TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[abhuzaifa02]

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

Hi @londonlawyer

Usually, this is an opportunity for you mention anything that you feel you have not been able to discuss elsewhere - there is no right or wrong answer for this.

Also, there is no expectation to complete this part.

In my experience, I would reflect upon my application and consider if there is anything substantive that I could add which will allow me to better sell myself. For example, if you were not able to discuss a certain experience in your application which you think is relevant to the firm, this would be a good place to mention that. Alternatively, if you would like to provide additional reasons as to why you are interested in the firm, you could also mention this.

Note: The key is to ensure what you discuss is relevant, adding something substantive to your application, and not simply a repetition of things you have already highlighted.

Personally, I remember using these type of questions as an opportunity to mention 1 or 2 key skills from my experiences that I did not already discuss in my application and I managed to progress to the next stage for those firms.

I hope this helps! 👍

 

[Dannie]

Any Mayer Brown VI insights?

 

[Rads]

Any Mayer Brown VI insights?

Yes, especially the kind of questions that we should prep for

 

[RJ Ruban]

Did anyone else get a HSF Kramer PFO today? I'm not sure what I else I can do to improve because I passed the assessment benchmark

Hey so sorry! Was this for the summer vac or spring?

 

[abhuzaifa02]

Does anyone find it hard not to fixate on numbers when applying to a Vacation Scheme/Direct TC? Feeling quite hopeless when I am 1 of 3000 applicants competing for 20 odd spots.

Hi @ssss

Honestly, I know exactly how you are feeling.

It is very off putting when you think about how many people are applying and how many spaces are available.

My only advice is that this whole journey is battle against your mindset. After ensuring your application is perfect and getting the basics right, you have to be confident in your ability as a candidate to make it through regardless of the number of people that apply.

A positive outlook:

• Out of 3000 applicants, many get rejected simply because they do not meet the foundational requirements or due to simple errors including spelling, punctuation and grammar errors or due to simply copying and pasting answers.
• Nevertheless, if we assume that approximately 1000 – 1500 candidates get rejected due to the aforementioned reasons, that increases your chances by %%%.

Overall, it is never helpful to focus on the numbers so try your best to block out the noise. I faced pure rejection in my first and second cycle and managed secure multiple assessment centres and vacation schemes in my third application cycle. So if someone like me can do it, I am sure you are more than capable of being that one person.

Hope this helps everyone! 👍

 

[LRR23]

Any Clyde & Co VI insights?? please 🙏

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Did HL stage 1, feel like I bombed it, anyone knows how long they take?

It took like a week for me!

 

[abhuzaifa02]

Hi guys, for the people that have applied to Reed Smith, how quickly did you get the test invite? Also any tips on how to do well on the Amberjack (I’ve seen that’s what Reed Smith use) would be greatly appreciated

Hi @TheLegalEdit

I applied to Reed Smith in my last two cycles. I do not recall any particular timing in relation to when the test invite is sent out. From what I can remember, it was very different for me and a lot of my friends.

Regarding the Amberjack assessment, it’s helpful to practise numerical and verbal reasoning and situational based questions. You may find free samples online with ‘JobTestPrep’ and ‘Practice Aptitude Test’. From my experience, the sample questions are not very similar, but are great for warming up your mind to think logically and critically.

I hope this helps! 👍

 

[calebnash]

Anyone still not heard from HSF, BCLP or Macfarlanes? What does this mean as I passed tests for all 3 and applied a while back

 

[elizabethkate]

hsfk pfo after passing bench mark

 

[abhuzaifa02]

Hello guys, better to apply for Hogan Lovells DTC than their summer scheme at this stage?

Hi @Rads

It really depends on your personal circumstances. I have a few friends who are trainees at Hogan Lovells through both the DTC route and the VS route. I noted that the DTC route candidates had strong legal work experience through previous vacation schemes or paralegal experience.

Depending on your previous experience, I find that the vacation scheme route is slightly less daunting as you have more opportunities to demonstrate your strengths as a candidate whereas, through the DTC route, the expectations are higher as the firm can only rely on the interview to assess if you are a correct fit.

Hope this provides some additional clarification!

 

[anjali20]

Has anyone not heard back from Willkie at all?

 

[Assessment Account]

does anyone have any winter vac scheme insights for Links AC? appreciate any help i can get!!

In general, AC's are less about “trying to catch you out” and more about whether you can think clearly under time pressure, communicate in a measured, commercial way and work effectively with others in a professional setting.

