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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Awesome thanks!
I will DM you as I did their VI last year
waiting to hear back post application now. Applied Monday this week.
Good luck!! I’m unsure about what offices the others who got VI invites applied to, but it could very well be that different offices are sending invites on different dates. Hope you get an invite!
HSFK PFO, buuuut Reed Smith WVS offer!!! Absolutely over the moon!
If I remember correctly for the VI section there were two questions and it was strength based (e.g what would you do in X situation or how would you handle X issue). You have unlimited prep time so I would advise maximising it. Also, when answering think about it from the perspective of a trainee as the questions seem more general. I don't remember if there was a motivational question there but since there's unlimited prep time you can easily prep for it. You also have 2 mins to record practice being succinct in your answers.
What a good combination. I know both is ideal but who cares about a rejection when you have that haha!!
Icl I don't fully remember. I've just been applying and putting things behind me as I go haha
Does anybody have a list of firms offering DTCs already? I am trying to manage my workload in that sense now
Ngl that is a good tactic haha
I remember last year there was 1x motivational question and it felt like quite a big one too because there were many parts to it and then 3 x scenario based questions.
I echo what you said about framing everything as a trainee. I remember I didn't last year for their DTC but also it was my first VI so I messed up anyway.
I applied on the 21st, so I know not exactly 3 days within the deadline. They got back to me with a tbe PFO on the 2nd of December.
For Dechert, yes. Grad rec said they had about 100 applications for the winter scheme that weren't considered because they had given out WEs already
Now that both slots are over, was anyone else disappointed in the Skadden written exercise?
They say not to use AI but it's so easy to in the format they sent it in and I'm sure lots of people will use AI, seriously disadvantaging the candidates who followed the rules. There are so many systems that allow for AI-secure written exercises; it says a lot about the firm that they couldn't be bother to ensure their recruitment process is fair and secure.
Sorry for rant!
They say not to use AI but it's so easy to in the format they sent it in and I'm sure lots of people will use AI, seriously disadvantaging the candidates who followed the rules. There are so many systems that allow for AI-secure written exercises; it says a lot about the firm that they couldn't be bother to ensure their recruitment process is fair and secure.
Sorry for rant!
Guys why was that WE so hard man 😭 making me question whether I'm even skilled enough to be a lawyer dud
It's tricky. Especially without firm sponsorship, which can be helpful but even then not cover your cost of living. In my experience (currently at ULaw Bloomsbury) most people (non-sponsored) will use a combination of the government postgrad grant (they will do either the MA Law or LLM SQE) and savings. There's a lot who straight up live at home outside of london in commuter towns and commute to class 3 days a week.
I myself fell into the first category, having not been sponsored, moved in with my partner and went on the grueling hunt for a flat. The renters rights bill has made that significantly easier nowadays as the expected price hike to compensante for decreased abilities for landlords to force blind bidding and or contract competition. The funny thing is, doing the SQE self-funded has much less of an impact on your quality as a candidate than people think. Most firms throw around the same money they'd spend sponsoring someone to do the entirety of the course + optional extras on the christmas party.
The majority of people self-funding are either living at home and or have been paralegals and have now qualified into their firms (they are either in their 30s or approaching). Living in London without a job is so incredibly difficult that most people's main suggestions given the above would be to do the SQE outside of London then move once you secured a paralegal job. Hiring for paralegals is also different to trainees, they do care if you have sat the SQE or not as this will affect the ability for you to progress through the firm. Especially for smaller firms who are expected to pay more to their trainees than their paralegals, trainees are essentially wasted money if there's no guarantee they will stay on after NQ.
Brightnetwork is useful for this!Does anybody have a list of firms offering DTCs already? I am trying to manage my workload in that sense now
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