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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Same question here, confused on their eligibility. And also on the app form for Pathways to Practice-there is a question: This programme has been designed for underrepresented student groups, please can you confirm which under-represented student group(s) you identify with.* But they did not say their criteria or under-represented category in any place-what accounted as their criteria.
Same! Someone said if you apply to the VS you get to re-do the SJT - was surprised to read that but might give it a go!
Same, very confused! I have emailed Grad Rec to get some clarity on this
Hey!
You definitely don't need years of professional experience to answer a question like this well! They're interested in how you think and approach problems, not whether you've managed a huge project etc.
You can absolutely draw on experiences from university, part-time jobs, internships, volunteering, or even group projects. The key is to show a logical thought process and reflection. One way to structure your answer could be:
- Set the scene briefly: describe the situation or challenge. It doesn't have to be dramatic - something like a tough group project, a time you had to fix a mistake, or organise something under pressure works fine!
- Identify the key issues: make sure to explain what the main problem was and how you recognised it. Examples of issues could be communication gaps, missing information, or conflicting priorities.
- Gather information: talk about what you did to understand the issue better. This could be asking for feedback, researching, looking at data, etc. Make sure to outline the steps you took to address the situation to show how you assess problems.
- Involve others: mention how you worked with teammates, a supervisor, classmates, or friends to come up with solutions. They will be looking for teamwork and collaboration, so it's important to outline what your role in that team was.
- Describe the outcome: what happened as a result of your decision or action? Try to show a tangible result, including something positive or a lesson learned.
- Reflect: I would end your answer by saying what the experience taught you, and how you'd apply that insight in the future. You can discuss the skills learned as well, and how these may be applicable to problems you would encounter as a trainee.
Hey yes you definitely can I know a future trainee who didn’t get the open day but did the vac scheme in the same cycle
Hey!
Congratulations on reaching the AC!
That sounds like a really solid approach already, especially your issue-impact-solution structure. That's a clear and concise way to tackle the case study element. If you want to expand it a little further, you could also think of it as situation-analysis-recommendation-justification. That way, you start by setting context briefly (what the client wants or the key facts), then walk the assessors through your reasoning before landing on your proposal.
A few other quick tips that might help:
- Prioritise, don't summarise - in the bundle, you won't have time to cover everything. Focus on identifying which issues matter most to the client and why. Framing your presentation around commercial priorities rather than purely legal details tends to matter the most!
- Signpost clearly - partners often appreciate structure (and it helps you to avoid rambling!). Phrases such as "There are three key risks I'd highlight..." or "I'll start with X before moving on to Y..." can help show confidence and a clear idea of what you'd like to address.
- Anticipate questions - after presenting, they are likely to challenge you on assumptions or risk trade-offs. It's perfectly fine to say something such as "That's a good point - if the client were particularly risk-averse, I might consider doing X instead". If you have a set justification for why you have chosen a particular route, it's perfectly fine to stick to your original plan and explain why to the partners. However, if they bring up something you hadn't considered, it can be a good idea to be open to changing your mind or discussing it further.
For the contract part, you're absolutely right - I was always advised that knowing common clauses helps. I'd also suggest practising how you explain them in plain English. The assessors might want to see that you can translate technical terms into practical advice a client would understand.
As for the verbal Partner scenario, I'd say that the key is active listening. Note the facts, clarify anything unclear ("Just to confirm, is the client concerned about...?"), and when responding, make sure to structure your answer logically. I might follow something along the lines of: issue -> outline considerations -> suggest next steps. It's less about having the "perfect" legal answer and more about showing a clear, thoughtful process and your judgement in these situations.
You're absolutely right about striking a balance - defend your position if it's reasoned and you can explain why, but be open to adjusting when presented with new facts or perspectives. It's definitely a tricky balance, but they'll be looking for how you think under pressure, not whether you know every detail.
You're clearly preparing thoroughly already - sounds like you're in a great position going into the AC! Best of luck!!
Thank you sm!!Hey!
You definitely don't need years of professional experience to answer a question like this well! They're interested in how you think and approach problems, not whether you've managed a huge project etc.
