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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

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#2,703
Jonjones said:
Does anyone have any insights for the W+C VI?
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I personally did not apply to WC, so sorry! However, I heard from friends that it is quite commercial awareness based. They recommended preparing a WC deal to speak about - practice explaining it in simple terms under time pressure, and why it interests you. With that said, VI prompts can change year-to-year, so try to be ready for anything - apologies I can't be more specific! Best of luck!!
 
#2,707
Cristiano Ronaldo sui said:
Guys what are the advantages of LW open day? trying to weigh the pros and cons of an Open day application.
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Hi! I never actually attended the LW open day, but I did attend their First-Year Scheme and Vac Scheme. At least as of last year:

Advantages:
- If you attended the open day, you were fast-tracked to vac scheme AC. This does not mean you are guaranteed an AC spot. It just means, if you do apply and pass the written app round (the questions for vac scheme and open day apps were different) and if your test scores etc. were high enough, you wouldn't have to redo the VI, SJT, CA for your vac scheme application, as you would have already done all this for your open day application.
- If you do NOT receive an open day offer, at least as of last year, you could still apply for the VS. My friend received a VS offer, but was actually rejected for open day in that same cycle, so it doesn't seem that they blacklist. You technically would have more practice, as you would have the chance to 're-do' the CA, VI, etc.
- A different friend who attended last year said that some of the sessions they gave were helpful for the case study component of the AC.
- Shows motivation for joining the firm, and a good experience to write about in your vac scheme application + at AC interviews for 'why Latham?' etc.

Disadvantages
- Not strictly necessary! A lot of my friends who received VS and TC offers from Latham did not attend their open day. I didn't either. A lot of my friends who did attend the open day did not receive AC, VS, or TC offers. So it doesn't guaranty or not guaranty anything.
- It is very competitive and time-consuming to apply to. There's nothing to lose, but don't feel discouraged if the outcome doesn't turn out the way you wanted!

If you do apply, I wish you the best of luck! Hope that helps :)
 
#2,710
Connie2410 said:
I have got to the video interview stage of Latham's open day (I did not realise there would be so many stages for an open day!) Are the video interview questions open-day specific (i.e., not the same questions as the vac scheme), as I'm worried that if I don't get the open day, I won't be eligible for the vac scheme? Also, if I do get the open day, would I be fast-tracked to the assessment centre?
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Hi! I can't say for certain on this cycle, but last year: 1) not open day specific, same as for vac scheme 2) you are still eligible for vac scheme if you are rejected from the open day, 3) yes. If in doubt though, I would recommend writing to their Grad Rec just to be sure!

Minhee said:
Hi! I never actually attended the LW open day, but I did attend their First-Year Scheme and Vac Scheme. At least as of last year:

Advantages:
- If you attended the open day, you were fast-tracked to vac scheme AC. This does not mean you are guaranteed an AC spot. It just means, if you do apply and pass the written app round (the questions for vac scheme and open day apps were different) and if your test scores etc. were high enough, you wouldn't have to redo the VI, SJT, CA for your vac scheme application, as you would have already done all this for your open day application.
- If you do NOT receive an open day offer, at least as of last year, you could still apply for the VS. My friend received a VS offer, but was actually rejected for open day in that same cycle, so it doesn't seem that they blacklist. You technically would have more practice, as you would have the chance to 're-do' the CA, VI, etc.
- A different friend who attended last year said that some of the sessions they gave were helpful for the case study component of the AC.
- Shows motivation for joining the firm, and a good experience to write about in your vac scheme application + at AC interviews for 'why Latham?' etc.

Disadvantages
- Not strictly necessary! A lot of my friends who received VS and TC offers from Latham did not attend their open day. I didn't either. A lot of my friends who did attend the open day did not receive AC, VS, or TC offers. So it doesn't guaranty or not guaranty anything.
- It is very competitive and time-consuming to apply to. There's nothing to lose, but don't feel discouraged if the outcome doesn't turn out the way you wanted!

If you do apply, I wish you the best of luck! Hope that helps :)
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#2,711
solicitor_2028 said:
Hi guys, I have started preparing for my third application cycle this year alongside working as a paralegal full-time. Upon reflecting on my performance in the past two cycles, I feel like I need to improve my WE section and its structure/content.

Although I got quite a bit of experience during uni (part-time job, uni exec committee roles x2, volunteering x2 , legal internships x2, mini-pupillage x1, open days x8, positions of responsibility x2) I don't think I'm able to utilise it as effectively in my applications.

I noticed I progressed much more in applications that required a CV over applications applied on candid or allhires. I don't know whether this is because I used bullet points in my CV and should be sticking to that for candid and allhires etc too? but I have heard that it's not recommended to write in bullet points unless specified either. Also, I don't know whether there is such a thing as TOO many WE entries and I should perhaps be cutting it down or pooling similar roles into one entries??

