TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[sagekensuke]

anyone got insights into sidley Online assessment? Willing to swap for macfarlanes, A&O, Latham

Hey, did you get an invite to their VI? If so, congrats!

 

[TJ360]

Hey, did you get an invite to their VI? If so, congrats!

hey, have not done Sidney. but can you tell more about A&O? how many video questions are there and are they motivational? I can share more about HSFK and Latham and Watkins online assessment if needed.

 

[Kakaboo]

Does anyone have a list of in house training contracts?

 

[PermanentParalegal]

This is my first proper vacation scheme application cycle. I’m a bit late to the game as I’m already full-time employed, but thought I’d post here to hold myself accountable and wish everyone else applying the best of luck!

SUBMITTED
Slaughter and May
Macfarlanes
A&O Shearman
Ashurst
Jones Day
Sidley Austin

TARGETING IN SEPTEMBER
Reed Smith
Dechert
Hogan Lovells
Freshfields
Paul Weiss
HSF Kramer
Milbank
Skadden
Mayer Brown
Gibson Dunn
Latham & Watkins
Goodwin

 

[yellowbirds008]

why was Hogan Lovells stage 1 so difficult omgg

 

[supernovna]

Is ANYONE able to access Linklaters application portal?

 

[tldrba]

Is ANYONE able to access Linklaters application portal?

Their website wasn’t updated until yesterday and it mistakenly said ‘Applications are now open’, but I don’t think anyone is supposed to be able to access it right now? Applications for this cycle open on 21 September.

 

[Antoni Trochimowicz]

Hi everyone! I'm trying to dig a bit deeper into being specific about my motivations for firms, specifically for US firms with smaller trainee intakes. What are reasons that a small trainee intake might be appealing, I am afraid that simply mentioning it without sustantiated reasoning will hurt my applications. Thanks!

Hi Danny, you're on the right track, definitely the right way to go about it. There are a multitude of aspects that benefit you in a small trainee cohort, one of the reasons I pursued US firms.

Some of the ones that come to mind immediately:

• Greater Responsibility early on
  • On a given M&A transaction in a US firm, you may have a partner, two associates and a trainee for instance.
  • This is in comparison to firms with larger cohorts having multiple trainees (& associates) on any given matter.
  • As a result, some of the more complex 'trainee work' you'd be given is actually primarily handled by Associates, whereas you may get stuck on the slightly more administrative-leaning tasks. (in any US firm, you'd still be doing administrative tasks but you have a greater chance to put yourself out there and do more).
  • Of course this is a generalisation, I've been at MC firms which give fantastic exposure to their juniors and by no means am I saying this is a hard rule.
• More of a individualised experience/training
  • With less trainees, your experience can be more easily tailored.
  • Training may be less formal, but conversely that means it can be done specifically for you when you need help with some things.
  • In contrast, if a firm has a large group of trainees, simply for administrative purposes, it would be easier to generalise a training curriculum.
• Closer contact to senior personnel
  • While distant partners can occur at any firm, this can often be harder in a firm that has a smaller cohort.
  • This is because, as mentioned before, their operations and deal teams are much leaner.
  • As such, you have closer contact to experts in the field, allowing you to learn more directly from the source.

These are the main reasons that come to mind that could be mentioned professionally in an application. I'm sure there are plenty of others, but hope that helps !

 

[TheHamlet4]

Are there VI questions in Ashurst’s first stage assessment?

 

[174Tess9y3]

Are there VI questions in Ashurst’s first stage assessment?

No

 

[supernovna]

@Antoni Trochimowicz Would you recommend mentioning 3 skills for this question? I'm conscious of the word count.


Q1: Tell us about any experiences outside of your work and study that have allowed you to develop skills that are relevant to this role. (Max 250 words)

 

[Bottega_Veneta]

Hi @Antoni Trochimowicz hope you are well!

As the application cycle kicked offand more and more m law firms pivot toward immersive assessments like the Cappfinity, Amberjack and Suited platforms I'm finding it a bit tricky to know how to approach them.

I'd love to get your perspective on a few things if you have a moment:

• What are they actually testing? Since they both blend situational judgment, math, and behavioral questions into a simulated workspace, what core traits or strengths are firms really looking out for?
• How can we best prepare? Unlike the Watson Glaser where you can practice raw logic, these feel a lot harder to study for. Are there specific frameworks, mindsets, or resources you recommend using to tackle them?

Any advice or tips you could share would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks!

 

[username10341034]

please can anyone tell me how much time is given to prepare for A&O VI questions?