TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[WillKitchen]

I received my second rejection from Gibson Dunn. That must be a popular choice, given their salary band. But I really like the combination of US organisation with a major employment law practice. Has anyone been to open days or other events there?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey guys, I hope you are well. I got my second year results back and I’m at a pretty high first for my degree, one of the highest in my cohort!! Unfortunately I got a 2.2 (59%) in one of my modules would this affect my applications next year? I’m a bit scared. I’m aware that some firms require over 2.1 in every module (I am basically barred from applying to them?)

Would appreciate any advice!! Thank you

Hi!

Firstly, congratulations on your overall results - that is a fantastic achievement, especially if you are one of the highest performing students in your cohort!

I wouldn't let the one 59% overshadow that. The vast majority of firms assess your academic profile holistically, so a strong overall first is likely to carry much more weight than one module score.

There are a small number of firms that ask for at least a 2:1 in every module, so if that is an explicit requirement then you may not meet their eligibility criteria (depending on how strictly they enforce it). However, those firms are definitely the exception rather than the rule, and most firms do not have that requirement. Many will be much more interested in your overall academic performance and the rest of your application, rather than individual module grades.

I would recommend checking each firm's eligibility criteria before applying, but I definitely wouldn't be discouraged by one module. A high first overall is still an excellent position to be in!

Congratulations again, and best of luck for next cycle's applications!

 

[user55998384]

hi @Abbie Whitlock i j had a q rregarding overall grades, my average for 2nd year was 65.5 but often for overall firms require whole numbers - should i assume to round up to 66 or do i have to email individuall firms aksing ab this? thank u sm

 

[billyonthespeeddial]

hi @Abbie Whitlock i j had a q rregarding overall grades, my average for 2nd year was 65.5 but often for overall firms require whole numbers - should i assume to round up to 66 or do i have to email individuall firms aksing ab this? thank u sm

I think if it's exactly 65.5% (so for example not 65.45%) and the only option is a whole number, go with 66%, I don't think this will be an issue. For my CV though I only rounded my average to two decimal places.

 

[username10341034]

Feeling a bit down about this next cycle.. I graduated 2023 with a 2:1 but my A levels are A*, A, C. I feel like my grades aren’t enough to stand out and that I also missed the boat with being a fresh grad applying for TCs. This year I made a handful of mainly direct TC applications and only managed to get to the interview stage for one VS, but was rejected. I feel like I will never be able to achieve a TC and need to give up on my dream just been looking at everyone on LinkedIn who got TC offers and feeling downcast!

 

[FutureLawyer_]

Feeling a bit down about this next cycle.. I graduated 2023 with a 2:1 but my A levels are A*, A, C. I feel like my grades aren’t enough to stand out and that I also missed the boat with being a fresh grad applying for TCs. This year I made a handful of mainly direct TC applications and only managed to get to the interview stage for one VS, but was rejected. I feel like I will never be able to achieve a TC and need to give up on my dream just been looking at everyone on LinkedIn who got TC offers and feeling downcast!

Please don’t feel down!! Your time will come! I understand how you feel. I’m a graduate and I recently attended an open day and it made me feel so much better. There were so many other people attending who were graduates and had been working in law or even other jobs before making the switch to law. Even an associate said a lot of their trainees were early 30’s and echoed that nobody cares how old you are. If you’re good for the job, you will get there!

I know it’s easier said then done, and I have felt like you do at times, albeit I graduated 2025 and have only applied in two cycles, but I promise you there is no reason you won’t get a tc!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

hi @Abbie Whitlock i j had a q rregarding overall grades, my average for 2nd year was 65.5 but often for overall firms require whole numbers - should i assume to round up to 66 or do i have to email individuall firms aksing ab this? thank u sm

Hi!

Generally, if a firm asks for your overall average as a whole number and doesn't specify otherwise, I would round 65.5% to 66%. If the application allows decimals, I would put 65.5%.

I wouldn't email every firm individually unless their application guidance specifically says something different or the system won't accept decimals and you are unsure how they want you to input it. Most firms are looking for an accurate reflection of your academic performance, so whether you have rounded it up or not is unlikely to make too much of a difference.