I'm in a bit of dilemma about this so ANY tips or advice on this would be greatly appreciated!!!!
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Hi! You have a wide range of very strong work experience - that's so impressive! I agree with you that it definitely isn't the actual content that is letting you down. I address your question on 'too many wex entries' and 'writing in bullet points vs prose' in the comment below. At the bottom, I also go through potential content ideas. I hope that is helpful and feel free to ask any follow-up Qs if needed!! Best of luck!
Minhee said:
Completely agree with FutureLawyer on this!

For each firm: I would recommend asking Grad Rec if they have any preferences in terms of: 1) prose / bullet-points, and 2) whether you should link skills gained back to the role of a trainee.

Should I identify skills + link to TC? Some firms prefer you explicitly name skills gained, other Grad Rec I have spoken to say this is not needed and that they can pull this out themselves. If unsure, I don't think there is any harm in including them, especially if the TC has a particular structure (e.g. if it is non-rotational, I would explain how being proactive, self-motivated, etc. would be especially helpful in this context. If it has an AI seat and I have experience in tech, I would explain how that links, etc.)

Number and range of experiences: I also agree with max 10 experiences, though some app forms might limit you to 6. As FutureLawyer said, I wouldn't self-screen too much, because an experience you might think is not that relevant might turn out to be exactly what Grad Rec are looking for, but I would avoid repetition. E.g., If you have 5 entries focused on collaboration, maybe change one to highlight your written communication skills, ability to respond to constructive feedback, manage time, etc. Similarly, if all your positions are the same (all entries are related to tutoring or even formal legal internships), I would try to add some variety so you have more talking points at interview and so that you are able to show you are a well-rounded candidate. E.g. Retail, volunteering, some legal internships (if you have them), some non-legal internships (if you have them), other part-time or full-time jobs.

Volunteering as wex? I completely understand the comment on no volunteering, but I did actually include volunteering under the wex section in all of my applications! There might be some Grad Rec who don't prefer this, but the people I spoke to recommended I do, and it never came back to me in a negative way. This might have also been because my volunteer positions were quite formal (working at legal clinics, assistant teacher at a primary school, etc.) However, I would add any society positions as extracurriculars.

Content? There are different ways to go about this.

I liked to spend 1-2 sentences describing what the role was (volunteer, part-time worker, manager, team leader, etc.), where it was (a local cafe, a primary school, a multi-national NGO, a boutique law firm, etc.), how I got it (selected as 1 of 20 from 100 applicants after submitting a CV and cover letter, etc.), and the general role (how many hours worked? every week? day? with how many team members? etc.)

I found that my entries would become too long if I literally spoke about everything I did, so I made a table with 2 columns: 'Skills' + 'Experiences'. I would ask Grad Rec or check the firm website to see which skills each firm looks for. If in doubt, you can also look at SRA guidance to see which competencies are sought in solicitors generally. They usual ones would be: collaboration, leadership, attention to detail, communication, integrity, growth mindset, analytical thinking, flexibility, proactivity, time management, problem solving, etc. For each skill, I would find an experience to link it to, then choose which responsibilities and actions I want to speak about accordingly.

For example, if I was speaking about working at a cafe:

- For problem solving, I could talk about dealing with negative customers: A customer was unhappy about a certain order not being available, I made sure to acknowledge his frustration and apologise, treating the situation with empathy and patience, then proposed alternative dishes he might like and offered him the chance to taste test them.
- For growth mindset, I could talk about how I struggled with coordination: Being transparent about my weaknesses, asking other waiters for tips, when a big order needed to be delivered, flagging this to colleagues beforehand and finding someone who would be able to help me bring dishes to the table later.

These are just some examples! It is great if you can also give an outcome / quantity! If you were a tutor, how many students did you work with? Of what ages? Did they see an improvement in grades? Etc.

I hope that is helpful and all the best with your app!!
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#2,713
rain2801 said:
Hi, would appreciate any insights on the following:

(1) do firms look at your prior applications if you apply in a new cycle as well (for example, would my training contract application for 2025-26 have any bearing on my training contract application for 2026-27 for the same firm, specifically those such as Slaughters and W&C?);

(2) would including another set of results or different results from an earlier application be viewed negatively? (Basically I shifted universities after year 1 due to a better course and location I got in my next attempt, but hadn’t disclosed the grades I got from my year 1 university in any prior applications since I genuinely forgot about them as they were never considered for anything, even including applying for jobs even in my home country. I’d like to include them going forward since I realise it can be considered academic dishonesty as per UK standards, but would like to understand how much firms compare your prior applications to new ones especially when additional information is included); and

(3) In my new university’s year 1, I had to retake a module due to a huge discrepancy in difficulty levels between two sets of the same paper administered on different dates (we could choose one of two dates for this exam as this was our first physical exam post COVID, and the majority of the batch chose the later date and got the harder question paper set), to the extent that everyone who received the harder set (around 4/5th of my cohort) failed (this can be verified with the university). This led to an internal academic inquiry wherein it was found that the difficult set contained out of syllabus questions and was disproportionate to the content we were taught in lectures. This exam was re-held and students were given the option to retake this exam free of cost (usually we are charged a retake fee), but this was true only for those who sat the exam on the later date (ie those who received the harder set). My university hasn’t provided clarity on whether the scores from the harder set were preserved (making this a retake) or whether the harder paper was cancelled (which would make it a first attempt). I’m still awaiting my final transcript, but I’d like to disclose this regardless in my future applications. My question is how much would it affect my applications for firms which value grades a lot, like Slaughter?

