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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27
- Thread starter Abbie Whitlock
- Start date
Hi!
Not a silly question at all.
I am not absolutely certain but this is probably an automated invite triggered by your submission and after completing the minimum criteria/mitigating circumstances check, and if the minimum criteria is met they would invite you to the next stage, which would be the test. You have probably cleared the automated eligibility criteria on the form for academics, but they read your actual answers after the test.
Based on my application to HSF Kramer last cycle, they will reach out to you again after the test letting you know if you meet the benchmark for the test and then your application would be under review. I hope I have not confused you on the process, hope this helps.
Best of luck with the test!
Hi!
I am not sure of the specifics so someone else may be better placed to chime in here, I can help with the general side.
I personally had some negative feedback with a written exercise and spend a lot of time working on them.
I would suggest looking at executive summaries for formatting tips and how you would summarise the problem if your written work requires a summary.
Before you start, split the time you have into slots per section and be strict about moving on when a slot runs out. Then leave a comfortable 5 to 7 minutes at the end purely to check spelling and grammar. It feels like time you cannot spare, but a clean document reads as far more competent than a slightly longer one with typos in it.
For the structure itself, I am also linking in some really useful advice that I referred to while doing mine. I would focus on the purpose and issue, relevant background facts, your analysis in two or three points, risks and how they are managed, then a clear recommendation and next steps. Prioritisation is also quite important, so picking the three or four issues that actually matter rather than trying to cover everything.
Good luck with Dechert!
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2025-26.9717/post-243593
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/posts/220349/
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/posts/231327/
Same. Does anyone know if they send the tests to everyone? Or pick people that get the tests?
For Winston Taylor , unfortunately I left an important part out. My postgrad degree for a prestigious uni. I couldn’t find the postgrad section and it didn’t let me add more than one uni. I messaged the grad email.. hopefully my application won’t be impacted 
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Helloo!
I can understand that this might be a quite stressful and overwhelming.
I was able to take time off, and hence was not working full-time during the last cycle. However, prior to that I was working part time alongside uni and a couple of positions of responsibility, so the scale was different, but I also did face the problem of fixed commitments eating the week was the same.
The thing that helped most, and @Abbie Whitlock has described a great approach in an earlier answer, is writing out an actual weekly schedule and blocking specific hours for each thing rather than working on whatever feels most urgent that day. Your work hours are fixed, so they go in first and everything else fits around them. The useful side effect is that the schedule then tells you how many applications you can realistically do, which is a much better way to land on a number than aiming for fifteen and finding out in November that it was never possible.
On being efficient rather than busy, I would say your four moving parts are not always equal. Applications have deadlines, where some might be rolling or closer to you, so they get prioritised more. Events really depend, if you have been to a few then I would only go to ones where you have not met the firm, or it is a specialised event that focuses on practice area or has a set agenda that might give you something specific you can use in an application. If you are not able to attend events, you can easily make up for it by reaching out to people on LinkedIn where trainees and associates are usually more than happy to chat with you, and you might feel more comfortable or get to ask more questions during such a chat. Tests vary across firms, if most of the firms you are applying to have a Watson Glaser then it is worth practicing now or earlier instead of doing it throughout the application cycle. Depending on your interests and the list of firms you are applying to, if say 2-3 out of 15 have tests then it probably is not worth spending 1-2 hours weekly throughout the cycle practicing for tests.
Commercial awareness usually requires gradual work. I would say there are two types of commercial awareness: static and dynamic. Static commercial awareness are your basics, like what is a bond, different ways of financing a transaction, warranties v/s indemnities, etc. Dynamic commercial awareness would be trends and ongoing updates. For the latter you can try this exercise periodically, take a single business story and work through how it affects a firm's clients, which practice areas it touches, what risks or opportunities it creates, and how you would advise on it. Keep the notes in bullet points. It is twenty minutes or very limited time, and those notes come handy for written exercises and interviews, so it stops being a separate task competing for time.
Prioritisation definitely helps here. I know that this does not necessarily cover everything or make it instantly manageable, but taking these different aspects one at a time and spreading them along your schedule really helps. When I was applying, I knew that I had a lot of deadlines around Christmas and New Year, so I spend most of the extra time I got outside of applications, uni, and work, on completing/ doing most of the work for any upcoming uni assignments, reshuffling my calendar to make more time in December for apps, and working around these time blocks to make it work. I still ended up having a few stressful and overworked days but this definitely helped tone it down.
One last thing. When you build the schedule, block the breaks in rather than leaving them as whatever is left over. Being around close friends and family, and stepping away regularly, is a big part of what got me through it. This runs for months, so social time and breaks are worth protecting.
Good luck with it all you got this!
Last edited:
What might the Dechert written exercise include? Any tips for structuring and writing a good response? @Antoni Trochimowicz
Hey,
I am sure Antoni will get back on this. I am attaching some useful responses on this from before, hopefully this helps till then!
Hi!
I am not sure of the specifics so someone else may be better placed to chime in here, I can help with the general side.
I personally had some negative feedback with a written exercise and spend a lot of time working on them.
I would suggest looking at executive summaries for formatting tips and how you would summarise the problem if your written work requires a summary.
Before you start, split the time you have into slots per section and be strict about moving on when a slot runs out. Then leave a comfortable 5 to 7 minutes at the end purely to check spelling and grammar. It feels like time you cannot spare, but a clean document reads as far more competent than a slightly longer one with typos in it.
For the structure itself, I am also linking in some really useful advice that I referred to while doing mine. I would focus on the purpose and issue, relevant background facts, your analysis in two or three points, risks and how they are managed, then a clear recommendation and next steps. Prioritisation is also quite important, so picking the three or four issues that actually matter rather than trying to cover everything.
Good luck with Dechert!
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....ns-discussion-thread-2025-26.9717/post-243593
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/posts/220349/
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/posts/231327/
Hi, would anyone who attended the Hogan Lovells event yesterday be willing to share notes? Thank you!
No, your application will undergo a separate initial review, probably to verify grade requirements. Good luck!
Hi there! I was wondering if anyone has received any news on the job simulation (stage 2) of the Macfarlanes winter vacation scheme application?
Hi! I'm unsure of the exact format of the Dechert one. I'd recommend scouring this forum and others to see if potentially someone from previous years has given insights. Otherwise, the post written by Avocado essentially has all the advice & pages I could give. Wishing you the best of luck!
Hi, I think it took them about a month and half to give me the interview invite. I applied in November and got it last few days of December I believe.
Hi! That happens more than you think, Graduate Recruitment will be used to it. I'm sure your application won't be impacted in anywayFor Winston Taylor , unfortunately I left an important part out. My postgrad degree for a prestigious uni. I couldn’t find the postgrad section and it didn’t let me add more than one uni. I messaged the grad email.. hopefully my application won’t be impacted
. They will simply make a note of your added information next to your application.Similar threads
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