TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[gurveenkaur963]

Hi does anyone have any advice for bakers VI, would really appreciate it.

Can give advice on Macfarlanes AC, Slaughters AC, freshfields stage two, hogan stage two, Latham stage two and Weil.

Hi, I have a Macfarlanes AC coming up! If you have any insights you can share it’d be great!

 

[Jessica Pearson]

Strange, in my email they said they'll start getting back to people from the last week of January.

I'm going through the 10K BI route so that's probably why it's different. Did they also provide AC dates in your email?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey guys, I was wondering how to approach this question " Tell us how lawyers can add value for their clients beyond providing technical, legal expertise. Why is this especially important in today's market?"

Hi!

I would approach this question by breaking it down into two clear parts.

Firstly, briefly acknowledge that technical legal knowledge is a given, and then explain the additional ways that lawyers can add value on top of that. This could follow a structure such as:

1. Start by understanding the client's wider commercial or personal objectives
2. Discuss how legal advice can be translated into practical solutions for a client
3. Finish by highlighting how lawyers can add value through things like communication, risk management, efficiency, and relationship building. Have a think about certain traits or skills that could assist clients, and one or two concrete examples should be enough

Secondly, I would then link this to why it matters in today's market. You could talk about current trends such as clients being more cost-conscious, having in-house legal teams, and increased competition from other providers.

Overall, I'd try to keep it commercial and client-focused rather than overly technical - they are looking for commercial awareness and an understanding of how law firms remain competitive, rather than legal knowledge.

I hope that assists!

 

[Miles Edgeworth]

Hey congrats on TW AC, I am applying to summer and got invited to WE. Just heads up, maybe after merger with W&S, their culture will change drastically as W&S is a white shoe firm and heavily contentious even it tied with Milbank based on the billable hour in Legal Cheek (it says on average you go home at 9.45pm).

Yeah this has been on my mind and I was thinking of a delicate way to ask this in the AC without coming across as "soooooo is the work life balance going to shit?". My preferences are preferences though at the end of the day and I am also an optimist in thinking the firm hopefully thought this through. I am perfectly comfortable with working late hours, I would just rather not

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Currently doing interview prep - all my answers fall within 3-4 mins, is that okay? I heard somewhere your answers shouldn't be longer than 2 in any circumstance? What are people's thoughts and experiences, would really appreciate as I have 2 interviews coming up!

Hey!

This is a great question - I would say that 3-4 minutes is generally fine, especially if the question is open or competency-based. A good rule of thumb is usually:

1. 1-2 minutes for straightforward answers
2. Up to 3 minutes (sometimes slightly more) for competency, motivation or commercial questions.

What matters most is structure and focus - if you are clearly answering the question, signposting your points, and not repeating yourself, interviewers might not mind a longer answer. They will usually interrupt or move you on if they want to!

If you're worried, I would perhaps try structuring answers so that they stop at 2 minutes, but have extra depth ready if you are then prompted. This way, you sound concise but are prepared in case they ask follow up questions.

Best of luck with the interviews!!

 

[c.t.tc]

I’

Yeah this has been on my mind and I was thinking of a delicate way to ask this in the AC without coming across as "soooooo is the work life balance going to shit?". My preferences are preferences though at the end of the day and I am also an optimist in thinking the firm hopefully thought this through. I am perfectly comfortable with working late hours, I would just rather not

I’ve also thought about this as TW is one of my top choices for a lot of the same reasons as you! I’m hoping that since the firm is so well know for genuinely having a nice culture that that will continue and the work itself will just get more interesting but we’ll have to wait and see!

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

Yeah this has been on my mind and I was thinking of a delicate way to ask this in the AC without coming across as "soooooo is the work life balance going to shit?". My preferences are preferences though at the end of the day and I am also an optimist in thinking the firm hopefully thought this through. I am perfectly comfortable with working late hours, I would just rather not

Lmk the outcome, I am prepping lol. The merger is quite unique as it's like a husband (TW UK, Benelux, ME) marry (W&S) and then divorce (TW Verein: Germany, France, China, etc). I feel like the new wife is manipulative I feel sad the good wife was care (WLB) but left due to lack dad-in law money (PPE).

