TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Bbhu19]

Hey!

Congratulations on the vacation scheme!!

To prepare, I would focus on a few different things:

1. Understand their disputes work: make sure that you know their main practice areas (e.g. commercial litigation, arbitration, etc.) and the types of clients that they act for (or sectors, if relevant). Have a think about why disputes arise from a commercial perspective.

2. Commercial awareness: I would focus your commercial awareness preparation on considering current issues that could lead to litigation and how they impact clients. This might be regulatory changes, ESG, sanctions, etc.

3. Assessments: whilst I'm not sure how you would be assessed, for any case study or written task, make sure that you are clear, logical, and concise. Focusing on identifying the key issues and risks, and give recommendations and practical next steps that are beneficial from a client perspective. If you have to participate in a group task, show that you can argue a point calmly and respectfully, while also listening to others - emotions can run high, but it's important to try to not get 'lost' in the exercise!

I hope that helps - best of luck for the VS!!

Thank you

 

[sbbusybee]

does anyone know if paul weiss started sending out summer vac scheme acs yet?

@fTS3002 I note you gave this a thumbs up. Apologies for prying but have you received an AC invite?

 

[summersun]

Hello!

I would say that you can approach this question either way - it doesn't necessarily have to be a firm-wide trend. You could:

• Discuss a macro trend that affects the whole profession (e.g. AI, ESG, increased regulation, etc.), or
• Focus on a development that affects a specific practice area - especially if it is relevant to Bevan Brittan's strengths

What generally matters more than the scope is that you:

1. Clearly explain the development (just briefly to give some context - what is changing and why it matters)
2. Link it to clients (how does this create risks and / or opportunities?)
3. Explain how firms will need to adapt (e.g. by investing in new expertise, different fee models, more tech integration, etc.)

As Bevan Brittan has a strong public sector focus, you might want to write about something that is affecting government bodies, healthcare providers or infrastructure clients. However, the more general ideas that affect the legal market as a whole will also work well if you can clearly show the last two points!

I hope that assists!

Thank you very much !!!

 

[Shiv Lawy]

Hi guys, I'm a penultimate yr non-law international student. I applied to 4 vac schemes and got a PFO from 3 and a rejection post-AC from 1 this year. I want to secure work experience for the summer to build my CV before applying to vac schemes next year, and was thinking of applying to consulting/finance/macro analysis summer internships bc i feel extremely lost and hopeless tbh. What do you think? I honestly feel like law is so competitive and want to increase my chances for next year

Not to be debbie downer but all those other career paths you listed are also super competitive..even more so than law because people generally don't need to convert/qualify to apply so it's the first port of call for lost students.

It's genuinely worth getting any experience you can get in an office job and figuring out what you're good at before you go down those super competitive routes, often filled with Nepos and people who have wanted to do finance and nothing else since 16.

There are many ways you can build law related experience in the coming years you're only penultimate year. But applying for too broad a range of competitive fields risks burnout and demotivation which is what you don't want. Good luck

 

[CD20]

Hello!

This is a great question - aside from AI, I think some of the biggest challenges that you could do some further research on are:

• Talent Retention: there are changing expectations around work-life balance and flexibility, and firms need to adapt their recruiting processes to keep the top junior lawyers
• Client cost pressure: clients are price-sensitive and are increasingly looking for efficiency and alternative fee arrangements instead of the traditional hourly fee model
• Increased competition: particularly from US firms and alternative legal service providers. You could talk about the recent mergers that have happened in the legal industry, as this relates to this point!

I hope that provides you with a couple starting points to have a think about

Hi @Abbie Whitlock off the back of this, I wonder if you could also share what you think are the biggest challenges facing trainees specifically other than AI? I read that this can be a typical interview question. I’m thinking maybe work/life balance can be a big issue for trainees starting out in the profession but this isn’t really a topical challenge. I would say it’s always been a challenge.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated! Thank you

 

[CD20]

got a holding email for browne jacobson

Hi, do you mind briefly saying what the email said? Didn’t get this! Thank you

 

[TheSaulGoodman]

Is there a video element on the Marriot Harrison assessment please? Or was it just the usual tests?

Just the usual - their practise assessment is a good guide

 

[nicoledm]

Hi, do you mind briefly saying what the email said? Didn’t get this! Thank you

is holding email confirmation they received your app? or something else

Sorry guys it was Brown Rudnick not browne jacobson haha my bad!

 

[Mikeross750]

guys I got an AC coming up with Milbank and I know nish about finance am I cooked

 

[fTS3002]

@fTS3002 I note you gave this a thumbs up. Apologies for prying but have you received an AC invite?

Hey, no. I saw a message on the TCLA WhatsApp gc that someone received an invite on the 12th

 

[applicant457]

Anyone have tips for the HSF AC?

 

[Erin Brockovich]

Just wondering if anyone doing the Farrer AC has received a Zoom link yet or an answer to their confirmation of attendance?

 

[avocadob]

Hi does anyone have any insight into how firms really mark ACs? I understand most weigh equally but has anyone experienced otherwise? I think I bombed 1/3 parts so just hoping for some insight :/ do some firms value a certain part more?? thanks!

 

[Hanzeeb]

Hi everyone, has anyone had applications progress for silver circle/ US firms with a few 2.2 module grades. Not sure whether to give them ago, I just assumed they would reject me based on that

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Hi everyone, has anyone had applications progress for silver circle/ US firms with a few 2.2 module grades. Not sure whether to give them ago, I just assumed they would reject me based on that

Go for it!!! I have a couple of 2.2's and I've only progressed with silver circle /US firms

 

[Rosie_Kitten]

Hi does anyone have any insight into how firms really mark ACs? I understand most weigh equally but has anyone experienced otherwise? I think I bombed 1/3 parts so just hoping for some insight :/ do some firms value a certain part more?? thanks!

I wouldn't know, but I guess partially it's how well other candidates did. If they have enough candidates who did well in everything vs if they have few candidates who did well in everything .

I will point out, it's probably not as bad as you think. Naturally, we will take the worst impression of our performance/mistakes. I wouldn't think too deeply on it.

 

[Novaa]

Hi does anyone have any insight into how firms really mark ACs? I understand most weigh equally but has anyone experienced otherwise? I think I bombed 1/3 parts so just hoping for some insight :/ do some firms value a certain part more?? thanks!

I agree with Rosie Kitten!! From what I’ve been told by a Senior Associate, they do a wash-up meeting at the end of ACs where they discuss everyone’s performance and then decide based off of that AC pool, similar to X Factor.

Note: This was a firm which has a large trainee intake. So again it could be different per firm




But like Rosie Kitten also said, we’re always our worst critics and you’ve probably done better than you think so I wouldn’t think of it too much!!

 

[Legallywhatever]

Is Simmons vac scheme a rolling deadline?

In the case that it is, is it worth it to apply now with the deadline in like two days

 

[cooked5678]

OMGGG Sidley partner interview (heard 4 days post TI)