TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[manifestingthetc]

Travers PFO lol

 

[Kad28]

Same. I thought i wrote a great application as well

 

[yk1906]

Travers PFO lol

Same. First PFO of the season for me

 

[shadowboxer909]

Same. I thought i wrote a great application as well

I'm expecting mine in a little while.

With assessment centres in December, they've probably done interviewing the candidates they need.

 

[Hello25]

Anyone heard back from slaughters after interviews last week?

Yes, it took three working days.

 

[TCLA0322]

King & Spalding open day pfo: said they can offer a February virtual insight session.

 

[shays]

Sorry fell out of loop with this thread so not sure if this has been asked, anyone heard back from Eversheds?

 

[fta2024]

does clifford chance send over wg immediately and does this have to be completed by deadline (or is it application itself only)?

 

[WeGotThis!]

Is Gowling WLG deadline at 23:59?

 

[Winter]

Travers PFO lol

Same. I thought i wrote a great application as well

Same. First PFO of the season for me

Sorry to hear guys!! Rejection is redirection. Can I ask when you guys applied?

 

[Jess_AspiringSolicitor]

Is Gowling WLG deadline at 23:59?

Yes, that’s the time listed on the TC job post on their website.

 

[Hopefully2025]

Travers rejection post virtual interview

 

[enyildiz]

Does anyone know if the Clifford Chance team reviews our first or latest submitted application when we make changes to the DTC application (the portal is still open and the page allows changing inputs and saving new inputs)

 

[Andrei Radu]

Guys hi! Could someone please help me figure out what 1st and 2:1 correspond to on the 4/4 GPA scale. Universities seem to have differing requirements depending on which country the degree was received from (ie Oxford requires a 3.6 from Turkey for 1st while LSE requires a 3.5 and QMUL requires a 3.3), so I’m not sure what to write on my TC applications.

For reference, I earned my LLB degree in Turkey with a 3.48 and my LLM degree in the United States with a 3.46.

I would choose the standard of conversion used by most leading institutions in the UK. Have look as to what GPA the other top universities here would consider equivalent as a first depending on the country: if you see most of the likes of Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL etc. would require only over a 3.4 GPA for the US degree, you can put down a "first" there; if you see they would also require a 3.5-3.6 for the degree in Turkey, you should put down a 2.1 here. This is important so that if you are questioned later on why you claimed these degree qualifications, you can back it up with credible sources of authority.

 

[enyildiz]

I would choose the standard of conversion used by most leading institutions in the UK. Have look as to what GPA the other top universities here would consider equivalent as a first depending on the country: if you see most of the likes of Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL etc. would require only over a 3.4 GPA for the US degree, you can put down a "first" there; if you see they would also require a 3.5-3.6 for the degree in Turkey, you should put down a 2.1 here. This is important so that if you are questioned later on why you claimed these degree qualifications, you can back it up with credible sources of authority.

Thank you!!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Good evening everyone,

Wanted to ask you all, or whoever would like to assist, for some advice. Basically, I'm a final year law student in London, and I did not manage to secure a TC yet (did a vac scheme but couldn't convert). I obviously applied this year for vac schemes and direct TCs but I feel less hopeful about securing a TC.

Accordingly, I am really wondering whether I should pursue the LLM SQE myself next year ; or whether I should go to a national/local firm in the GCC (where my father is a partner) and just work two years there to convert that into QWE and then in Sep 2029 (so with two years of experience) do my LLM SQE and pass the SQE... Is the wait better, in terms of chances of transferring back to the UK, or would me leaving the UK be sort of an impossible way to return for grad recs in London?

I ask this because applications this year are for 2028, so if I do my LLM, I would technically be unemployed from June 2027 until Jan/March/Sep 2028 (although I could work in the local firm in the meantime)...

Also, assuming I choose the working two years abroad option, after returning and doing my LLM SQE (technically at this point I would become a solicitor), how would I even enter the UK legal market? would they want another training contract, or as an associate? would it be more difficult than me currently trying to secure a TC or slightly more relaxed? Would I need to work a few extra years abroad so I gain even more experience, so say PQ1+ or it would work without? because I really want to work in London but it's just so competitive...

Idk who to @ but I guess whoever could help that would be truly appreciated. Many thanks.

Unless you practice English law in a big law firm context abroad, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to start as an associate here; from my understanding, most qualified lawyers (outside of some exceptional cases of lawyers from jurisdictions such as Australia) from abroad who come to the UK and want to practice English law have to restart as trainees. As for whether this would advantage you - the added work experience bit would definitely be helpful, but at the same time, as you mentioned, this will raise questions as to your commitment to working in England. As such, if you were to go down this route, you should have a good explanation (which goes beyond mere convenience) as to why you would choose this over trying to gain more work experience here instead.

Whether this is the right choice or not is not something anyone else can tell you, as this is highly dependent on your circumstances, preferences, and plans. If were in your situation, if I had the financial resources available and was also very committed to becoming a commercial solicitor here (in the sense that this is not a mere preference, but a major career and life goal), I would probably try to complete the SQE myself and get some commercial/legal work experience before the next application cycle. If you manage to pass the SQE, add this valuable experience in the UK, and work on your applications, I think this will put you in a very competitive position - particularly since you already have some clout associated with having been on a VS before.

Alternatively, if finances are more of an issue, and also if you would not have a huge issue with the idea of a potentially more delayed start date, you could try to get a job after you finish the degree as a paralegal/in house/some other commercial or legal role and aim to be successful in applications and get a law firm to sponsor your SQE the year after next.

 

[bells123]

Applied to Travers just before the deadline and haven’t heard back yet but seen people have had VI’s already?! Is this normal?

 

[Amgrad]

King & Spalding open day pfo: said they can offer a February virtual insight session.

Sorry to hear that. Did they not offering the virtual one instantly? Do you need to reapply and rewrite essays for the next one in January?

 

[Bob142]

Anyone heard anything from Slaughters after DTC interview last week?

 

[AMullin]

does clifford chance send over wg immediately and does this have to be completed by deadline (or is it application itself only)?

I applied on the 6th, got the WG invite on the 11th and it stated it needed to be completed within 5 days starting from the following day.