TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[adh3]

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)

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.

I don't disagree with either of you!

That's what I meant by the application answers acting as "filters". Writing something completely generic (without ties to the firm's strengths, or your personal motivation/experience) will increase the chance of being rejected. So, I agree that it's worthwhile to tailor your application answers as much as you possibly can if you want to have a good shot at progressing.

I'm certainly not advising people to spam low-quality applications because they have an impressive background. All I was saying, is that when there are hundreds (if not thousands) of exceptional applicants with tailored applications – all of whom are using the same resources to tailor their applications – the ones who tend to stand out are those with better experience (and underlying academics) which help them to craft a more compelling case.

Having said that, I also believe recruitment is (frequently) a luck-based process. As both of you have said, sometimes graduate recruitment see something unique in your application answers which makes you stand out. Therefore, to maximise your "luck" I agree that you should definitely tailor your application answers.

 

[Giannis_218]

The skadden one really hurt cause that was one of my best applications.

I get the feeling. Last year I spent a lot of time on my CC application and still got rejected at the first stage. You need to focus on quality, but it is also a numbers game at the end of the day. Onwards and upwards. Just keep going and stay consistent with the quality, and I promise the results will come 😊

 

[elle woods]

Lowkey I’m very appreciative of Skadden for being so transparent about their timelines and adhering to them too 🤞

 

[floral.tcla]

could anyone please advise on this please on understanding what a firm is looking for in their video interview process?
- Format: 3 mins to prep 90 seconds to respond
- Told we are being assessed on skills and competencies, and the VI email invite explicitly stated that the VI assesses 4 competencies
- But the firm's video advises us to focus just on how we would approach the situation - to not bring in past examples - but to also show your unique perspective and how we would approach the situation.
- am I correct in thinking that this is what the firm is saying: your skills/past experience is not directly assessed, only how you would approach the situation (which can be informed by past experiences, no matter what that encompassed and how much you have).
- but if everyone is saying similar things and making similar points, how would the firm distinguish between candidates (this is the final stage before the AC)?

 

[floral.tcla]

love it when my linkedin feed is full of £60,000 a year privately educated students getting tcs👍👍

real...
one big reason for why i'm so glad things like tcla and linkedin exist, I couldn't imagine going through the process without things ike these...

 

[Somefriendlyadvice]

Hi! Is time factored into SJT/WG results? For example, Weil says “The SJT portion of the assessment is untimed, but we recommend it should take around 45 minutes to complete.” Will I be penalized if I take let’s say double the time?

Hey,

For the timed SJT's, it will make a difference, and you should always aim to finish them! It is the same case for the WG. In the case of Weil, you won't get penalised, so take your time. From my understanding, the rationale behind the one sitting advice is so you can remain in a focused state.

Here is a link to more information from Weil, I hope it helps!

Application Process

ukrecruiting.weil.com

If you have any other questions, just reply to this message

 

[zonnonomo]

If you want to stay sort of law adjacent I’m really enjoying “Barbarians at the gate”

i remember associates at white and case recommending this at a private equity event! adding to cart...

also for anyone interested, i'm currently reading "the making of global capitalism" and it's a solid take on modern political & economic history without being a complete drag

 

[Madison Pinewall]

Very interesting that you are willing to tell them how things go...

Your experience is your experience and will look completely different to the next person's? Maybe consider that others have seen success by doing the complete opposite of what you have done?

Not sure how and why you thought this would go down nicely.

I think you have misunderstood what I am saying. People are currently speculating and discussing University bias / the extent to which firms care about academic credentials over the application itself. I myself am quite interested as the applications are very long winded, often include lots of tests and frankly it would be a real shame if those elements weren't the heavy lifters. I'm simply just saying, I am not personally sure, but maybe my experience will be informative and I will share how things go. (Why exactly would this go down badly??).

