TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[rain2801]

I’ve an interview with a non-UK based firm tomorrow. At wit’s end, could someone advice on the following:

1. I come from a non-law and non-finance background. But the case studies that I’m doing as mocks have a lot of legal and commercial terms which I’m unable to understand and it’s making me feel very stupid, even if I know the basic idea behind things. I also don’t think I’m able to go into as much technical detail as required, and keep messing things up. How do I become better at it, considering my interview’s literally tomorrow?

2. I’m not sure why, but I’ve suddenly become very conscious of how I speak and it’s making me fumble my words and stutter. This will be an interviews with 4 partners/associates, and include a proofreading exercise as well. I’m making mistakes like saying compensation instead of competition, and I don’t know why it’s happening or how to make it stop. Does anyone have advice for this?

 

[User22022002]

Congrats! How did you find it?
Also how long did you have from them letting you know and the interview?

There was nothing too rogue. They called me last week (I think Tuesday), and I was able to choose from the slots they provided. From how free the availability seemed, it felt like they will defo have more interviews, so good luck!

 

[blueblueblue420]

Anyone heard from Wiggin yet?

 

[TheLawStopsHere]

4*

How many vacation schemes do you have?

That’s not a very nice comment to make

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hello! To answer the question why commercial law? I have real world examples as to why I am interested in it. Accordingly, would it be acceptable to name the company that sparked my interest and why this was the case, or would this be too informal for a written response? Thank you!!

Hey!

Yes, I think that would be perfectly acceptable (provided it doesn’t breach confidentiality etc. if you are referring to previously working with a company). If the company sparked your interest in commercial law and helped shape your understanding of the field, naming it could strengthen your answer by making it more specific and authentic.

The key part is to make sure that you focus less on the actual company itself and more on what you learned from the experience. I’d explain what the company did, what aspect of its commercial activities caught your attention, and how that led you to develop an interest in commercial law. This demonstrates a genuine motivation that is grounded in real-world experience, and can make your answer more tailored.

For example, rather than simply stating that a particular company interested you, you could explain how observing its contractual relationships, expansion strategy, regulatory challenges, or commercial transactions made you appreciate the legal issues that businesses face.

As long as the example is relevant and professionally presented, I can’t imagine it would be considered too informal.

Best of luck with the application!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

For a competency interview, what's a good weakness or area for improvement to mention? Any help would be really appreciated! @Abbie Whitlock @Jaysen

Hey!

In addition to what Jaysen has mentioned about picking a genuine weakness, I’d also add that it is important to make sure you’re not picking a weakness that is really a strength disguised as a weakness (e.g. “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist”). They can come across as a bit rehearsed, and interviewers generally want a more genuine and honest answer (even if those are true!).

My go-to was usually something like public speaking or presentation skills. It is a fairly common area for improvement, but it is also something that can be actively developed through practice and exposure. The key is to explain the steps you have taken to improve and the progress you have made, rather than just stating the weakness itself.

Whatever specific weakness you choose, I’d make sure it is genuine, not critical to the role, and backed up with examples of how you are working on it

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

I have just been given a TC at the criminal law firm I paralegal at, meaning I could qualify in about a year (done 1 year QWE there already).

Commercial has always been my dream but due to a number of reasons, I joined law late and am currently 31. I haven’t really got anywhere with commercial TC apps. I am awaiting the result of the SH amberjack, but I have a stammer which makes me not the best at video interviews (the timing and pressure) but doesn’t really affect my working life too much. However, criminal law is obviously quite speech heavy. I get by but I don’t want to be in it really long term.

Basically my question is, would it massively hinder my chances of going into commercial law eventually if I qualified in criminal seats? Is it possible to make the switch? Or is it worth turning this down, trying to join a commercial firm as a paralegal while still applying for TCs in the city?

Hey!

Congratulations on the TC offer!!

From my understanding, the transition from criminal law to commercial law is likely to be quite difficult, primarily because you won’t have trained in any commercial practice areas. While it is sometimes possible to move from criminal law into areas such as white-collar crime and investigations, these are relatively niche areas and firms will often look for experience that is closely aligned with the work they do.

