TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[thesauce]

Hi all, hope you are all doing well. I know this has been asked before in the forum but, as an introvert and someone who second guesses every interaction, I wanted to ask how important is it to do a coffee chat or is it something you do not have to do (i.e., could it be a thing on which conversion of the scheme could turn on)?

In previous posts people have said to have talks with people you find interesting or practice areas that stand out to you but, not to sound boring, there is not one person or practice area that I would want to talk about as I am generally interested in all of it rather than just one specific thing. I also also worried that if I do a coffee chat I will fluff it up, say something stupid or just not come across well. As you can tell this is definitely a massive worry of mine!

If anyone has any advice or support, please reach out as I have been thinking about this too much for a while and would love some help/reassurance.

Hi, I totally get your concern! I imagine this is about an upcoming VS. I do think that putting yourself out there is important, as law firms are very people centric. Coffee chats demonstrate a few things - that you are proactive, interested in the firm and its work, and that you’re willing to leave your comfort zone. These are all things that firms look for in trainees. That being said, in my vac schemes I went on very few coffee chats compared to my peers, and still converted. By very few, I mean around 3/4 total. It definitely helps to start by inviting your own supervisor and trainee buddy for a chat, as conversations flow easily due to the nature of your relationship and them seeking to give you advice, etc. I would say that during the VS you should naturally develop an interest in some practice areas, but this doesn’t need to be why you go for a coffee chat. For me, the chats I arranged were not because I was purely interested in the person’s work (although this should come up at some point in the chat!) but rather their background. I am international, so I was naturally drawn to international people at the firms. I think you get the gist, but I’d try to find people you are personally interested in speaking with, as this will make the conversation flow much better. I would try to avoid asking someone for a coffee chat just for the sake of it - I think this can come off as a bit arrogant and lead to some mechanic conversations. So be intentional with it but also don’t stress too much, as you can always ask your supervisor/ buddy for help with these situations. And remember that all of them have been in your position before and know and empathise with what you’re going through, so be kind to yourself ! I am a firm believer of quality over quantity - I think associates are not required to give feedback post vac scheme unless they want to, in which case, if you’ve developed a bond, they are likely to and that’s an extra! Hope this helps.

 

[A worried paralegal]

Have you had a zoom call ?

A few years back it was

 

[CharlesT47]

Yes, and I'd arrange a call with graduate recruitment.

In particular, some US firms give offers with short time frames ('exploding offers'). This is partly because they don't want strong candidates to accept offers from other firms.

But it's also okay to push back on this and be clear about why it's important to you to extend the deadline. It just depends on how willing the firm is to do this.

Hi Jaysen, thanks for this. I'm not entirely sure how to phrase this in a call. I'm very attracted to the firm that has offered me a training contract. But I want to do other VSs as it will be beneficial to my career/ ultimate seat choices.

 

[Jaysen]

Hi Jaysen, thanks for this. I'm not entirely sure how to phrase this in a call. I'm very attracted to the firm that has offered me a training contract. But I want to do other VSs as it will be beneficial to my career/ ultimate seat choices.

I suggest being honest with exactly this information: that you think it will be beneficial to your career. This won't be the first time the firm has heard this.

I'd just be prepared that the firm will say: if you know you really like us, why don't you just accept the TC?

It's okay to explain your reasoning, though. Ultimately, it's always worth asking in these situations and there's a reasonable amount of flexibility for what they might be willing to do.

 

[haribolover]

Hi, I totally get your concern! I imagine this is about an upcoming VS. I do think that putting yourself out there is important, as law firms are very people centric. Coffee chats demonstrate a few things - that you are proactive, interested in the firm and its work, and that you’re willing to leave your comfort zone. These are all things that firms look for in trainees. That being said, in my vac schemes I went on very few coffee chats compared to my peers, and still converted. By very few, I mean around 3/4 total. It definitely helps to start by inviting your own supervisor and trainee buddy for a chat, as conversations flow easily due to the nature of your relationship and them seeking to give you advice, etc. I would say that during the VS you should naturally develop an interest in some practice areas, but this doesn’t need to be why you go for a coffee chat. For me, the chats I arranged were not because I was purely interested in the person’s work (although this should come up at some point in the chat!) but rather their background. I am international, so I was naturally drawn to international people at the firms. I think you get the gist, but I’d try to find people you are personally interested in speaking with, as this will make the conversation flow much better. I would try to avoid asking someone for a coffee chat just for the sake of it - I think this can come off as a bit arrogant and lead to some mechanic conversations. So be intentional with it but also don’t stress too much, as you can always ask your supervisor/ buddy for help with these situations. And remember that all of them have been in your position before and know and empathise with what you’re going through, so be kind to yourself ! I am a firm believer of quality over quantity - I think associates are not required to give feedback post vac scheme unless they want to, in which case, if you’ve developed a bond, they are likely to and that’s an extra! Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for the long and thought out reply - this is super helpful; and provides a bit of insight into thisl!! I will definitely have to put myself out there and try to diminish my anxiety around the process and try to enjoy the talks. I will definitely ask my trainee buddy for their advice as they have most recently of course gone through the process. I will do some research into who I would be interested to speak too as I agree that having one for the sake of it would be quite painful for both of us haha.

 

[radicaloptimist]

are there any firms with vac scheme applications still ongoing? I have not got any so far this cycle but really want to keep trying to find anything!!