TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Prudentia]

Just out of curiosity, are ACs usually held on weekdays or is there an option to choose Sat or Sun? I know it would differ from firm to firm, but it's important to know.

I haven't been to an AC at a law firm, but I would be very surprised if any were held at weekends. They tend to be held during business hours.

 

[Andrei Radu]

Has anyone done a gibson Dunn zoom interview before any tips?

Hi @V2002 I linked here a couple of resources:

• A free TCLA article with a candidate's interview experience from 2017/18
• A 2020 thread where candidates discussed interview experiences at the firm
• A 2024 thread where candidates discussed tips for Gibson Dunn interviews
• A detailed description of a candidate's interview experience from 2023/2024 (available on the Premium Database)
• Similar article from a candidates interviewing in 2022/2023 (also available on the Premium Database)

As for general tips for Zoom interviews, I would say the following:

• Since you will be behind a screen, the nature of the medium will make it harder to really "connect" with the interviewer; as such, I think you should try to be extra enthusiastic and personable to make up for the less personal nature of the medium.
• Generally, I would try to not rely at all on notes, as it can (i) be noticeable in terms of where you are looking; (ii) be noticeable in terms of you having pre-prepared phrases that do not come out as naturally formulated on the spot; and (iii) can distract and confuse you (as you may come up with certain points in your mind as you are also looking through your notes, and then be undecided how to combine them and what to say) and therefore disable you from putting forward a cogent answer in a composed manner.
• If you have to have notes around you, keep it to a minimum of very high level bullet points, which you should only consult if you completely forget what you were going to say to answer a specific question.

 

[Happy Law Student]

Has anyone registered for the Goodwin virtual open evening on the 20th? Instead of letting me register I had to do a written application instead.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Just out of curiosity, are ACs usually held on weekdays or is there an option to choose Sat or Sun? I know it would differ from firm to firm, but it's important to know.

Hello!

Whilst I couldn't say definitively on whether there are any firms that hold ACs on weekends, from my experience, they are almost always on weekdays (as the graduate recruitment teams working hours will be in the week).

If you did have genuine constraints (e.g. work schedule, caring responsibilities, etc), it's definitely worth asking the graduate recruitment team as they may have some flexibility in scheduling an AC at a more convenient time for you

 

[yk1906]

Hello!

Whilst I couldn't say definitively on whether there are any firms that hold ACs on weekends, from my experience, they are almost always on weekdays (as the graduate recruitment teams working hours will be in the week).

If you did have genuine constraints (e.g. work schedule, caring responsibilities, etc), it's definitely worth asking the graduate recruitment team as they may have some flexibility in scheduling an AC at a more convenient time for you

Thank you! I haven't been invited yet, but I tend to think about every possible scenario in my head, and I wanted to know that since I'll be working full-time...

 

[Annabellekoll]

Has anyone done a gibson Dunn zoom interview before any tips?

Congrats on getting an interview!! I’m just curious since I’ve also applied- when did you apply and when did you hear back?

 

[Amgrad]

Has anyone registered for the Goodwin virtual open evening on the 20th? Instead of letting me register I had to do a written application instead.

All Goodwin's Open Afternoon have already closed since 17/10. I registered for the another date and met them on multiple events. I have confirmed my place and they sent me the timetables on Friday, so I regret to tell that they might don't accept any applications anymore.

 

[Happy Law Student]

All Goodwin's Open Afternoon have already closed since 17/10. I registered for the another date and met them on multiple events. I have confirmed my place and they sent me the timetables on Friday, so I regret to tell that they might don't accept any applications anymore.

Not in person but a virtual one on the 20th of November. It said the deadline for registration was the day itself.

 

[Amgrad]

Not in person but a virtual one on the 20th of November. It said the deadline for registration was the day itself.

Not sure about that, but the grad rec (Riya) told me that all Open Evening have closed, including the virtual one.

In fact that even though the event is virtual, it is competitive since they ask to write essays. Many law firms also required essays for their virtual OD like Taylor Wessing, Cooley, Gibson Dunn, King Spalding, Akin, SH, CRS, WFW, B&B, Simmons, etc. I met TW on their online OD and there were only 40 participants, unlike legal cheek or AAL events that could be hundreds.

For non selective virtual OD, you can register for Clyde & Co, Shoosmiths, Skadden, Farrer, Gowling, etc.

 

[vweewcvew]

Hey!
I understand how chaotic application season gets, especially when both the deadlines pile up. I would like to share a few practicea that genuinely helped me stay sane amidst the chaos:

For applications:
1. I made a full list of firms, their deadlines, what appealed to me, and whether they were rolling. It helped me narrow my list down to around 15–25 firms and prioritise the important ones first.
2. I handled all the long answer questions together. I logged into every portal at once, pulled out the long-answer questions, and put them all into Obsidian (notion like platform) so I could draft offline. Then I grouped similar questions and slowly built pointers for each over 2-4 weeks, usually on my phone on the Tube or while eating, just like chatting. By the end, I had a strong content bank that only needed tailoring for each firm. I didn't have to think or brainstorm much when applying, as that took the most time for me tbh.
3. I dealt with all the admin sections together too. I grouped applications by platform (AllHires, Vantage, CVMail, SmartRecruiters) and filled in all the basic, repetitive info across multiple tabs at once. On days when I didn’t feel like writing answers, I used that time to complete these sections so they weren’t a chore later.

