It seems to vary by firm, but I had Links cancel my winter VS application in favour of a DTC app.
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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
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I don’t see why it would be an issue, the spring/summer interviews are usually ran on a similar timeline. So as long as you let them know early on, should be okay. There’s also no harm in asking, I say go for it
Ok thank you! That does make sense :0I don’t see why it would be an issue, the spring/summer interviews are usually ran on a similar timeline. So as long as you let them know early on, should be okay. There’s also no harm in asking, I say go for it
How do you write a strong conclusion for a written exercise? And how should it differ from an executive summary at the start of the email/memo?
Hi!
This can vary between firms, but it's often possible! After securing a Summer VS, I contacted the early careers team at another firm I had to applied to for a Summer VS and asked whether I could switch to the Spring scheme instead. They agreed, and I ultimately received a Spring VS offer from them (so it isn't going to negatively impact your application!).
If you're considering doing the same, just make sure you reach out as early as possible as it makes the process much easier for them to accommodate. A polite email explaining your situation and asking whether a switch is possible is completely acceptable
How many achievements/positions of responsibility did you discuss on Willkie's application given the 500 word limit? Gemma said 3 should be fine but firms usually have 300 words for this question not 500.
- Sep 9, 2024
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No worries! For the types of transactional-focused firms you mentioned, the information relating to the practices you mentioned covers the core of what you will need to know. Besides that, I think you should just aim to be able to explain in laymen terms some more basic business and commercial law concepts, such as:
- Fundamental company law & company organisation matters, such as the different roles of shareholders vs directors, role of articles of association, concept of limited liability and separate legal personality, differences between companies and partnerships, etc.
- The different economic sectors: you should be able to categorise an companies according to the sectors they operate in, and to have a general understanding of how the sectors work (ie what are the final products and services, how do their supply chains operate, who are the biggest players in the market)
- Types of institutions in financial markets and their different roles: corporates, investment banks, PE funds, hedge funds, venture capital funds, asset managers, private credit funds, etc.
- The different types of legal services offered to these clients by different practice areas of a law firm, particularly in relation to what teams come into a transaction at different times (ie you should be able to explain what antitrust, employment, data & privacy, disputes, tax, IP and other teams do and how they contribute to successfully representing a client in an M&A or finance mandate).
- A basic understanding of the differences between dispute resolution methods: you should be able to explain what litigation, arbitration, mediation, and negotiated settlement are and when each of those may be most appropriate.
- Sep 9, 2024
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I think what matters more here is how you go about discussing achievements or positions of responsibility rather than how many of them you discuss. You want each of your points to be properly contextualised and to be very specific about what you exactly did and accomplished, but at the same time to be concise and to stick to what is truly important. For a 500-word answer, I think anything in the range of 3-5 separate experiences to discuss would be considered acceptable.
Thank you!! I've emailed them now - the deadline for the scheme is tonight, so hopefully I am early enough!Hi!
This can vary between firms, but it's often possible! After securing a Summer VS, I contacted the early careers team at another firm I had to applied to for a Summer VS and asked whether I could switch to the Spring scheme instead. They agreed, and I ultimately received a Spring VS offer from them (so it isn't going to negatively impact your application!).
If you're considering doing the same, just make sure you reach out as early as possible as it makes the process much easier for them to accommodate. A polite email explaining your situation and asking whether a switch is possible is completely acceptable
- Sep 9, 2024
- 1,020
- 1,774
Not at all - I was progressed to the AC stage following two different VI experiences where I had failed to properly conclude my point and got cut off in at least one answer. I think recruiters generally care a lot more about your substantive points and about how you went about expressing them than about whether you stuck very strictly to the intended format, to the extent that they can easily overlook issues with the latter if they are quite happy with how you handled the former.
Thank you, I was thinking 4! Would you recommend highlighting exact skills developed and connecting them back to the role of a trainee solicitor? (The original question is: "Please tell us about your achievements and positions of responsibility.") Their grad rec said no skills under the work experience section but this is a supporting question so I'm unsure.
I think I discussed 4, 3 positions of responsibility and 1 achievement. Don’t think you’d need to hit the full word count for it. Depends on the amount of detail you go into for each I guess.
@Abbie Whitlock @Andrei Radu Hi, I've got a VS at Slaughter and May (HK). I'm also applying to VS in London, targetting specifically US firms. Is it worth mentioning this VS despite the fact that it really doesn't fit the profile of the firms I am applying to in London? In other words, is it better to show I am a desirable candidate by mentioning this experience? Or does it actually negatively impact my application because 1) it shows I am not committed to HK and 2) I am not committed to PE/ US firms.
You could leave it blank or put a rough estimated date as to when your contract will end. Suppose you could also put the current date (Dec 2025), so it signals you are still working there.
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