TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[safari3]

I got it the day after I’d done the test

Sorry, I meant how long did you wait between receiving confirmation that you passed and being invited to a TI

 

[Goodbyetc]

Sorry, I meant how long did you wait between receiving confirmation that you passed and being invited to a TI

Around two weeks I think

 

[Amgrad]

Hi guys - I'm currently doing the cover letter for the Taylor Wessing application, and I had a couple of quick questions - if anyone has any advice, I'd be massively grateful!

1. On the application form, it says that candidates' cover letters must provide "details on your skills and why you have applied for the scheme". With this in mind, does a typical cover letter structure of why commercial law/why Taylor Wessing/why you sound okay?

2. I can't find anything on the Taylor Wessing website suggesting who the cover letter should be addressed to, but lawcareers.net suggests it should be addressed to Jasmine Hepple. I know that Jasmine Hepple works in Taylor Wessing's recruitment team; would it be a good idea to address it to her, or is it preferable to just put "Dear Sir/Madam?"

Apologies if these questions are a bit stupid; it's my first time writing in a cover letter in a while!

1. Yes, you can showcase whatever you think TW is peculiar in some way that is unlike any other firms. Also include its strong reason, not generic and not covered in your 2 essays.

2. Yep, she's so affable. I met her on the Open Day, you definitely can contact her by email, but sometimes it might be taking a while, if it's not replied you can go to TW online booth at Legal Cheek Virtual Law fair next Tuesday which was scheduled due to yesterday's cloudflare outage.

 

[BobThebIlly]

Does anyone know where to input university module grades on the Gowling DTC app? I'm really confused

 

[giuliarossi1610]

Around two weeks I think

When did you send your application if you don't mind me asking?

 

[abc124]

What is the deadline for the Mishcon test? They kind of give two deadlines in the email??

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi guys - I'm currently doing the cover letter for the Taylor Wessing application, and I had a couple of quick questions - if anyone has any advice, I'd be massively grateful!

1. On the application form, it says that candidates' cover letters must provide "details on your skills and why you have applied for the scheme". With this in mind, does a typical cover letter structure of why commercial law/why Taylor Wessing/why you sound okay?

2. I can't find anything on the Taylor Wessing website suggesting who the cover letter should be addressed to, but lawcareers.net suggests it should be addressed to Jasmine Hepple. I know that Jasmine Hepple works in Taylor Wessing's recruitment team; would it be a good idea to address it to her, or is it preferable to just put "Dear Sir/Madam?"

Apologies if these questions are a bit stupid; it's my first time writing in a cover letter in a while!

Hello!

No worries at all - these are not stupid questions!

A typical structure of “why commercial law / why Taylor Wessing / why you” works perfectly for your cover letter. The key is to keep it concise and to clearly link your skills and experiences to what the firm values. It’s a great place to highlight your transferable skills like teamwork, communication, or decision-making under pressure, using concrete examples from your past experiences that show why you’d be a strong candidate. Just make sure to outline ‘why this scheme’ in the ‘why TW’ part of your cover letter, and discuss what attracts you about the vacation scheme in particular

As for who to address it to, if you know that Jasmine Hepple works in the graduate recruitment team, it’s usually better to address it to her rather than “Dear Sir/Madam”, as it makes the letter more personal and shows you’ve done your research. Just double-check her role and the spelling of her name to be safe. If you’re not completely sure, “Dear Graduate Recruitment Team” is also a perfectly acceptable option.

It definitely sounds like you are approaching it the right way - just make sure to keep it focused, clear and use your examples to show how you demonstrate the skills needed

I hope that helps, and best of luck with your application!

 

[flower1]

Hello @Abbie Whitlock @Andrei Radu
In video interview question - why this firm - can explicitly state the firm's competitors and mention why this firm is 'better' or is it better to just say compared to US competitors in general? I have a firm I can directly contrast but I don't know how this will come across.

Thank you

 

[WeGotThis!]

Does anyone know any good sources to practice the Arctic Shores test?

 

[emily3827]

Does anyone know any good sources to practice the Arctic Shores test?

jobtestprep but i don’t think it’s free unless your uni has access

 

[TCSeeker999]

is 4,4,3,3 in arctic shores enough to pass from initial stage to VI stage for NRF SVS?

 

[whywhy88]

Is DLA Piper WG automatic?

 

[Lawlawland]

How cruel is Links WGT?

 

[DavidJC]

Is it true that FF Stage 1 has far more WG questions than the other SJT/WG tests?

Just need to plan out my time and find enough time to do it in one go if it really does have a lot of questions and needs much more than the 60 minutes suggested in the test invite

 

[yasmars]

Is it true that FF Stage 1 has far more WG questions than the other SJT/WG tests?

Just need to plan out my time and find enough time to do it in one go if it really does have a lot of questions and needs much more than the 60 minutes suggested in the test invite

The WG section is pretty substantial yes. But you are measured on speed and accuracy so you have to work through the questions quickly to score well. I think the full test took me under two hours to complete.

 

[GKT]

Anyone applied for DWF Open days? Getting close to the event day now and still haven't heard anything

 

[DavidJC]

The WG section is pretty substantial yes. But you are measured on speed and accuracy so you have to work through the questions quickly to score well. I think the full test took me under two hours to complete.

Ah ok, thanks, I'll just plan it around a greater period of free time then

 

[e.jy336]

Is Sullivan & Cromwell rolling? I saw on one forum that its not but another said it is?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Is Sullivan & Cromwell rolling? I saw on one forum that its not but another said it is?

Hello!

Yes, it looks like they are rolling! @Amma Usman took the time to email firm graduate recruitment teams to confirm, and has updated the list here.

Best of luck with the application!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hello @Abbie Whitlock @Andrei Radu
In video interview question - why this firm - can explicitly state the firm's competitors and mention why this firm is 'better' or is it better to just say compared to US competitors in general? I have a firm I can directly contrast but I don't know how this will come across.

Thank you

Hello!

I would avoid naming a specific competitor in a video interview - directly calling out another firm can sound a bit negative, and it risks shifting the focus away from why you actually want this firm.

You can still make the comparison, but I’d keep it broader - for example, “compared to some US firms” or “compared to others in the market”. Then focus on the positive reasons you’re drawn to this firm: the culture, training, work, sectors, or anything unique about the firm that stands out to you.

Overall, it’s better to frame it as “this is what attracts me here” rather than “this is why that firm isn’t right”.

I hope that helps - best of luck with your application!