If you are ever in doubt for a particular firm, it is absolutely fine to send graduate recruitment a quick email to clarify, but I don't think it is necessary as a general rule

 

[Bah Bah Pink Sheep]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock ! Just wanted to pop on here and say a big thank you for all your help throughout the previous application cycle and through all my mental breakdowns (lmao). I've just completed my one and only VS this year (I had to drop out of the other VS) and have received a TC.

I'm glad I found TCLA in December 2025 and really enjoyed getting to know people from the forum - some of which have been great application buddies throughout this whole journey and some of which I have met in person even!

Your advice and help has played a massive role - I really appreciate it! You always give the most thorough and understanding answers!

@Andrei Radu I'm giving you an honourable mention as well lol - thanks for letting me give you guys a college tour earlier this year and it was great meeting you!

Excited to officially sign soon and I can't believe that's me done for now! To everyone else who is still fighting onwards, it will come when the time is right! The right firm, the right people...I promise. I've been through A LOT of ACs (and mental breakdowns post AC rejections) this year and ultimately it was still this one firm which was steadfast and which believed in me in a sense. You WILL find your firm - each setback or challenge is just another moment for you to build experience and resilience, and I have no doubt we will all come out the other side stronger, happier, and more successful!

If anyone has any questions (within reason and without having me to go into personal details) or wants any encouragement please don't hesitate to reach out! I'm quite free during the summer at the moment! For now, I'm going to relish my elle woods moment and I'm super excited to graduate and start the SQE (though Jaysen might beg to differ... (hope the SQE is going well for you Jaysen!))

 

[user55998384]

Hi!

Generally, if a firm asks for your overall average as a whole number and doesn't specify otherwise, I would round 65.5% to 66%. If the application allows decimals, I would put 65.5%.

I wouldn't email every firm individually unless their application guidance specifically says something different or the system won't accept decimals and you are unsure how they want you to input it. Most firms are looking for an accurate reflection of your academic performance, so whether you have rounded it up or not is unlikely to make too much of a difference.

If you are ever in doubt for a particular firm, it is absolutely fine to send graduate recruitment a quick email to clarify, but I don't think it is necessary as a general rule

thank you!!

 

[user55998384]

I think if it's exactly 65.5% (so for example not 65.45%) and the only option is a whole number, go with 66%, I don't think this will be an issue. For my CV though I only rounded my average to two decimal places.

thank you!!

 

[MZJxLadha]

Didn’t convert my summer vac scheme :’) But back and ready for the new cycle!!! Let’s do it..

 

[user55998384]

hey i had a q for any future trainees/anyone who finds comm awareness a strong suit, basically since june i have been listening to ft briefing everday, doing wider ft briefing and making my way thorugh the Christopher Stoakes book. However, i feel like a lot of successful candidates say they had a particular interest in a practice area they could always talk about at length in interviews but how do you find out what that interest is (sorry this is probs such a stupid q) and then what do you do to acc make sure you could have that conversation at length

 

[CharlieandLola]

hey i had a q for any future trainees/anyone who finds comm awareness a strong suit, basically since june i have been listening to ft briefing everday, doing wider ft briefing and making my way thorugh the Christopher Stoakes book. However, i feel like a lot of successful candidates say they had a particular interest in a practice area they could always talk about at length in interviews but how do you find out what that interest is (sorry this is probs such a stupid q) and then what do you do to acc make sure you could have that conversation at length

Not a future trainee but I actually realised what I was into when researching a firm I got an interview with. Like when you start reading what they do often you might realise. And then Forage is great to solidify!!!

 

[user55998384]

when doing a coffee chat w a partner what kind of qs do you tend to ask and should you take a notepad?

 

[Boating]

Hi , i know this is the wrong place but is there an SQE forum?, can someone link the most active on if so? thank you!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi , i know this is the wrong place but is there an SQE forum?, can someone link the most active on if so? thank you!

Hi!

The SQE 26/27 Discussion Thread can be found here! We also have an SQE WhatsApp group, which you can find here

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock ! Just wanted to pop on here and say a big thank you for all your help throughout the previous application cycle and through all my mental breakdowns (lmao). I've just completed my one and only VS this year (I had to drop out of the other VS) and have received a TC.