If your ultimate goal is to build a career in commercial law, I would personally continue applying for commercial law opportunities and, if possible, look at paralegal roles that would allow you to gain experience in a commercial practice area. That experience could make a significant difference when applying for commercial TCs or other roles in the future, and I’m a big advocate of the fact that anyone can secure a commercial TC if they are resilient and proactive with improving on their weaker areas (regardless of age, university, background, etc.)

However, I completely appreciate that this is a very difficult decision. A guaranteed route to qualification is not something to take lightly, particularly in the current market. Ultimately, I’d say it comes down to balancing the security of a TC now against your long-term career aspirations.

Best of luck with whatever you decide, and with the SH outcome too!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

I’ve an interview with a non-UK based firm tomorrow. At wit’s end, could someone advice on the following:

1. I come from a non-law and non-finance background. But the case studies that I’m doing as mocks have a lot of legal and commercial terms which I’m unable to understand and it’s making me feel very stupid, even if I know the basic idea behind things. I also don’t think I’m able to go into as much technical detail as required, and keep messing things up. How do I become better at it, considering my interview’s literally tomorrow?

2. I’m not sure why, but I’ve suddenly become very conscious of how I speak and it’s making me fumble my words and stutter. This will be an interviews with 4 partners/associates, and include a proofreading exercise as well. I’m making mistakes like saying compensation instead of competition, and I don’t know why it’s happening or how to make it stop. Does anyone have advice for this?

Hey!

First of all, congratulations on the interview invite! It is completely normal to feel a similar way before interviews, particularly when there is pressure and unfamiliar technical language involved.

On your first point, I would try not to “learn everything” at this stage. At this stage, I would say the goal should be familiarity rather than trying to master the technical language. I’d focus on understanding the basic logic behind common commercial concepts rather than memorising terminology, although it helps to have an understanding of some of the more foundational concepts (e.g. debt finance, equity finance, warranties, indemnities, etc.). For case studies, it often helps to structure your answers in a simple way: what is the issue, what are the risks or opportunities, and what is a sensible commercial/legal solution that addresses the clients problem. Even if you don’t use perfect technical language, clear reasoning usually matters more than precise jargon. If you come across a term that you don’t understand, I’d try to view it in the wider context of the document you have been given and make an educated guess - you could always confirm with the interviewer if you are able to.

On your second point, this sounds like nerves rather than a lack of ability. The “mixing up words” and heightened self-awareness is very typical under pressure, and I’ve definitely had a similar experience in the past too (although my downfall is always that my face goes red under pressure, which makes me more nervous haha!). I’ve found that trying to actively suppress it can make it work, so it can help to slow your speaking pace slightly and allow short pauses - most candidates rush as they feel they need to be constantly talking, which isn’t the case! I’d also practise saying answers out loud rather than in your head, as it reduces the disconnect between thought and speech and helps you feel more confident under pressure.

For the proofreading exercise, I would focus on adopting a clear method rather than trying to get through it as quickly as you can. For example, you could read once to understand the documents, once for grammar and spelling mistakes, and once for details (e.g. names, dates, numbers, consistency in clauses, etc.). I’ve found that this helped me focus on one element at a time, and I often used my finger to scan across the documents to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Finally, I would try not to interpret these issues as a lack of suitability. They are often just stress responses, especially when you are being evaluated intensively by multiple interviewers in a panel interview. The fact that you have got to this stage means that you already have something they like, and they think you are capable of doing the job.

Good luck - I’m sure you’ll smash it!

 

[Parsorandini]

Hey!

Congratulations on the TC offer!!

From my understanding, the transition from criminal law to commercial law is likely to be quite difficult, primarily because you won’t have trained in any commercial practice areas. While it is sometimes possible to move from criminal law into areas such as white-collar crime and investigations, these are relatively niche areas and firms will often look for experience that is closely aligned with the work they do.

If your ultimate goal is to build a career in commercial law, I would personally continue applying for commercial law opportunities and, if possible, look at paralegal roles that would allow you to gain experience in a commercial practice area. That experience could make a significant difference when applying for commercial TCs or other roles in the future, and I’m a big advocate of the fact that anyone can secure a commercial TC if they are resilient and proactive with improving on their weaker areas (regardless of age, university, background, etc.)