Thanks in advance for any pointers! @Jaysen @Minhee
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Hi!

(1) I think this would depend on the firm. I have spoken to some Grad Rec at other firms who said they do not compare current applications against past applications. But you would have to check with Slaughters and W&C. Sorry I can't be of more help here!

(2) I agree with you that you should definitely add any / all scores you have ever received. I don't think this would be an issue, but if asked why you didn't include them the first time around, I would just be open and transparent to Grad Rec and say exactly what you have said here! I had a friend who accidentally mis-entered one module grade a band higher and another module grade a band lower in his app form. He only found out after he had received his scheme offer and was going through grade checks. He just wrote to Grad Rec, explained the situation, and apologised for the mistake, and they were very understanding! It may be true that not all firms will respond in the same way, and it's definitely better to avoid these situations if you can, but I wouldn't get too stressed about it. We forget things - it happens! You're doing the best thing by being honest about it, and fixing it the next time around.

(3) Sorry that happened to you! I understand your situation, and I think the firms would too, as long as you explain (in any 'further information' or 'EC' or just write a separate email to Grad Rec). I would lead with the 'internal academic inquiry' issue, the fact that the exam was re-held with no re-take fee, and if possible, ask your university for clarification on whether this was actually a re-take or whether the paper was cancelled (if it was cancelled, definitely include that). I would focus less on the fact that it was 'harder' - what you are saying is completely legitimate, but I wouldn't want to risk someone skim-reading the message, assuming you are speaking about personal struggle with the difficulty not a fairness issue with the exam, and discarding your comment. It's true that Slaughters does focus on grades, but considering your circumstances, I believe they would be willing to make exceptions, and you would likely have the chance to explain this at interview too.
 
#2,718
Love how firms won't let you select BTECs under GCSEs. Like, are you not interested in my D* in Creative Digital Media Production?? Every little helps, and can't you tell it's my strongest selling point? Magic Circle I'm ready 😍

Laugh Giggle GIF
 
#2,719
Minhee said:
Hi! That’s such a fair question - I found SJTs so odd when I first started taking them.

I know this can be frustrating to hear, but I do think your instincts matter more than any method. I gave the same responses on every SJT I took, and I passed some firms and failed others. It’s a question of natural fit and (in my opinion) impossible to game. It’s easy to overthink then end up selecting an option that does not reflect who you are, and still does not align with what the firm wanted - so, while I know it’s easier said than done, do try to follow your genuine choice!

With that said, sometimes, I didn’t know which option was genuinely right for me, because (as you mentioned) they all sounded similar. In these instances, I would take the following steps.
  1. Read the scenario / question. Make a list of all the firm’s values that you think might be relevant. So, if the scenario is: 'A partner has asked you and two colleagues to complete a complex project within the next week. It involves reviewing a large volume of detailed legal documents. How would you tackle this?' I would think: ‘you and two colleagues’ - COLLABORATION; ‘complex project’ - maybe RESILIENCE or CRITICAL THINKING; ‘within the next week’ - TIME MANAGEMENT; ‘reviewing a large volume’ - ORGANISATION ; ‘detailed’ - ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
  2. Rank each value based on how much it matters to you. This can feel tricky - don’t overthink it. If I was someone who really enjoyed working with people, I might go 1. COLLABORATION. If I’m someone who values submitting perfect work, I might go 1. ATTENTION TO DETAIL. If I’m someone who prefers to get things ticked off my to-do list quickly and punctually, I might go 1. TIME MANAGEMENT.
  3. Read each option, and see whether they support or go against each value. So if option A is ‘Suggest working closely as a team, so you can support each other throughout', - that's definitely very collaborative. If I have ranked collaboration as my first value, I would at least shortlist that as my ‘most likely to’. If I have ranked collaboration as my last value, I would probably not consider it for my 'most likely to'.
  4. Pay close attention to wording. Say B. is 'Talk with your colleagues about how you work together to meet the deadline and ensure a high quality product'. That is also collaborative, but a bit different. B is more outcome and time management focused (high quality product and meet the deadline). A puts more emphasis on the process and actual action of collaborating (so you can support each other throughout). Which is more important to you? Collaborating towards a common defined goal or just collaborating in itself? I know this is a bit abstract-y - this is the tricky part! When you're faced with options that appear to support the same competencies / are very similar, I found looking at the specific wording to be helpful in differentiating them. Again, if you’re in doubt, just answer with what you feel is right :)
I hope that is helpful and good luck!!
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Thank you Minhee!!

@Jaysen has the feature to favourite posts been removed? I noticed a while back but always forget to mention it. 😭
 

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