I'm glad I found TCLA in December 2025 and really enjoyed getting to know people from the forum - some of which have been great application buddies throughout this whole journey and some of which I have met in person even!

Your advice and help has played a massive role - I really appreciate it! You always give the most thorough and understanding answers!

@Andrei Radu I'm giving you an honourable mention as well lol - thanks for letting me give you guys a college tour earlier this year and it was great meeting you!

Excited to officially sign soon and I can't believe that's me done for now! To everyone else who is still fighting onwards, it will come when the time is right! The right firm, the right people...I promise. I've been through A LOT of ACs (and mental breakdowns post AC rejections) this year and ultimately it was still this one firm which was steadfast and which believed in me in a sense. You WILL find your firm - each setback or challenge is just another moment for you to build experience and resilience, and I have no doubt we will all come out the other side stronger, happier, and more successful!

If anyone has any questions (within reason and without having me to go into personal details) or wants any encouragement please don't hesitate to reach out! I'm quite free during the summer at the moment! For now, I'm going to relish my elle woods moment and I'm super excited to graduate and start the SQE (though Jaysen might beg to differ... (hope the SQE is going well for you Jaysen!))

Hey!

Huge congratulations!! I am so pleased for you, and thank you for such a lovely message - it really means a lot!

It has been a pleasure following your journey over the past cycle, and you have shown so much resilience throughout it all! I know there were plenty of ups and downs along the way (+ I definitely had my own fair share of mental breakdowns when I was applying, haha!), but it is wonderful to see all of your hard work pay off with a TC at a firm that was clearly the right fit for you.

I also love that you have made friends through the forum - that is one of the nicest things to come out of TCLA, and I have similar friends that I made on TCLA last year that I still speak to now!

I hope you enjoy your graduation, signing your offer, and celebrating this achievement before the SQE begins! Please do feel free to reach out once you start the SQE - it would be great to see you on TCLA still!

Wishing you all the very best for what's next, and thank you again for your kind words

 

[QuillandCounsel]

Does anyone know anything about Carpmaels & Ransford in terms of how hard it might be to apply without having loads of STEM research experience behind you, or not coming from a top Russel group uni?

I looked around at the trainees they hired as well as their associates and they seemed to have a lot of STEM previous experience behind them before applying and I'm not rlly sure if it's worth applying since I only really graduated a year ago.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

when doing a coffee chat w a partner what kind of qs do you tend to ask and should you take a notepad?

Hi!

It depends a little on the context, but I would generally try to ask questions that you can't answer by looking at the firm's website. Partners (+ lawyers more generally) tend to love talking about their work and what they do, so don't be afraid to ask about their practice area, the types of matters they work on, what they find most interesting or challenging, or how they see their area evolving over the next few years.

You could also ask what they enjoy most about working at the firm, what makes trainees successful in their team, or about their own career journey. I always think it is nice to ask at least one question that is specific to them, as it makes the conversation feel much more personal and thought-out (rather than looking like you are meeting them for a coffee chat for the sake of it).

As for a notepad, I think it is absolutely fine to bring one (+ I brought one to all of my coffee chats on my vacation schemes). I probably wouldn't spend the whole conversation writing everything down, as you still want to maintain good eye contact and keep it conversational, but jotting down a few key points afterwards (or occasionally during the chat if appropriate) is completely normal. Most people won't think twice about it, and it is usually expected!

 

[username10341034]

Please don’t feel down!! Your time will come! I understand how you feel. I’m a graduate and I recently attended an open day and it made me feel so much better. There were so many other people attending who were graduates and had been working in law or even other jobs before making the switch to law. Even an associate said a lot of their trainees were early 30’s and echoed that nobody cares how old you are. If you’re good for the job, you will get there!

I know it’s easier said then done, and I have felt like you do at times, albeit I graduated 2025 and have only applied in two cycles, but I promise you there is no reason you won’t get a tc!

Thank you I think I might do the same re attending open days as that would help with my motivation. Thanks for your kind words!