From my knowledge, Links have a group exercise and a written exercise followed by a partner interview.

1. For the group exercise, focus on collaboration rather than domination. Linklaters places real value on calm, measured contributions, active listening, and building constructively on others’ points. You do not need to be the loudest voice to stand out.
2. For the Written / case exercise, this is primarily a test of structure, judgement, and commercial awareness. Clear issue-spotting, logical prioritisation, and concise recommendations matter far more than technical legal detail. Beyond high-level concepts (e.g. asset vs share sales, raising capital through debt or equity and the mechanisms for doing), no deep technical knowledge is expected.
3. For the Interview, preparing well-rehearsed but genuine answers to competency and motivation questions goes a long way. “Why law?”, “Why Linklaters?”, and “Why you?” are almost guaranteed to come up, so you should be able to answer these confidently and consistently with your application.
4. Linklaters-specific insight, they've made significant investments in legal tech and AI, including developing its own in-house GenAI chatbot (“Laila”) on Microsoft Azure and integrating external models such as Legora into day-to-day workflows. The firm also runs an AI sandbox and structured internal idea campaigns, encouraging lawyers at all levels to propose practical AI use cases. This reflects a systematic, firm-wide approach to innovation rather than isolated pilots, a useful point to reference when discussing culture, future-facing work, or commercial awareness (be sure to link it to your interests!).


I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[abhuzaifa02]

Sooo… does anyone have any tips on not being nervous and feeling like time is running out as a graduate LOL?! 😀

Hi @Novaa

I genuinely understand how you may be feeling right now – I felt the exact same way as a graduate when applying for VS and TCs.

For context, I graduated in 2023 and secured a TC in 2025. I spent two years working in a mixture of roles, including working as sales assistant and later as a paralegal.

It is important to understand that time is not running out and that every single candidate has their own timeline. For example, I met vacation schemers who had applied for the very first time and succeeded, and candidates who, like myself, had been applying for 3+ years until they managed to secure something.

I personally found that this entire journey is about longevity and consistency. If this is a career you truly want then, time, to an extent, is irrelevant to the equation.

However, I understand that everyone has personal circumstances which may shape your nervousness and feeling like time is running out. Something that helped me was focussing on securing a paralegal role. By doing this, I felt comfortable knowing that I am still doing something related to commercial law but just on a much smaller scale.

Hope this helps and wishing you lots of luck! 👍

 

[abc124]

Has anyone not heard back from Willkie at all?

Yep still waiting

 

[abhuzaifa02]

If I haven’t been invited to VI, and someone on here has for Bakers, am I screwed? Do they release them in rounds?

Hi @oliviabeijing

It is very hard to tell which order graduate recruitment sends out VI/AC invites. For example, many times, I was invited to a VI very late and I still managed to make it to the next stage even though other candidates were invited much earlier.

On a side note, something that helped me from stressing out was learning to forget about the fact that I even applied to the firm after submitting the application. It sounds extreme but it really does help with blocking out the anticipation to continuously check your emails and the stress about finding out that someone else has been invited to the next stage but you have not heard back.

Good luck and sending positivity your way! 👍

 

[woof]

Hi guys, I was unfortunately rejected from Willkie at the first stage

I thought I wrote a pretty solid app, could anyone critique it and see what might have been the issue? Thank you.

Q1 - Please explain why you would like a career in commercial law.

Max 250 words


I am motivated by intellectually demanding environments where issues are complex and stakes are high. As a national-level debater, I thrived on analysing dense material under time pressure, anticipating counterarguments, and adapting strategy in real time. Alongside this, founding a small (redacted) business sparked a strong interest in commerce and how relationships shape business outcomes. Commercial law therefore appeals to me because it combines these interests, requiring lawyers to strategically analyse legal risks in achieving their clients’ commercial objectives.

My commitment to this career path has been consistent and long-standing. Before university, I interned in the corporate practice of (law firm), a leading (non-UK) full-service law firm. Despite having to relocate to another state, I seized this opportunity to gain practical experience and developed rapport with a partner by producing high-quality due diligence reports, ultimately securing a letter of recommendation. At university, a first-year scheme with (large US firm)–particularly a panel on cross-border project finance–highlighted how commercial judgement and contractual protections are essential to managing regulatory and investment risk. I later saw this in practice as a summer analyst at (Boutique PE fund), where reviewing investment covenants highlighted the importance of lawyers’ role in preserving investor confidence through the structuring of legal risk.

