TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[opticskibidi]

I don't want to sound like a doomer, but I've recently come to the realisation that the content of our application answers doesn't matter. These answers often just act as a filter for the other parts of your candidate profile.

Obviously I can't share these but, I have an old friend's successful applications from his second year of university. Trust me when I tell you that he essentially copy/pasted the exact same application for every firm he applied to – even down to using the same adjective for each of these firm's cultures. They were absolutely indistinguishable. However, this guy was on track to getting a first, he held multiple executive (society) positions, and he had also secured a large number of first-year schemes. If anybody else had written those applications, they would have been binned. But, his candidate profile was genuinely so impressive that (in my opinion) firms were willing to look past the lack of substance in his application answers.

I disagree with this. I have had roughly the same experiences and extracurriculars as in my previous cycles. What truly made the difference for me was sitting down and telling a story in my applications. I gave recruiters a break from all the AI-generated content they read and showed them who I am through my experiences, and why those make me a strong fit.


I do think it’s crucial to gain experiences and participate in extracurriculars to a certain extent, but mainly to help you answer questions like ‘why commercial law?’, or ‘what do you bring to x firm?’ on the application form.


Changing my style led to a considerable shift: I went from 26 straight first-stage rejections to, so far this cycle, progressing in 6 out of 8 applications and even reaching an assessment centre at a US firm. It’s all about mentality. Once you change the way you approach applications, that’s when you start progressing.

Keep it up, we’re all in this together!

P.S. I’m not an Oxbridge student with 10 first-year schemes; I go to a non-target RG and did one first-year scheme. I have worked in fast food and retail since I was 16, though.

 

[Harvey Specter]

LMAO I'm flying the night before (like the night of the 17th) so I'm gonna be abslutely wrecked haha - I'm not too sure what to expect with this either? I thought they'd give some more information in the email but apparently not 😭

Me neither tbh I’ve not done one of these before and the time to prep for it is baso non-existent so I’m just gna hope n pray for the best atp. 🥲​

 

[janiicemyla]

congrats! did you get the invite yesterday?

thank you! Yes I did

 

[a0]

skadden literally count your days omg

 

[elle woods]

Me neither I’ve not done one of these before and the time to prep is baso non-existent so I’m just gna hope n pray for the best atp. 🥲​

yep... let's just hope pure talent and rawdogging it gets us through 😭 best of luck harvey specter

 

[Harvey Specter]

yep... let's just hope pure talent and rawdogging it gets us through 😭 best of luck harvey specter​

Likewise best of luck elle woods!

 

[johnsmith]

LMAO that's impressive wow 😭 what's that, like 5am?? whattt

I go to sleep at 4am so I go to bed when you wake up HAHA

Yes! 5/5:30am, train before work, then all on all law apps at night before bed at 11.

 

[ttlaw12344]

anyone heard from withers post SJT?

 

[zonnonomo]

Yes! 5/5:30am, train before work, then all on all law apps at night before bed at 11.

when do you make time for tweaking out and doomscrolling 🧐

 

[Madison Pinewall]

This is definitely a tendency at firms like Skadden or to some extent, maybe even all firms. Sometimes application answers don’t get much attention or their flaws are overlooked because a candidate is so impressive that grad rec just doesn’t care (tbf I wouldn’t care about your alternative career choice if you graduated top of your cohort in Cambridge law either…) - but based on my personal experience, this is not the rule and tailoring answers still matters a lot in general. I’ve gone through a whole cycle of applying to 30+ firms with untailored, generic answers and barely progressed post application stage, while this year I have a strategy, understand how firms are different, submit extremely tailored application, and already see success.

This said, firms are soo random sometimes, I’ve made it to interview with SC and US firms with applications that were retrospectively, mid at best, probably cause the person reading mine saw something that other firms didn’t. Or that specific firm was looking for my kind of profile more than other firms. Or it was pure luck. The point is we can never know for sure but as long as you try your best and put in the effort you know you have to, and you have a clear strategy and idea of where you want to work, you’ll succeed! (Provided that you meet minimum academic criteria)

A guy I know with top grades from Oxford Law just got rejected from Skadden soooo...

 

[oliviabeijing]

Any advice for CMS VI?

