TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Donuttime]

is the first Latham test a video interview?

 

[RSK]

is the first Latham test a video interview?

first test is sjt and mini wg

 

[gao8899]

On Sidley's market position and strengths:

• Sidley is a Top 10 global law firm by revenue (sitting around the $3.5bn mark), is more international than most US rivals (with 20+ offices), with a large both New York and London presence (currently the 17th by London-generated revenue, having surpassed the $225m mark).
• The firm is known for its high-value transactional work, and is therefore uncontroversially deemed to be part of the newly formed group of "global elite" law firms (a group of highly-profitable firms with strong offerings in both London and New York, who are expected to increased their hold over the transatlantic deal corridor over the coming years).
• While sitting just bellow the traditional "Vault 10" group of firms (a US publication ranking the biggest US firms by prestige based on associate reviews every year) in terms of historical reputation and also profitability (most V10 firms are sitting around the $7 million average PEP figure, while Sidley's PEP is approx $5 million), the firm could be compared with the likes of Milbank and Paul Hastings in terms of its embrace of private capital work and its huge recent growth to catch up with the historical New York elite.
• Speaking of an embrace of private capital, while Sidley had historically been very strong in traditional banking, securitisation, and financial regulatory work, but, as this type of work took a hit post 2008, the firm has shifted to servicing the booming PE industry.
• In London, this is reflected in their practice area strengths, as the firm has top tier teams for PE Funds work and PE buyouts, and more recently has hired one of the best leveraged finance teams in the market from Latham. This move was very talked about last year as it is thought to demonstrate (i) Sidley's growing ambition in London; and (ii) its increasing clout, having been able to hire rainmaking partners from Latham, a larger and more profitable firm, that has traditionally been seen as more dominant in the private capital space.
• Finally, in London Sidley is also known for its regulatory work, being particularly strong in financial services and life sciences - a feature that differentiates it from most of its US rivals. This is apparently also helping Sidley secure work on PE deals that come with particular regulatory complexity.

Thank you so much @Andrei Radu this is so helpful!!
Would you suggest I read up on any specific topic/developments as well?
Thanks again!

 

[Zhiru Mu]

Does anyone have any tips for the CC VI, or can they share any previous questions CC used for my own reference 🥹

I really appreciate any help you can provide!!

 

[Wompycapy]

For those who have taken the HSFK test: how many 'moderate fit' did you guys have?

 

[RSC2001]

For those who have taken the HSFK test: how many 'moderate fit' did you guys have?

Three - and I passed.

Good luck!

 

[BM99]

Does anyone have any tips for the CC VI, or can they share any previous questions CC used for my own reference 🥹

I really appreciate any help you can provide!!

Didn’t the email already kind of hint what questions will come up?

 

[Zhiru Mu]

Didn’t the email already kind of hint what questions will come up?

Noo 😭😭😭😭 I know previous years they sent questions. But in my email, there were no attachments of qs. Unless u mean what the qs will roughly be like, yea CC hinted. But for the previous years, CC gave out the qs 😞

 

[user55998384]

Three - and I passed.

Good luck!

does it tell you in your email of results if you passed or do you get it after

 

[CharlesT47]

Hi @Andrei Radu Was hoping to hear your perspective.
Right now, I'm trying to write about the UK's recent relaxing of the capital rules for banks.
I'm struggling though to get deep into the analysis outside of the obvious increase in dealmaking. (I.e PE/ M&A transactions rely on a lot of leverage. Now that banks have more capital to invest with, these two areas will likely boom).
How can I then flesh this out/ have more commercial depth?
Is it fair to say that certain practice areas will benefit more/ less? Will drug research/ life sciences see additional increases in activity because of how capital intensive this area is?
Alternatively, is this perhaps not the best topic to use for a commercial issue application answer? I just wanted to hear your opinion, since I remember you saying how your answer was on a similarly broad commercial topic like how low interest rates affect deals.

 

[RSC2001]

does it tell you in your email of results if you passed or do you get it after

I received my pass email a few hours later in a different email.

 

[user55998384]

I received my pass email a few hours later in a different email.

thanks!!

 

[anonymous.15]

has anyone not heard from CMS post WG? Did mine a month ago so not sure to assume PFO

yes they rejected me post WG

 

[FutureAntitrustLawyer]

I received my pass email a few hours later in a different email.

hi, if you don't mind sharing, what tips would you recommend for doing well in the SJT?

 

[Maddy]

Any Reed Smith updates recently?

 

[abc124]

Has anyone got a Reed Smith AC recently? I’ve been waiting for a month now post test, wondering if I should just assume PFO 😭

 

[anonymous.15]

How do you view your feedback for the HSFK test

 

[Rads]

Hello, any inputs for Macfarlanes first online assessment? How to prepare and what kind of questions?

Would really appreciate, thank you!

 

[nansies]

Are graduates allowed to apply to Sullivan & Cromwell's vac schemes? I was about to submit my app when I read the following on their website:

"S&C offers two-week placement schemes in the spring and summer for students interested in joining the Firm as a trainee. [...] We will accept applications for our 2026 spring and summer vacation schemes from penultimate-year law students and final-year non-law students, as well as those studying for postgraduate degrees, from 1 October 2025 through 5 December 2025."

They seem to recruit mostly from vac schemes, so do graduates have an almost zero chance of getting a TC offer from S&C?

 

[wooliewoo]

Hello, any inputs for Macfarlanes first online assessment? How to prepare and what kind of questions?

Would really appreciate, thank you!

Hi! It's the same as the FF stage 1 test if you've done that before! I'd reccomend practising some SJT and watson glaser Qs! And maybe have the firm's values in mind when answering the SJT sections. Good luck!