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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

Abbie Whitlock

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Member
Premium Member
Sep 11, 2025
283
229
@ZNadeem @Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock

In no more than 1440 characters including spaces (this is approx. 200 words), tell us about your extra-curricular activities and positions of responsibility or an achievement of importance which you are most proud of.

How would you recommend structuring this answer? Should we talk about our experiences and positions of responsibility or one achievement of importance?
Hi!

You've got two solid options, which can both be really strong depending on the experience and examples you give.

Extra-curricular / Positions of Responsibility

If you've had several meaningful roles (e.g. society leadership, volunteering, competitions) you could focus on an underlying theme such as teamwork, initiative, or impact. Use 1-2 sentences per activity to show your progress, the key skills gained, and your own personal contributions. This approach works best if you can show consistent engagement or leadership across various contexts - such as being a committee member in a society, or leading volunteering events.

One Key Achievement

If you have a standout accomplishment that really captures who you are (e.g. founding an organisation / society, leading a major project, or winning a significant award), you can dedicate the whole question to that. A potential structure could be to describe the challenge, your role, what you learned, and the outcome.

When I have previously answered this question, I discussed achieving a high grade in a module that I found particularly challenging, and described why this was a challenge and the steps I took to address it. As long as you can fully outline your narrative, most key achievements will work for this question!

In terms of structure (for either approach), I would follow something along the lines of:
  1. Opening (1-2 lines): set the context or theme
  2. Main body (4-6 lines): describe your main responsibilities, actions taken, and the impact you had
  3. Closing (1-2 lines): reflect on what it taught you or how it shaped your long-term career goals
I would choose whichever route provides you with the strongest example from your previous experiences. Either way, I would try to keep it reflective and specific - impact matters more than quantity!
 
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Harvey Specter

Legendary Member
Jul 4, 2024
629
2,440
Not sure about Mayer Brown but Weil only closed yesterday so don’t think anyone has heard yet. Seems like they aren’t really rolling for their events.
In the email Weil sent after I submitted the 8th Oct insight day app, it said apps are reviewed on a rolling basis but before invites are sent out, all apps would be reviewed by early careers.

For the 8th Oct insight day, the deadline was 28th Sept and I received my invite the next day, on the 29th. They said they had received 200+ apps for 25-30 places, which is insane!

They might receive more apps for this upcoming insight day. They have insight evenings over the next few weeks which all have varying deadlines so are probably reviewing those too.​
 

TCLA Moderator

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TCLA Moderator
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Jun 7, 2021
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Hi everyone!

We just wanted to post a quick reminder about what can and can’t be shared on TCLA. We really appreciate how much everyone contributes - your insights help make the legal profession more accessible, and it’s great to see you all supporting others on their journey.

At the same time, we want to ensure we strike the right balance between sharing useful information and maintaining the integrity of firms’ recruitment processes.

✅ You are welcome to share:
  • The structure of an interview or assessment;
  • Examples of interview questions;
  • General themes from case studies, written exercises, or assessments;
  • Your positive or negative experiences of the process; and
  • Advice on how to prepare for interviews and assessments

❌ Please do not share:
  • Video interview questions; or
  • Specific assessment content, such as exact case study scenarios, group tasks, or written exercise details

We also kindly ask that members also do not request this type of restricted information from others. Equally, if someone asks for information about a specific law firm, please don’t feel you need to respond. This is completely your choice.

We know everyone here wants to help others succeed, and thank you for continuing to do that while keeping the process fair for all applicants!

You can read our full community rules and guidelines here: TCLA Forum Terms and Rules
 
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Abbie Whitlock

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Member
Premium Member
Sep 11, 2025
283
229
This may be a silly question, but how do I answer this?

'How do you rate your computer skills? Please give details.'

The rating is just a drop-down selection box but what am I meant to write for 'please give details?'
Hi!

Not a silly question at all - I'd probably be a bit confused too!

I would rate your skills using the drop down box, and the "please give details" box could be used for a short explanation of what you can actually do. For example, you could write something like:

"I'm comfortable using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint) and online research tools. I am confident in learning new software and managing digital files efficiently."

I would basically use that space to describe what kind of programs, tools, or systems you are comfortable with using - you don't need to oversell or undersell yourself. I wouldn't stress too much over the question, just be honest about your capabilities with digital systems.

I hope that helps! :)
 
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