However, I completely appreciate that this is a very difficult decision. A guaranteed route to qualification is not something to take lightly, particularly in the current market. Ultimately, I’d say it comes down to balancing the security of a TC now against your long-term career aspirations.

Best of luck with whatever you decide, and with the SH outcome too!

Hi Abbie,

Thank you so much for this lovely and extremely helpful response! It is an extremely difficult decision. I just feel my skills and interests align so much better with the more technical side of commercial law rather than the advocacy of criminal. I think I know what I have to do sadly.

I just feel stupid as I went through a process where 2 out of 4 of us were offered TCs. I guess it means one of my colleagues who wasn’t offered it can now get one. I have 3 months notice period so I think I need to politely turn down the TC and leave my current role in search of commercial paralegal roles.

 

[CharlieandLola]

Hey!

In addition to what Jaysen has mentioned about picking a genuine weakness, I’d also add that it is important to make sure you’re not picking a weakness that is really a strength disguised as a weakness (e.g. “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist”). They can come across as a bit rehearsed, and interviewers generally want a more genuine and honest answer (even if those are true!).

My go-to was usually something like public speaking or presentation skills. It is a fairly common area for improvement, but it is also something that can be actively developed through practice and exposure. The key is to explain the steps you have taken to improve and the progress you have made, rather than just stating the weakness itself.

Whatever specific weakness you choose, I’d make sure it is genuine, not critical to the role, and backed up with examples of how you are working on it

Thank you! My work experiance doesn't support public speaking as a weakness- would you say reluctance to ask for help too early is a good weakness? It's genuine to me but I don't know if thats a skill critical to a trainee!

 

[spamelinazoid]

If you get a VI invite and the deadline is “expiry date, which is 7 days from the date you receive this email”, does the day the email was received count?

E.g. if I got the invite on a Wednesday, is the invite expiring Wednesday midnight or Tuesday midnight?

Would be awfully helpful if they just included this very basic deadline info on the portal lol…

 

[maxro]

Can anyone speak from experience... I'm starting a full time paralegal job and don't know whether to apply for vac schemes or DTC in the next cycle. It seems like the vac scheme route is preferred by most firms, as in they recruit mostly from vac schemes? Not sure whether just doing DTCs would be a disadvantage but it's also a bigger commitment. I did do a vac scheme at a US firm (didn't convert) so I'm wondering if just doing DTC apps would be fine?

 

[WillYouGiveMeATC]

If you get a VI invite and the deadline is “expiry date, which is 7 days from the date you receive this email”, does the day the email was received count?

E.g. if I got the invite on a Wednesday, is the invite expiring Wednesday midnight or Tuesday midnight?

Would be awfully helpful if they just included this very basic deadline info on the portal lol…

If this is for WFW then my friend had the same situation and they got told their deadline is the following week on that day at the time the email came. For example if you received the email at 1pm on Wednesday then your deadline is the following Wednesday at 1pm. Hope that is helpful.

 

[StressedByAMountainOfBooks]

Anyone heard from Slaughters? Not optimistic about it considering my masters grades but thought I'd apply anyway - applied on the 1st.

 

[cs3008]

Travers Smith - PFO

 

[TCapplicant1005]

Travers Smith - PFO

Same!

 

[spamelinazoid]

If this is for WFW then my friend had the same situation and they got told their deadline is the following week on that day at the time the email came. For example if you received the email at 1pm on Wednesday then your deadline is the following Wednesday at 1pm. Hope that is helpful.

Tysm!!

 

[AryanAgg]

im curious about cover letters, how are small 1 or 2 typos seen if the content is substantial?

 

[FutureAntitrustLawyer]

Has anyone heard back from Disney post the online test?

 

[WeGotThis!]

im curious about cover letters, how are small 1 or 2 typos seen if the content is substantial?

I spoke to a few people who I know that have secured TCs. They told me it's really subjective in the sense if the trainee intake is big say 30/40+ then 1/2 typos are alright but if it's a small trainee intake you may be rejected