Usually firms will full merger or IMO poligamy without leaving entities like HSF, A&O, Ashurst, and HL LOLLL

 

[floral.tcla]

Hello!

I would personally develop my interests through a mix of research and exposure. As others have mentioned, keeping up with trends and learning more about practice areas through research is a great way of showing and developing your interest. I also found that Forage programmes were a great way of gaining exposure to the type of work that trainees would actually complete in those practice areas - for example, when I was uncertain what practice areas interested me, I completed a few programmes which helped to give me an insight.

It's very normal for interests to evolve or overlap - I think the key thing with commercial law (for most firms, though not all!) is to keep an open mind to a variety of practice areas and remain curious, even if you hadn't initially thought you had an interest

Thanks, this is so helpful Abbie!

 

[congrades]

Completely bombed the Mishcon SJT

me too, how are the results so different across firms ahhh I literally did the same things!! I guess I won't be the personality hire please focus on my verbal and numerical I beg

 

[sqe4676]

Has anybody heard from the following firms or knows when they’ll usually respond (i.e., late Jan, early Feb, etc.), so I can manage expectations?

Sidley Austin Spring VS - applied 9 Jan
Travers Smith Summer VS - applied 14 Jan
Covington & Burling Summer VS - applied 16 Jan
Morgan Lewis Summer VS - applied 20 Jan.

I believe Debevoise respond early Feb cos I had a look on the older threads. Morgan Lewis closes the apps today so just want an idea for them.​

Not heard from Travers yet either.

 

[lividowl03]

Hi everyone!

Just a random question- how does everyone view “work-life balance” once you get a TC? And yes I’m saying “once” cos we’re all going to get there!!!

Do you care about it? Do you think it depends on age? Are you picking firms based on their work-life culture? By age I mean someone in their early 20s/fresh out of uni vs 30s for example. But of course it depends on personal circumstances/responsibilities too

Definitely thinking a middle ground. I'm not expecting a 9-5 by any means, but I've definitely targeted firms that are known to have better work life balance, of the 9-7/8 variety, didn't even consider MC or top US firms. Which is insane when you think of it, calling 9-7 job good work life balance lol, but I'm happy to do it for a few years.

Open to everything of course and wouldn't presume to know at this point what I will want to do. But having gained some (limited) experience in it, I definitely see in-house in my future. In the right company it is a solid 9-5, still 6 figures (in London), and can be really interesting and varied work still.

 

[Miles Edgeworth]

I’

I’ve also thought about this as TW is one of my top choices for a lot of the same reasons as you! I’m hoping that since the firm is so well know for genuinely having a nice culture that that will continue and the work itself will just get more interesting but we’ll have to wait and see!

Yeah, from what I've read W&S's intense work hours might be because they hire so few trainees and put a lot of responsibility on them. Meanwhile TW hires more (not a huge amount but more than W&S). Hopefully more trainees means the work will be balanced out.

Again I am an optimist so I hope they don't sacrifice their culture (having good structured training and respectful of boundaries) for profit. I remember when I did my HSF AC last year, they did say culture was an important consideration during the merger so I'm hoping the same for TW .

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

heyy how do you know if youve failed or passed?

Hey
I've heard that if you failed the test, they PFO you in like 3/4 days
Just wanted to know if it was true

 

[tc2026]

Hey
I've heard that if you failed the test, they PFO you in like 3/4 days
Just wanted to know if it was true

ooo okay - hopefully no news is good news for us in this case!

 

[futuretrainee101ac]

Same lol

Same here haha

 

[aspiringlawyer5]

Anyone heard from the following? I applied to all on their deadline day - all post app

Addleshaw Goddard
DWF
Squire Patton Boggs

 

[Lissa06]

has anyone on here had an experience applying to both Latham's open day and scheme within the same cycle? their sjt was identical, so I am wondering if the VI/WGT is also the same. thank you sm!

 

[rabialegal]

Has anyone previously completed a Final Interview with Birketts? If so please do DM me. Thank you!