scripted answers. For example, have 2-3 clear points for questions like "Why this firm?", but don't memorise specific wording. You could practice your answer at home so that you have a clear idea of what you want to say, but leave room for flexibility so that you can adapt your answer if needed.
Aside from the typical motivational questions, I have previously had questions on the following in partner interviews:
1. CV or application questions (so make sure to read back over your original application!)
2. Competency questions (e.g. "tell us about a time when...")
3. Commercial awareness questions (e.g. a news story and why it matters to the firm and its clients)
In my experience, you will rarely be asked extremely technical questions in a partner interview (such as definitions of specific financial structures) unless the interview is explicitly described as technical. They are usually more interested in how you think about and analyse commercial issues - for example, how a specific commercial issue will impact the firm and its main clients.
Good luck with the AC!!
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
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.
- 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.
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!
Hey!
Congratulations on receiving the AC invite!! I've collated some general advice from a few of my previous forum posts which will hopefully offer some guidance - just shout if you have any follow-up questions.
Motivational Interview
When preparing for the motivational interview, I'd encourage you to have a think about the following beforehand:
Overall, I'd try to create a narrative that links your interests to the firm and its work, as well as your long-term career goals.
- Be clear on why a US firm (e.g. lean teams, responsibility early on, client exposure, etc.)
- Then narrow it down to why this US firm - practice strengths, the type of deals that they work on, the office culture, and any recent matters that interested you
- Expect follow-up questions that test the depth of your knowledge on the firm / work (e.g. why corporation litigation vs disputes, why the London office, etc.)
- Be prepared to back up your motivations with examples from your past experiences - for example, if you discuss wanting to have a lot of responsibility early on, you can strengthen your answer by discussing a past experience where you found that you enjoyed this aspect.
Written Exercise
- Practice timed writing - pick a 30-45 minute slot, read a short business or news article, and summarise the key points in a structured 1-2 page memo with a clear conclusion summarising your findings.
- Work on prioritisation - pick an article with a lot of information, and practice picking out the 3-4 most important issues rather than trying to summarise and include everything.
- Use a clear structure - this was the main thing that I implemented that helped me score higher on written assessments! Follow a clear structure in your answer, and practice what this would be for each type of document.
- Check clarity - after writing (potentially one of the above), ask yourself if someone with no context to the facts could follow along with the information and your reasoning.
- Proofread under pressure - I would get used to quickly checking grammar and flow, as this is really important in a written exercise! I sometimes struggled with this, as the pressure made me skip parts of my writing, but I found that literally following along with a pen or your finger can make sure you don't miss anything.
- Review sample case studies - I would have a look online and see if there are any free resources that you can have a go at. A true lifesaver during my last cycle was this forum post by Jacob Miller, and I would definitely give it a read!
The main thing that assisted me in written exercises is following a clear structure! I would go through and read all of the materials first, and then go back to pick out the key details. You should be looking for key issues, areas that you will require more information, and anything that you think is important for the client to know.
I would then follow a clear structure in your answer. There are a few different types of documents that they could test you on - e.g. an email, memo, report, note, etc. I would have a look beforehand at the formatting of each, and have a go at writing them! If you are writing a letter / email to a client, make sure that you aren't including technical terms and writing in way that is easy for them to understand.
I would also try and find ways to showcase that you have the skills that they are looking for in trainees. For example, in one of my previous ACs I was asked to write an email to a supervisor. In this email, I outlined my arguments and recommendation, but I ended it by offering to draft the email / document for the client (e.g. proactivity). This will be dependant on each exercise, but if you can incorporate this in some way, I think it's a great way of standing out!
I've also previously created a post on client emails as a written exercise format - I have linked that here as well!
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.
I hope that helps - wishing you the best of luck with the AC, and I'm sure you'll do great!!
Hey!
Congratulations on the interview invite!
I would say that a partner interview tends to be a hybrid type that emphasises your overall judgment and fit to the firm.
A few pointers that might help (from my experience with partner interviews):
If you can clearly explain your reasoning and show curiosity about the firm's work / clients, this should be exactly what they are looking for. Ultimately, you want to show that you are genuinely motivated to work at this specific firm, and that you would be someone that is great to work with.
- Technical questions, if any, will typically be quite high-level (e.g. spotting issues, weighing up risks, or explaining how you would approach a problem), rather than detailed law. It might help to practice strengths-based questions or scenario questions (i.e. "What would you do if..."), as these are likely to come up.
- There is usually much more emphasis on your motivations and commercial awareness, rather than competency questions (though there may still be a few of the latter) - e.g. why this firm, why law, and why you.
- They are often interested in how you think and communicate, rather than whether you know the "correct" answer. As long as you can explain your thought process in a clear way, you should be able to tackle any question (even if it is slightly unexpected!).
- I'd generally expect a more conversational style - the partners could probe your answers (which is completely normal, and doesn't mean you are wrong!), ask questions about your legal career / education so far, and discuss their own work at the firm.
I hope that assists, and best of luck with the interview!!
Hello!
Congratulations on the AC invite!!
The main resource that I used when preparing for a case study interview was this guide by Jacob Miller - I would definitely take a look! There is also a guide to Private Equity that is useful for understanding how a PE transaction is structured -you can find that here.
I have also quoted some more general posts I have made in relation to approaching case study exercises, so hopefully they are helpful too.
Best of luck!!
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