-
Join Premium →Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training ContractNow half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
-
Register →From AI to Energy Deals: Inside a Full-Service Law Firm with Osborne Clarke8 Dec 2025 · 6pm (UK) Zoom · Registration RequiredYou want to write a strong Osborne Clarke application — but what really makes the firm different, and how do trainees experience the work day-to-day? In this session, you’ll hear directly from current trainees and Recruitment Advisor Patrick Fermin Ryan, so you can speak with clarity and specificity in your applications and interviews.
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Thank you!Hey!
Whilst I'm not 100% sure, I would tick select the 'Yes' option. Even though you already have the right to work for the vacation scheme, you did require permission for this and will also need it for the training contract - so the most complete answer is that you do require permission for the long-term role.
If you wanted to be sure, you could email the graduate recruitment team after submitting your application and explain the context of your situation. Most firms are used to this situation, so I think communication is just the most important thing!
No worries - I was also terrified in the beginning after looking at the practice test because I thought there were going to be numericals etc, etc. But the real test was just a slightly harder version of WG. Good luck!Thank you so much - you've been tremendously helpful!
Having done both FF tests, and echoing what Abbie's said, my weakest traits were the ones I thought I'd answered quite well on, it's just the nature of the Cappfinity feedback report that insists on there being weaker traits. You got this!
@Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock
Hi Andrei and Abbie, I hope you are well! I wanted to ask a question about re-applying to the same firm again. In the why commercial law questions, my motivations haven't changed but I do have noteworthy experience to add this year. However, adding anything is taking me over the word limit and I also wanted to keep my previous answer. So I am confused as to whether I need to change everything or change specifically the answers where I can add more details?
Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Andrei and Abbie, I hope you are well! I wanted to ask a question about re-applying to the same firm again. In the why commercial law questions, my motivations haven't changed but I do have noteworthy experience to add this year. However, adding anything is taking me over the word limit and I also wanted to keep my previous answer. So I am confused as to whether I need to change everything or change specifically the answers where I can add more details?
Thank you so much for your time!
"You are working on a query for a new client, which has to be responded to tomorrow morning. You were told it was important as Eversheds Sutherland want to impress them. However, you have a lot of work on and the query is taking you longer than you expected. You are now behind on your work for today. You also have emails from other people chasing you for work you have not yet started. What would you do? As part of your answer, please also describe what personal strengths would you draw upon and what would you find energising in this situation?"
Do we get extra points for pointing out grammatical errors in application questions? To show our attention to detail.
Do we get extra points for pointing out grammatical errors in application questions? To show our attention to detail.
No, I don't think you would. I would just focus on creating a strong application, free from spelling and grammatical errors.
If I had a quid for every spelling and grammatical error I've spotted in grad rec marketing material, websites, and application forms, I'd never have to worry about paying bills ever again, but we take the high road.
That said, the funniest typo I've seen so far is in Fried Frank's TC brochure: "Ethically Diverse Group of Employees" instead of "Ethnically" 🤣🤣🤣
I realised after applying to a firm that I had incorrectly stated an a level grade as higher than it was, it was via AllHires so I added a note to the additional information part of the form. Should I also email grad rec or is adding the additional information to the form enough?
- Sep 9, 2024
- 994
- 1,728
I think it should be fine, as the additional information form will serve as concrete proof the mistake was unintentional and that you gave the firm notice of it as soon as you realised it. Nonetheless, if you want to be extra safe, there is no problem with emailing grad rec about it to ensure they are actually aware of it.
I have a very different experience with the Mischon Chat interview... I finished it in barely 60 mns, it rarely asked any follow-up questions (only once or twice tbh). I genuinely don't know if that's good or bad.
The process felt pretty easy with voice notes. The only issue was the video interview presenting time...
The process felt pretty easy with voice notes. The only issue was the video interview presenting time...
- Sep 9, 2024
- 994
- 1,728
Hi @Legallylaw I hope you have had a good weekend as well! You certainly do not need to chance everything in your reapplication - in fact, if you put yourself in the perspective of the firm, it would be quite surprising if all of a sudden all of the main themes of your motivations and skills changed. Nonetheless, at the same time, you certainly want to make some changes; if you are asking the firm is to consider you as a candidate again, you cannot put forward the same application that was unsuccessful last year.
To show why they should reconsider your candidacy, you thus want to show some improvement, which can take the form of new experiences you can reference, but can also just be a better explained and reason version of the previous substantive answers. Thus, my advice is to not leave the answer exactly the same as before, but to redraft it to include the new noteworthy experience you mentioned.
I've spent the last two days working on my Skadden application and I'm very nervous as I really like the firm. I've now done multiple rereads constantly trying to figure out how replaceable "Skadden" is with another firm in my answers but remain unsure about it :/
At the very least, I think it's almost always replaceable with Latham or Kirkland and possibly any other firm doing cross-border M&A except where specific deals/names are mentioned lol
Just wondering if anyone else ever feels like this when trying to tailor their applications (not necessarily in relation to these firms and cross-border M&A specifically)?
At the very least, I think it's almost always replaceable with Latham or Kirkland and possibly any other firm doing cross-border M&A except where specific deals/names are mentioned lol
Just wondering if anyone else ever feels like this when trying to tailor their applications (not necessarily in relation to these firms and cross-border M&A specifically)?
They also have a strong international arbitration practice that you can point out as well
Similar threads
- Sticky