 

[Giannis_218]

could anyone please advise on this please on understanding what a firm is looking for in their video interview process?
- Format: 3 mins to prep 90 seconds to respond
- Told we are being assessed on skills and competencies, and the VI email invite explicitly stated that the VI assesses 4 competencies
- But the firm's video advises us to focus just on how we would approach the situation - to not bring in past examples - but to also show your unique perspective and how we would approach the situation.
- am I correct in thinking that this is what the firm is saying: your skills/past experience is not directly assessed, only how you would approach the situation (which can be informed by past experiences, no matter what that encompassed and how much you have).
- but if everyone is saying similar things and making similar points, how would the firm distinguish between candidates (this is the final stage before the AC)?

Hey, I think the point they are making is not to focus too much on personal experiences, as you will not have enough time to expand on them and still fully answer the question. I would focus on being as clear and precise as possible about the actions you would take in the given scenario. If time allows, you could briefly mention a relevant personal experience and how it helped you develop the required skills. However, the main priority is answering the question directly and communicating your actions clearly. Make sure your actions follow a logical order and are presented in a structured way, and I am sure it will go well.

 

[yk1906]

Look. What I’m trying to tell myself is that even without a TC I’ll be very well off. I get very sad with every rejection but I understand I do not have what many law firms are looking for (UK-related experience, at all, because everything I did was abroad). Do I think it’s worth giving a shot? Somehow, yes. I am good enough to be selected for a very competitive position in a big consulting firm, despite having a degree from a country no one cares about and knows of, to that end. So I’ll still apply and won’t let rejections doubt my self worth.
And I hope everyone of you feel the same! You never know if you don’t try, so I wish lots of luck to each and everyone, from those from Oxbridge to my fellow internationals ❤️

 

[Madison Pinewall]

I don't disagree with either of you!

That's what I meant by the application answers acting as "filters". Writing something completely generic (without ties to the firm's strengths, or your personal motivation/experience) will increase the chance of being rejected. So, I agree that it's worthwhile to tailor your application answers as much as you possibly can if you want to have a good shot at progressing.

I'm certainly not advising people to spam low-quality applications because they have an impressive background. All I was saying, is that when there are hundreds (if not thousands) of exceptional applicants with tailored applications – all of whom are using the same resources to tailor their applications – the ones who tend to stand out are those with better experience (and underlying academics) which help them to craft a more compelling case.

Having said that, I also believe recruitment is (frequently) a luck-based process. As both of you have said, sometimes graduate recruitment see something unique in your application answers which makes you stand out. Therefore, to maximise your "luck" I agree that you should definitely tailor your application answers.

I 100% agree with this. I think in reality it's actually quite simple, the application questions you answer aren't your application. It's everything, your qualifications, your work experience (legal and non-legal), it's all taken into account holistically. Some applicants will definitely have strengths in one area over the others, but I don't think any part of the application is prioritised per say!

 

[floral.tcla]

Hey, I think the point they are making is not to focus too much on personal experiences, as you will not have enough time to expand on them and still fully answer the question. I would focus on being as clear and precise as possible about the actions you would take in the given scenario. If time allows, you could briefly mention a relevant personal experience and how it helped you develop the required skills. However, the main priority is answering the question directly and communicating your actions clearly. Make sure your actions follow a logical order and are presented in a structured way, and I am sure it will go well.

ahh ok thank you so much, that makes sense!

 

[Scottishlion]

Is it too late to apply to Akin? Are they rolling?

 

[Somefriendlyadvice]

A bit of a silly question... for Cooley's summer programme, one of the questions is 'Please tell us about interests and activities you pursue and positions of responsibility that are relevant for the role.' I was wondering if I should place advising at my university's legal clinic in this section instead of the work experience section as I have done previously? Also, would this count as a position of responsibility?

I ask this because its probably my strongest point, but I don't want to repeat what I have said in the work experience section. My other positions of responsibility largely come from my paid employment, so I don't want to mention them in this question. I also have a couple of positions of responsibility from Year 11 but I am very reluctant to use these seeing as it's been four years since then and it seems a little juvenile... 😓

Hey, It's not a silly question at all!

I think it's a very strong point. When you bring it up the legal clinic in the context of the work experience section, it should be in bullet points, and detailing what you did at the clinic, with metrics where possible (IE Advised 10 clients across 2 months, providing detailed and tailored legal advice).

