TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[msclm]

Hi does anyone have any advice concerning converting US firm VS? Also advice on coffee chats? Within two weeks, how many are you expected to do? What do you really talk about?

For my vac at Sidley I did one coffee chat during the vac. I honestly just didn’t have the time to be meeting people every hour for coffee. My supervisor told me that coffee chats are fine if you have the time to do it but never let them take preference over work. With that said, it might make more sense for you to just schedule coffee chats if and when you have capacity rather than committing to 10+ and sacrificing work for it.

General advice to convert - be nice!!!! Feedback comes from whoever wants to give feedback, so you never know who might take an interest in you (for better or worse). Also try and control as much as you can - which is very little in vacs if I’m honest. Look out for typos/spelling mistakes and please ask questions if you are confused.

 

[thepfocollector]

People who have received offers from crs do they call or email?

I don't think I have seen someone in the thread confirm they have got an offer, unless they were asked not to post it online

 

[an03]

I don't think I have seen someone in the thread confirm they have got an offer, unless they were asked not to post it online

I think some ppl thumbs up messages saying they received offers from other offices not london

 

[studentWp1]

spb post vi London anyone?

 

[CharlieandLola]

People who have received offers from crs do they call or email?

Did you get a missed call? I'd say thats an offer!

 

[an03]

Did you get a missed call? I'd say thats an offer!

Noo I didn’t I was just wondering haha

 

[wqueens8]

Hi does anyone have any advice concerning converting US firm VS? Also advice on coffee chats? Within two weeks, how many are you expected to do? What do you really talk about?

I converted a US firm VS without doing any coffee chats! I know people who didn't convert who did several.

People talk on and on about coffee chats, but the truth is they are 99% for your own benefit, and usually don't have much if any bearing on whether you get the TC. Most firms have a set of criteria they are assessing you against, which will usually be supervisor feedback + scores on whatever formal assessments you did during the scheme. The only way that coffee chats help is by evidencing interest in the firm, and good attitude etc. But this is equally shown by just being positive and amiable throughout the scheme. For me, I got close with my team and got work from several different partners. I attended the firm-arranged networking events and spoke to people there, and I made good friends with other vac schemers.

One of the grad rec team actually warned us off doing too many chats at the start of the scheme. Saying they usually have no idea if you've done any or not. Only if you somehow manage to really impress who you're chatting with so that they feel like relaying it, but that basically never happens. So yeah they are mainly just for you, if you actually really want to find out about a practice area or something. I chose not to because I was really busy with work and (While i didn't say this obviously), I was really tired, and I couldn't be arsed lol

 

[LH4]

Are we assuming PFO if we haven’t heard from Winston & Strawn post WG?

I’m an international student and have a flight home for break the dates of the vac scheme. I can move the flights if I am successful but I need to know soon.. do you think it’s worth emailing grad recruitment? I don’t want to be pushy at all but I need to know quite soon

 

[silonthesofa]

Hi does anyone have any advice concerning converting US firm VS? Also advice on coffee chats? Within two weeks, how many are you expected to do? What do you really talk about?

I converted a US firm VS without doing any coffee chats! I know people who didn't convert who did several.

People talk on and on about coffee chats, but the truth is they are 99% for your own benefit, and usually don't have much if any bearing on whether you get the TC. Most firms have a set of criteria they are assessing you against, which will usually be supervisor feedback + scores on whatever formal assessments you did during the scheme. The only way that coffee chats help is by evidencing interest in the firm, and good attitude etc. But this is equally shown by just being positive and amiable throughout the scheme. For me, I got close with my team and got work from several different partners. I attended the firm-arranged networking events and spoke to people there, and I made good friends with other vac schemers.