 

[futuretraineeihope]

thank you! Yes I did

Hey, congrats on the invite!! Can I ask if there were many more interview slots?

 

[nicoledm]

I don't want to sound like a doomer, but I've recently come to the realisation that the content of our application answers doesn't matter. These answers often just act as a filter for the other parts of your candidate profile.

Obviously I can't share these but, I have an old friend's successful applications from his second year of university. Trust me when I tell you that he essentially copy/pasted the exact same application for every firm he applied to – even down to using the same adjective for each of these firm's cultures. They were absolutely indistinguishable. However, this guy was on track to getting a first, he held multiple executive (society) positions, and he had also secured a large number of first-year schemes. If anybody else had written those applications, they would have been binned. But, his candidate profile was genuinely so impressive that (in my opinion) firms were willing to look past the lack of substance in his application answers.

I disagree with this. In my second year of university, I held some society positions, was on track to get a first at a RG, but did not tailor my applications at all, wasn't sure what kind of firm I wanted and blindly applied to a lot of firms, and also wasn't sure what firms were actually looking for. I did not progress past application stage once.
However, since then, I've tailored my applications, and became more focused on what firms I wanted, and I progressed to interview stage with the exact same firms that rejected me in second year, with the same credentials and have not been rejected at application stage yet.
I do 100% believe that there is an element of luck and certain firms take a chance on you, and maybe if you're a first class Oxford student with loads of commercial awareness and society positions your applications dont matter. But I would say for the vast majority of people the quality of your applications can make or break your chances.
I also believe that once you get past the initial application stage/any first stage tests, it is so much easier to progress.

 

[elle woods]

Yes! 5/5:30am, train before work, then all on all law apps at night before bed at 11.

Woahhh can I please be like you 😮‍💨 that’s so cool - I always see those YouTubers do 5am mornings and wish I could be like them HAHA

 

[johnsmith]

when do you make time for tweaking out and doomscrolling 🧐

I'm mid-30s and never used tiktok 😅 do enjoy a good book though

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Yes! 5/5:30am, train before work, then all on all law apps at night before bed at 11.

Samee! Istg working and applying is a different kind of pain😂

 

[BealMcAlly]

I disagree with this. I have had roughly the same experiences and extracurriculars as in my previous cycles. What truly made the difference for me was sitting down and telling a story in my applications. I gave recruiters a break from all the AI-generated content they read and showed them who I am through my experiences, and why those make me a strong fit.


I do think it’s crucial to gain experiences and participate in extracurriculars to a certain extent, but mainly to help you answer questions like ‘why commercial law?’, or ‘what do you bring to x firm?’ on the application form.


Changing my style led to a considerable shift: I went from 26 straight first-stage rejections to, so far this cycle, progressing in 6 out of 8 applications and even reaching an assessment centre at a US firm. It’s all about mentality. Once you change the way you approach applications, that’s when you start progressing.

Keep it up, we’re all in this together!

P.S. I’m not an Oxbridge student with 10 first-year schemes; I go to a non-target RG and did one first-year scheme. I have worked in fast food and retail since I was 16, though.

Tell me your secrets, please wise one! 😍🙏

 

[Sonia2004]

Struggling with the question "What is the role of a trainee solicitor?" any insight would be appreciated @Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock

It's quite a PE focused firm

Hi!

The easiest way to answer that question is usually by focusing on what skill is relevant for a trainee. For example, why would organisation be important? Where would that come to use? Think about the typical tasks such as:
- Researching (E.g what would you be expected to research? Legislations, recent developments, Investment schemes for the client etc)
- Writing emails or meeting notes (requires good written communication, being concise and clear. So, here, you might benefit from showing your academic credentials to show you have these skills).
- Due diligence (think of what skills would be relevant for this e.g organisation, being able to prioritise).
- Proof-reading (and thus identify where you have shown good attention to detail).

If you are not confident in what the typical trainee tasks are, I would suggest to go on Forage and go through some of their tasks, specifically on PE focused firms, so you can get a good idea

Best of luck!

 

[BillSikes]

I'm going to work at an American firm from Jan, and I can't wait to throw my healthy sleep schedule out of the window 😂

Paralegal role? What’s your previous experience to get this?

 

[DavidJC]

Skadden rejection 😔