When you talk about the experience in a written answer, it expands more and provides more detail. It's the link between the further detail, and how this relates to the summer programme. I would write something along the lines of how the experience showed that applying yourself to a client matter led to a desirable outcome, despite its difficulties, and then link this to the attitude towards work that you would display on the programme.

Their FAQ's says the following, which will be helpful:

'What do we look for?​

Cooley trainees need plenty of motivation and initiative. They should be adaptable and capable of thinking on their feet. Candidates should have developed great communication skills from a variety of situations and understand the critical importance of inclusivity and collaboration. Cooley will look for evidence of taking on leadership and seeking responsibilities. Interesting achievements, making the most of non-academic and work experience (not necessarily legal) opportunities – in addition to evidence of working hard to contribute to teams – will help applicants stand out.'

UK Trainee FAQs // Cooley // Global Law Firm

UK Trainee FAQs

www.cooley.com

I hope that helps, and if you have any other questions, feel free to reply to this message!

 

[Giannis_218]

Is it too late to apply to Akin? Are they rolling?

They are, but it is never too late. Last year, people were still progressed to the next stages even if they submitted late. Most TI outcomes usually come out in mid January, so I would encourage you to apply.

 

[BealMcAlly]

I think you have misunderstood what I am saying. People are currently speculating and discussing University bias / the extent to which firms care about academic credentials over the application itself. I myself am quite interested as the applications are very long winded, often include lots of tests and frankly it would be a real shame if those elements weren't the heavy lifters. I'm simply just saying, I am not personally sure, but maybe my experience will be informative and I will share how things go. (Why exactly would this go down badly??).

I just don't see how that is helpful when your friend has previously said you submitted generic applications and relied on your profile? Clearly other candidates who don't have a similar profile will not see the same success and will rely on other aspects of the application process, such as the motivational and competency based questions to succeed? Hell, maybe they're just really good at the tests like you say.

I don't see how saying 'I stopped tailoring my apps because they took time and I got through anyway' is in any way helpful? Of course someone with an insane list of extracurriculars and a degree from an elite university will be looked at favourably, not sure it constitutes as sound advice... I will agree and say it's a very interesting topic of discussion and it just shows the unconscious bias majority of firms have towards Oxbridge, but it does not help anyone.

 

[Icantstopeatingfood]

skadden written exercise invite.

 

[Somefriendlyadvice]

People applying to Kirkland, could you please tell me if you're answering the open question at the end? "Is there anything else you would like to add in support of your application?"

I've just noticed this and not sure whether they are expecting an answer

Hey

When firms ask this, don't worry about filling it. If nothing comes to mind, that means you probably wrote a strong application, hence nothing needs to be said!

I hope that helps!

 

[Madison Pinewall]

I just don't see how that is helpful when your friend has previously said you submitted generic applications and relied on your profile? Clearly other candidates who don't have a similar profile will not see the same success and will rely on other aspects of the application process, such as the motivational and competency based questions to succeed? Hell, maybe they're just really good at the tests like you say.

I don't see how saying 'I stopped tailoring my apps because they took time and I got through anyway' is in any way helpful? Of course someone with an insane list of extracurriculars and a degree from an elite university will be looked at favourably, not sure it constitutes as sound advice... I will agree and say it's a very interesting topic of discussion and it just shows the unconscious bias majority of firms have towards Oxbridge, but it does not help anyone.

I'm so confused. I don't have a friend on here. I haven't been submitting generic applications or relying on my profile. This is my first application cycle? I've not gotten through anywhere yet. I was just saying that I had a similar profile to the person they had mentioned and was rejected from a lot of first year schemes. I have no idea how my current applications will go down, but that I would feed back.....

 

[oliviabeijing]

Hey Olivia,
First of all, congrats on getting through to the VI stage. From what I remember last year, there were four questions covering a mix of commercial, situational, and strength or attribute based topics. One key difference compared to other VIs is that the talking time is only one minute (thinking time is also 1min I believe), so make sure you are as direct and concise as possible. Best of luck!

This is brilliant advice, thank you so much! Good luck in your applications!