Doing everything in small, manageable pieces made the whole process so much easier. And because I spaced it out, it never clashed with my academic work.

Academics:
I broke big tasks into simple steps too... one day to brainstorm, one day to plan the structure, another to draft one section, another to refine it, and so on.

Distinctions mattered to me, so I didn’t let application stress take over. I even skipped a few applications when they clashed with my immediate priority (that crucial 70+).

Whenever I felt torn, I asked myself one simple question:
“What will I regret more in five years, missing an application or missing a distinction because I didn’t focus enough?”
For me, the answer was always the latter. That question helped me decide what to prioritise, and it's a useful trick whenever you’re conflicted. I hope that helps you to prioritise what matters to you.

Wishing you the best ♥️

This rlly motivated me, thank you so much for sharing your strategies😭

 

[Happy Law Student]

Not sure about that, but the grad rec (Riya) told me that all Open Evening have closed, including the virtual one.

In fact that even though the event is virtual, it is competitive since they ask to write essays. Many law firms also required essays for their virtual OD like Taylor Wessing, Cooley, Gibson Dunn, King Spalding, Akin, SH, CRS, WFW, B&B, Simmons, etc. I met TW on their online OD and there were only 40 participants, unlike legal cheek or AAL events that could be hundreds.

For non selective virtual OD, you can register for Clyde & Co, Shoosmiths, Skadden, Farrer, Gowling, etc.

Was it a recent event that they said the virtual ones are closed too? I knew the in person ones were done, but they sent out an email saying register for this virtual one earlier this week.

 

[Amgrad]

Was it a recent event that they said the virtual ones are closed too? I knew the in person ones were done, but they sent out an email saying register for this virtual one earlier this week.

It was legal cheek & AAL events last Tuesday and Wednesday .Again, not sure but you can ask them to clarify as they might be reopened it due to high enthusiasm or some candidates who gave up places.

You can check their events on website: https://www.goodwinlaw.com/en/news-...11/goodwin-uk-early-careers-autumn-recruiting. As you can see there is no button to apply for Open Afternoon anymore, only the insights to application.

 

[lawstudent2]

Hello!

I'm really sorry to hear about the rejections - it is an incredibly competitive process, and sometimes really good candidates unfortunately don't make it to the next stage because the competition is so high. As you have stated you have gotten to ACs / test stages before, it may have been that it wasn't a good fit at this time - it's important to remember that you'll end up at the firm that is the best suited to you

I thought I would just add my thoughts on this as an SQE intern in the Reed Smith early careers team - to confirm, we do simply check that you are on track for / have achieved a 2:1 (even if this isn't in all modules), so your grades wouldn't have played a factor in the decision (for Reed Smith).

One thing I would really recommend is making sure that your application answers clearly demonstrate research into the firm - not just what they do, but why those things matter to you personally. Make your motivations really specific and genuine rather than general, and tie in your previous experiences, hobbies, and overall interests. It also helps you back up every point you make with a concrete example. If you say you're interested in a particular practice area, mention a deal, initiative, or piece of work that shows you actually understand it - but focus on showing how your previous experiences made you interest in this kind of work. I would also try to link your skills and experiences directly to what the firm is looking for, such as the traits and qualities that they highlight on their website.

Strengthening those elements and ensuring your application is super tailored can make a big difference in standing out, even when the competition is this tough.

Wishing you all the best this cycle

I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling low. Unfortunately, rejection is just part of the game. Having been on both sides of the recruiting table, you can do everything right and still not get the job. Getting a rejection doesn't always mean you're a weak candidate. TCs/VSs are highly competitive, and there is a huge element of subjectivity and luck that goes into deciding who progresses.

Thank you both for responding, this is all really helpful

 

[SamiyaJ]

I am planning to apply to NRF again for SVS, as I was rejected for WVS post VI. Is it ok to use the same cover letter again or should it be changed? Not much has changed in terms of my motivations since I last applied!

 

[dababy4005]

'Which other firms have you applied to?'​

How honest should you be in answering this question, esp if youve applied to a range of firms - PE-focused US firms, full-service silver circle firms, etc. etc.
if the firm that you subsequently accept a tc from finds out that you had applied to places which you did not disclose when answering this question at interviews, would that be a problem? thx.

 

[summersun]

'Which other firms have you applied to?'​

How honest should you be in answering this question, esp if youve applied to a range of firms - PE-focused US firms, full-service silver circle firms, etc. etc.
if the firm that you subsequently accept a tc from finds out that you had applied to places which you did not disclose when answering this question at interviews, would that be a problem? thx.

Hi I personally never disclosed the full list but usually mentionned firms who had similarities. This was not a problem to obtain a VS (they never asked again) so I don't think it would be an issue for a TC either.

 

[llblawstudent]

6,6,77 for the amberjack…really quite dejected because of this because I really have been trying to improve at this and such a bummer that this plus VI are why I’m still being rejected

 

[Bread]

6,6,77 for the amberjack…really quite dejected because of this because I really have been trying to improve at this and such a bummer that this plus VI are why I’m still being rejected

Are those not good scores?

 

[llblawstudent]

Are those not good scores?

I was rejected by other firms having got higher so I’m guessing I haven’t met the benchmark

 

[James Wakefield]

6,6,77 for the amberjack…really quite dejected because of this because I really have been trying to improve at this and such a bummer that this plus VI are why I’m still being rejected

This is decent to be fair!

People can get through with 25+