TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[FutureAntitrustLawyer]

Hi @Antoni Trochimowicz

Hope you’re doing well.

I’m applying to Ashurst Perkins Coie for their WVS and wrote about a litigation matter that mainly involved their EU office as opposed to its London one. The deal strongly aligns with my interests but I’m worried that including this may not go well with the London grad rec team. Do you think I should keep it or remove the deal?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[user55998384]

it's 1800 characters - form won't let you submit if it's over that

is this for the vac scheme qs or OD?

 

[user55998384]

is eversheds rolling?

 

[user55998384]

i would say the opposite, i feel like sjts are so unpredictable and therefore filter a lot of ppl out v easily so if ur able to do them and progress through you should be in a good position (in my opinoin)

would love to hear your thoughts on this @Jaysen

 

[Jaysen]

would love to hear your thoughts on this @Jaysen

I don't think the position has changed that much for those with weaker grades. But I think it depends on what 'weaker' is here.

Many firms I've spoken to are moving away from application questions as a first filter, largely because they've received a huge increase in lower-quality applications in the last year as a result of AI. I know some firms will have written application questions later in the process, though.

On grades: this is very firm-dependent. I've seen a few firms change their grade policy, but I think for many, they are now just being clearer about the grade requirements on their website. These applicants would probably have been rejected anyway, so it makes sense to be upfront about this.

Online tests are a tricky one and the area I know the least about. A firm needs to have more filters between application and interview because it's very hard to successfully screen thousands of applicants without more data, especially now that AI makes it hard to know if an applicant's writing is their own. But I don't have enough data on how the online tests are factored into the rest of an application or the weight firms place on them.

So, to answer the question, an applicant will generally have an easier time in the process if you have higher grades (a first or high 2:1). But this does not mean that if you don't have a high 2:1 that you won't get a vacation scheme. I've spoken to many firms that just want you to have an overall 2:1.

The main thing I tell candidates is that it's out of your control at this stage, so you can only concentrate on nailing everything else: meeting firms, writing well in your work experience sections, practising video interviews and online tests, and nailing any written applications that come later in the stages. Often, the applicants with non-standard grades get training contracts because they don't let it decide their chances and they practise performing highly in all the other stages.

 

[jamsparkle]

is this for the vac scheme qs or OD?

It was OD. but would assume the same for vac scheme? Maybe just something to be aware of if you’re someone who submits last minute, wouldn’t want to miss a deadline bc u hit a hidden limit

 

[jamsparkle]

Has anyone received Latham stage 2? I feel like it got sent immediately after completing stage 1 last year but I’m not quite sure that I remember correctly

Also does the A&O Shearman VI have unlimited prep time?

 

[alanshore]

Is anyone applying for the Dentons ME insight scheme? If so, are there no application questions at the first stage? Also does anyone know if anyone has gotten through the first stage being a non-GCC/arabic-speaking individual?

 

[Enyonam]

How do you know if you've messed up the Arctic Shores? I applied for one of their mentoring opportunities a while back and I haven't gotten an update, although I'm pretty sure I also bombed the test

When you know you know but also I got rejected within hours if even that- it was very clear that a human hadn’t looked at my application.

 

[KH7192]

Anyone else applying to the Orrick Vacation Scheme — how am I supposed to write a 300-word cover letter? That's such a short letter and my answers to the other questions they ask are going to contain the same material as what I put in the cover letter anyways. How as everyone else approached this?

 

[anon78365222111]

If I graduate 3 years ago and I’m finishing my PGDL this year can I still apply for Freshfields vac ?

 

[anon78365222111]

Is Orrick vac rolling ?

 

[TJ360]

Anyone know about Stage 2 Macfarlanes video questions? Are they situation judgment based? Motivational ? Competency? Or mixed?

 

[WillYouGiveMeATC]

Hello guys after a long break I am back and excited for this cycle.

A summary of my PFO's last cycle:
* VS - 0 but 2 in my dreams
* AC - 4
* VI (Including amberjack) - 13
* Test - 8
* Application - 9

Anyone reading this the applications that I passed to VI/AC I did not use AI to draft my application. One of my biggest reason for VI and tests challenges was the amberjack test and the mini critical test introduced by law firms like Addleshaw Goddard. I am currently looking at amberjack tests to improve my score.

I look forward to this cycle and lets get that TC!