These experiences confirmed my interest in this field and motivate me to pursue a career at a leading global firm like Willkie, where I would be challenged to think creatively, navigate complex and interesting commercial contexts, and develop the judgment required of an effective commercial lawyer.


Q2 - Please explain why you are applying to Willkie.

Max 250 words

Firstly, I am drawn to Willkie’s dual strengths in transactional and contentious work, reflected in Chambers rankings for PE buyouts and investment funds, alongside Band-1 recognition in competition litigation and growing strength in arbitration and commercial disputes. Having topped my year in (finance module), I am attracted to Willkie’s integrated PE, finance and capital markets practices, which regularly work on innovative and impactful transactional mandates like Belfius Bank’s recent €500m sustainability-linked green notes issuance. Simultaneously, placing in the Top 8 of 120+ teams at the (University) Negotiation Competition–where success depended on distilling complex arguments and advocating persuasively under pressure–highlighted the appeal of contentious work. At Willkie, I could experience the top end of both areas, developing a holistic understanding of how lawyers structure, negotiate and contest deals and disputes.

Secondly, I am attracted to Willkie’s rapid growth and entrepreneurial culture. The London office has expanded at exceptional speed, doubling its lawyer headcount between 2017 and 2025 while delivering double-digit revenue growth year-on-year. As Hiral Jain noted at an Open Evening, this scale of expansion necessitates lean, high-leverage teams and an emphasis on junior responsibility. This environment suits how I work: at (Non MBB Consulting Firm), taking initiative and actively seeking feedback led to strong relationships and being entrusted to support a Director on a Third-Party Risk Management project. This reinforced the value of a self-starter mindset early in a career, and I am confident my proactive approach would allow me to thrive at Willkie.

My stats are: graduate, 2.1 from a target university (2.2 in first year, but mitigating circumstances related to physical health), various open days/1 first year scheme.

Also got rejected from Skadden at the first stage and HSFK at the app review stage
Would be really thankful on points to improve/change; am I missing anything?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

milbank ac !
relatedly- when vac schemes clash what are firms’ general response for moving to a scheme later in the year? I know this will vary firm to firm but does anyone have any idea?

Congratulations on the AC invite!!

To answer your question (in a very typical lawyer fashion), it depends! Last cycle I was able to move a summer scheme to a spring scheme, as I had been offered a scheme that clashed with one I had already accepted. However, some firms might not be able to accommodate any changes if they have already filled all the spots for the schemes and people aren’t able to move.

However, I would definitely encourage you to reach out and ask as soon as you can! By asking early, this increases the chances that you might be able to move to a different scheme, particularly if it is one later in the year. Alternatively, if they’ve already recruited for the scheme you’d like to move to, you may be able to swap with a candidate on the later scheme who is able to do your original scheme.

There’s absolutely no harm in asking, so I would just send a polite email to the graduate recruitment team to explain the situation. Given that most firms run their vacation schemes at similar times, this is something that they will be used to and they’re likely to try and find a way to accommodate where possible.

Best of luck with the AC!

 

[zara elles]

For the work exp section, I have 7 jobs I have put down - all of these are paid jobs. I have been working for a few years since graduating and now looking for TCs. I graduated 4 years ago - from experience does anyone know if it is worth putting down societies etc at uni - I only haven't so far because I thought I didn't want to overkill the form so only really put down the most 'impressive' things legal/non-legal. Thanks!

 

[abhuzaifa02]

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)?

Hi @floral.tcla

For more general VI advice, feel free to have a look at the link below:

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

milbank ac ! relatedly- when vac schemes clash what are firms’ general response for moving to a scheme later in the year? I know this will vary firm to firm but does anyone have any idea?

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

From what you have said, it seems like the questions will be situational and will focus on assessing particular competencies through each situation.

In relation to your question regarding how the firm will distinguish between candidates, the firm will probably be looking at (1) how you think logically to identify the issues and overcome the specific situation in question and (2) how you deliver your answer i.e., speaking clearly, concisely and following a structure to ensure the listener can easily follow your thought process.

On a side note, I always found that there is generally no right or wrong answer as long as you stick to the issues highlighted in the question and the SRA's guidelines i.e., maintaining client confidentiality etc. For me, being creative and unique in your approach always helps stand out.

Best of luck! 👍