TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Bread]

I'm rather disappointed that I didn't get invited for the next VS stage at Simmons.

I put a lot of time and work into that application over the last year, including working with a firm mentor through Aspiring Solicitors, attending three in-person office events in London and Oxford, and 1-on-1 calls with two different firm partners. My prep was solid.

The thing was... I am pretty sure that I was rejected for a low score in the maths test! It would be such a shame to fall down over something like that.

Welcome to the game, we hate it here

 

[qaz99]

W&C WVS!!!! I am in so much shock right now

Congrats!! When was your interview?

 

[WillKitchen]

Got the Invite!

Me too. See you there!

 

[firmfirm]

100Qs WG is crazy

wow here I was thinking it was a normal WG. these firms are something else

 

[ninarosee]

wow here I was thinking it was a normal WG. these firms are something else

yeah let's hope it doesn't become standard practice!

 

[nonlawstudent98]

Congrats!! When was your interview?

The 7th

 

[emily3827]

does anyone know at what point in the process Dechert contacts references?

 

[Chelsea101]

Mishcon 's test was horrible! I kept missing some typing mistakes because I could not see my answers well and I even sent a few with typos by mistake because it sent them when I was still correcting my parapgraphs 😭 Basically spent two hours typing just to purely expect a PFO....

Same to all of what you just said- how did people find the MDR VI question after. My brain was so fried from staring at a screen for almost three hours I messed up so badly

 

[sadboi]

does anyone know at what point in the process Dechert contacts references?

Presumably after the AC?

 

[llblawstudent]

684 in Simmons 😭😭😭😭

 

[WillKitchen]

Same to all of what you just said- how did people find the MDR VI question after. My brain was so fried from staring at a screen for almost three hours I messed up so badly

I'm really sorry to hear that. The Mishcon test was one of my favourites so far!

Yes, it takes a long time. But I felt like I had much more control over things. The video section was short and simple, and not as stressful as others.

Mishcon really stand out from the crowd with the AI chat. I'd like to see more of that, but I know not everyone will agree.

 

[yasmars]

Same to all of what you just said- how did people find the MDR VI question after. My brain was so fried from staring at a screen for almost three hours I messed up so badly

Idek if I can even be bothered to do the test. I don’t wanna spend ages on something I’m going to mess up

 

[user55998384]

Simmons AC!

congrats!! when did you apply?

 

[lawyersum]

Idek if I can even be bothered to do the test. I don’t wanna spend ages on something I’m going to mess up

It is literally impossible to tell how you've done. Just make sure you and your strengths shine through. It's a strange way of assessing people but they have to take some people through to the next stage and it may well be you, so do it!!

 

[Suii]

For those who did Mishcon test is it worse than HL test and FF test. I am thinking of applying for Mishcon but don't know what to expect from it like whether its worth putting my mental health through it to get that pfo. I did the HL test and that was the worst from allof the tests this cycle. I can provide advice for other firms in return.

 

[msclm]

does anyone know at what point in the process Dechert contacts references?

From what I understand in the interview invite email, they contact the references before the scheme starts (presuming you get offered the wvs post interview) but you can start the scheme without it confirmed. I imagine it comes into play with tc determinations.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock, I'm quite unsure as to how I should approach the question "Please give details of computer skills rating?". There is no specified word count, but all the other questions have a 250 word limit. I'm not sure whether they are looking for us to go into dept about the various software programmes I've used in my internships/VS and then ultimately make a self-assessment.

Hello!

I don't think it is necessary to write too much for this section! I would rate your skills overall in various software programmes that you have used, and provide a short explanation of what you can actually do. For example, whilst I'd make it personal and go into a bit more detail, 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 essentially use the question to describe what kind of programmes, tools or systems you are comfortable with using - I wouldn't stress too much over the question, and just be honest about your capabilities

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi guys,

I hope all is well! I'm currently going through the Taylor Wessing application form, and I had one small query about the section where we're supposed to enter our university module results. As ever, if anyone has any ideas, I'd be hugely grateful!

Basically, candidates are asked to give a "letter grade", and a "number grade" for each module. The letter grade part is pretty obvious (you put down whether you've got a First, a 2.1, etc in that module), but I'm wondering what to put down under the "number grade" section! The problem here stems from the fact that my university gives marks out of 200 (not 100) for each module - for instance, if I got 70% in a particular module, then I received 140 marks out of 200. The problem is that the "number grade" box doesn't let candidates write down "140/200" (because the slash symbol isn't a number), nor does it let candidates enter, say, "70%" (because the percentage sign isn't a number).

At the moment, I'm planning on just writing down the score out of 200 I got (e.g. if I got 70%, just writing down "140"), as any potential confusion should be obviated by the fact that (a) I'm able to specify whether I got a First or a 2.1 for each module, and (b) because the application form allows me to attach a CV, which enables me to clarify that the university module marks are out of 200. Basically, I'm hoping that, when the application form asks me to type in a "number grade", it's not necessarily asking me to give my results as a percentage out of 100!

Does this sound like the right thing to do?

Hey!

I think your plan sounds completely fine. The "number grade" box is just so they can see the numerical mark behind the classification, and firm's know that different universities use different marking systems.

If your uni marks out of 200, entering the raw mark (e.g. 140) is a sensible approach as you are also providing:

• The letter grade / classification, so they'll immediately understand the classification band, and
• Your transcript or CV which will explain the marking system, so they can then easily see that 140 corresponds to 70%

Normally, I would always just put the percentage in the number-grade box where possible, but if the form doesn't allow this, I think inputting the raw mark is the next best option (and completely fine!).

I hope that assists

 

[emily3827]

From what I understand in the interview invite email, they contact the references before the scheme starts (presuming you get offered the wvs post interview) but you can start the scheme without it confirmed. I imagine it comes into play with tc determinations.

where are u seeing this in the interview email? thank you though!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

For scenario-based questions, how bad is it if you answer in hypotheticals, without brining in any real-life examples?

My brain gets overwhelmed trying to explain my approach and refer to examples from my life within only 2mins and I’m scared I’ll get cut off mid-answer unless I stick to just the hypotheticals 😭

Hello!

You definitely can use hypothetical answers for scenario-based questions, and I wouldn't say it is a bad approach, but the ideal approach is to use a mix of both. The graduate recruitment team mainly want to understand your thought process, so a clear and structured hypothetical answer is absolutely acceptable if that's what helps you stay calm and concise within the 2-minute limit.

That being said, weaving in even a very brief real example can strengthen your answer because i shows you've actually applied that approach in practice. It doesn't have to be a full story - even a single sentence such as "For example, in my part-time job at X I handled something similar when..." is enough to show credibility without using too much of your time.

Something that really helped me was writing a small bank of examples in advance - a few for teamwork, a few for conflict, a few for organisation, etc. Then in the interview, I didn't have to search my brain for stories and I already knew which quick example I could mention to anchor my hypothetical answer.

A good structure could be:

• Explain your approach hypothetically (explaining your reasoning and steps)
• Add one short real-life reference from your example bank
• Finish with the outcome you'd aim for

However, if sticking to hypotheticals are what allow you to stay clear and structured, that's totally okay - content and clarity will matter more than forcing a long example. It's better to give a strong and coherent hypothetical answer than a rushed, half-finished real-world one.

I hope that helps!