You can absolutely draw on experiences from university, part-time jobs, internships, volunteering, or even group projects. The key is to show a logical thought process and reflection. One way to structure your answer could be:
Even if your example feels "small", focus on how you thought through the situation - that's the main part that the graduate recruitment team will be evaluating
- Set the scene briefly: describe the situation or challenge. It doesn't have to be dramatic - something like a tough group project, a time you had to fix a mistake, or organise something under pressure works fine!
- Identify the key issues: make sure to explain what the main problem was and how you recognised it. Examples of issues could be communication gaps, missing information, or conflicting priorities.
- Gather information: talk about what you did to understand the issue better. This could be asking for feedback, researching, looking at data, etc. Make sure to outline the steps you took to address the situation to show how you assess problems.
- Involve others: mention how you worked with teammates, a supervisor, classmates, or friends to come up with solutions. They will be looking for teamwork and collaboration, so it's important to outline what your role in that team was.
- Describe the outcome: what happened as a result of your decision or action? Try to show a tangible result, including something positive or a lesson learned.
- Reflect: I would end your answer by saying what the experience taught you, and how you'd apply that insight in the future. You can discuss the skills learned as well, and how these may be applicable to problems you would encounter as a trainee.
Hey, I spoke to them at an event a few weeks ago and they said they want to see how you have interacted with Hogan Lovells through these events or how they relate back to Hogan Lovells. So for example, in my application, I talked about attending Skadden's Open Evening and a discussion I had about Competition Law, and linked that back in terms of international firms doing international work at the intersection of government/regulation and business (something HL strategically aims towards).
As a general rule of thumb with questions like these, you should try and list what it was, talk about what you learned/gained from it or any positive outcomes, and try and link that back to the firm you're applying to.
- Sep 9, 2024
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I think this structure makes sense; when answering this kind of question, I also used to split it up in a 'Why commercial law generally" and a "Why the firm" part, allocating around 1 minute of speaking time to each. I like this structure because it makes it very clear that you are addressing both points in the question directly; and ensuring the recruiter doesn't get lost when listening to your answer is crucial for progression.
That said, if there is significant overlap between your general why commercial law reasons and your firm-specific motivations, you could also bridge the analysis and go for the following approach:
- Explain reason 1 why you want to work in commercial law; and the explain how this motivation makes the law firm particularly well-suited for you (e.g. if you want to go into commercial law because you enjoy advocacy and working on contentious matters in a business context, you could make a nice link to how this fits well with the strengths in disputes of firms such as HSFK).
- Explain reason 2 for pursuing commercial law, and then explain how this also makes the firm a particularly good fit.
Hello!
It definitely is still worth applying! The application process for the open day and the vacation scheme are both competitive, but they are looking for completely different things.
As long as you submit a strong, tailored application for the vacation scheme, there is no reason why you can't be progressed to the next stage (despite being rejected for their open day).
Best of luck!
Hey!
Try not to worry - it definitely won't hinder you if you haven't attended a Hogan Lovells event specifically. That question is mainly there to see whether you've engaged with the legal sector as a whole and taken steps to learn more about the profession, rather than to test that you've interacted with that firm specifically.
You can absolutely talk about other firms' events or broader legal-sector experiences - for example, insight days, commercial law webinars, student law society panels, or even networking sessions where you heard from lawyers. What matters is that you show:
- You've actively sought opportunities to understand the world and culture of commercial law firms
- You can reflect on what you learned and how it's influenced your motivation to apply to Hogan Lovells specifically
"Through attending X firm's insight day, I developed a stronger understanding of how cross-border work operates in practice, which particularly attracted me to Hogan Lovells given its international client base."
In short - they're testing your curiosity and initiative, not whether you have attended an event of theirs specifically. You'll be absolutely fine as long as you show genuine engagement and how what you learned has drawn you to Hogan Lovells.
Best of luck with the application!
This has nothing to do with me or anyone else not knowing about the “biggest legal story”. You were being cryptic. Others on the forum asked you to explain further. Simple.
This also does not mean I use/rely on AI in applications.
Good day and good luck this application cycle😄
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