 

[traineesolicitorincoming]

Hi does anyone know if Winston Taylor's VS deadline is rolling? Thanks

 

[John Hammond]

hello everyone, for latham what did you guys write for work experience ? like do you just describe what you did or should you speak about the firm in some way? like how your work links to what the firm is good at or something

also should we use bullet points?

thanks in advance

 

[user55998384]

Hi, of course, I think commercial awareness is definitely one of those things that is explored weirdly over the internet with many people suggesting other things.

Ways to keep up with news:
Create a brand new email, one that you do not use for anything else and using that, sign up to a bunch of newsletters. A lot of them cover the same news stories but often with slightly different reporting styles. I would recommend, as a start, to sign up to all of the ones I list, then picking and choosing what works best for you. The ones I signed up to:

• Finemize Daily
• Morning Brew
• The Daily Upside
• Economist
• International Intrigue (More focused on geopolitics)
• Non Billable (Definitely sign up to this one no matter what as it's different & legal related)
• Little Law (Didn't really use this but I'm pretty sure it has some good legal knowledge)

Technical Knowledge:
I don't usually like suggesting paid resources but "All you need to know about the city" is fantastic. Some of it is outdated but generally it's very useful as a beginner's guide to what you need to know.

Beyond that, I would learn:

• Inflation & interest rates and how they affect eachother and what they affect & what they're affected by
• Pros and cons of Share Sale vs Asset Sale
• Why companies acquire others
• Issues to do with Competition, IP, Tax, Employment et al. that could arise after a transaction
• Pros and cons of Equity vs Debt Financing
• Pros and cons of the different financial instruments/financing (bonds etc.)

Then for the big city firms I would try to learn a bit about PE, you don't need to watch law-specific videos but there's some great explanations of PE online. You can also learn a little about Private Credit and its differences to traditional lending if you want to particularly impress. This guy is pretty interesting about PE:

Then finally about a deal:
Check if the internet's usual news sources have the deal posted (FT etc.), they might not mention the law firms but they will go into the wider rationale of the deal (especially if it's a big deal)

Check the individual company's websites as sometimes they issue a press release about it. Then of course read the firm's websites about the deal. If you need further explanation you can always put in your sources and have a little conversation with AI about it.


Hopefully this was helpful, let me know if you have any further questions

thank you very much!!!!!!

 

[174Tess9y3]

I was looking at the application for a firm and accidentally pressed submit. I emailed grad rec to withdraw the application, as I want to apply properly. Are they gonna think I'm an idiot and not take my proper application seriously? (assuming they're willing to withdraw the first one)

 

[M85672]

Hi,

I completed two vacation schemes last cycle. In both, I scored exceptionally highly but missed out on both conversions by essentially 1-2 "marks". There was close to no negative feedback. I maxed out the marks on the interview too, which, from my knowledge, carries a lot of weight in an exit interview.

I'm now going into this cycle and having to go through the tedious process of these psychometrics and VIs. Not to sound arrogant or pretentious or "holier than thou", and I am speaking for myself here, but not getting past the test stage for some of these firms is extremely demoralising and makes me so close to quitting law altogether, because I know that, for me at least, they are completely unrepresentative of my capability to reach a final round interview, and/or getting an offer.

At least in my opinion, I think my experience is an indictment of the recruitment process which many firms adopt now, as it is not made in any way shape or form to select the strongest candidates, rather just the candidates with the most stamina - which completely diminishes the variance in difficulty which the process yields for people with different backgrounds.

What should I do? I am so close to quitting a pursuit of this career.

 

[sarg1234]

Hi,

I completed two vacation schemes last cycle. In both, I scored exceptionally highly but missed out on both conversions by essentially 1-2 "marks". There was close to no negative feedback. I maxed out the marks on the interview too, which, from my knowledge, carries a lot of weight in an exit interview.

I'm now going into this cycle and having to go through the tedious process of these psychometrics and VIs. Not to sound arrogant or pretentious or "holier than thou", and I am speaking for myself here, but not getting past the test stage for some of these firms is extremely demoralising and makes me so close to quitting law altogether, because I know that, for me at least, they are completely unrepresentative of my capability to reach a final round interview, and/or getting an offer.

At least in my opinion, I think my experience is an indictment of the recruitment process which many firms adopt now, as it is not made in any way shape or form to select the strongest candidates, rather just the candidates with the most stamina - which completely diminishes the variance in difficulty which the process yields for people with different backgrounds.

What should I do? I am so close to quitting a pursuit of this career.

Gotta keep on pressing. Outside of structured academics (and even then) not a lot is fair. You cannot quit when you are so very close to the finish line. Winners are often the last one standing.