One of the grad rec team actually warned us off doing too many chats at the start of the scheme. Saying they usually have no idea if you've done any or not. Only if you somehow manage to really impress who you're chatting with so that they feel like relaying it, but that basically never happens. So yeah they are mainly just for you, if you actually really want to find out about a practice area or something. I chose not to because I was really busy with work and (While i didn't say this obviously), I was really tired, and I couldn't be arsed lol

For what it's worth, I'd caution for a middle path on this. Coffee chats are useful to help you learn more about the firm and be able to name drop at the exit interview because you may explicitly be asked who you've spoken to and what you've learned. However, it's also a double-edged sword because you expose yourself to giving off a bad impression. No amount of yay votes will offset a partner veto, so while you want people you interact with to like you, it's arguably more important to first ensure you don't give anyone a reason to dislike you. By the law of numbers, the more coffee chats you have, the more opportunities you present to not click with someone and whereas in a normal office environment, it's unreasonable to expect everyone to be friends with everyone, on a vacation scheme, you need to make sure you haven't given anyone a reason to reach out to grad recruitment to voice objection to hiring you.

 

[tclauser77898]

I converted a US firm VS without doing any coffee chats! I know people who didn't convert who did several.

People talk on and on about coffee chats, but the truth is they are 99% for your own benefit, and usually don't have much if any bearing on whether you get the TC. Most firms have a set of criteria they are assessing you against, which will usually be supervisor feedback + scores on whatever formal assessments you did during the scheme. The only way that coffee chats help is by evidencing interest in the firm, and good attitude etc. But this is equally shown by just being positive and amiable throughout the scheme. For me, I got close with my team and got work from several different partners. I attended the firm-arranged networking events and spoke to people there, and I made good friends with other vac schemers.

One of the grad rec team actually warned us off doing too many chats at the start of the scheme. Saying they usually have no idea if you've done any or not. Only if you somehow manage to really impress who you're chatting with so that they feel like relaying it, but that basically never happens. So yeah they are mainly just for you, if you actually really want to find out about a practice area or something. I chose not to because I was really busy with work and (While i didn't say this obviously), I was really tired, and I couldn't be arsed lol

Hey can I ask how did you go about getting work from different people?

 

[helenaskelton]

For my vac at Sidley I did one coffee chat during the vac. I honestly just didn’t have the time to be meeting people every hour for coffee. My supervisor told me that coffee chats are fine if you have the time to do it but never let them take preference over work. With that said, it might make more sense for you to just schedule coffee chats if and when you have capacity rather than committing to 10+ and sacrificing work for it.

General advice to convert - be nice!!!! Feedback comes from whoever wants to give feedback, so you never know who might take an interest in you (for better or worse). Also try and control as much as you can - which is very little in vacs if I’m honest. Look out for typos/spelling mistakes and please ask questions if you are confused.

I agree with this completely. Unconverted Sidley winter vac schemer here. Hopefully will take stuff I learned and try it out at vac scheme this summer (have a second chance but will be doing things differently for sure). I went on TONS of coffee chats at Sidley - about 15, and I didn’t get the TC. I deffo treated it like more of an exercise rather than actually doing it meaningfully, as everyone gives you different advice (ie, ‘it’s all about networking’) but it’s also about showing you can balance, and also form actual connections. I think be more relaxed about coffees. Sidley ended up not asking coffee people for feedback, it was just a nice thing for us, so don’t feel like you need to perform in there either - just be natural. My two cents lol.

 

[silonthesofa]

I agree with this completely. Unconverted Sidley winter vac schemer here. Hopefully will take stuff I learned and try it out at vac scheme this summer (have a second chance but will be doing things differently for sure). I went on TONS of coffee chats at Sidley - about 15, and I didn’t get the TC. I deffo treated it like more of an exercise rather than actually doing it meaningfully, as everyone gives you different advice (ie, ‘it’s all about networking’) but it’s also about showing you can balance, and also form actual connections. I think be more relaxed about coffees. Sidley ended up not asking coffee people for feedback, it was just a nice thing for us, so don’t feel like you need to perform in there either - just be natural. My two cents lol.

Pretty much this. I also didn't convert and for sure, part of it was exactly that reason: I treated it like more of an exercise rather than doing it meaningfully, so I looked for anyone that shares any kind of overlap with me in profile or interests and went into the talks feeling like I needed to sell myself rather than just being a normal person and asking them about what they do.

 

[johnjoh199]

Is this for their work experience/vacation scheme or for DTC?

It’s DTC!

 

[TCLAuser2002]

Hi everyone, I would really value your advice.

I am an international student who completed my LL.B. outside the UK and I am currently pursuing an LL.M. in the UK. This year I applied to vacation schemes and reached two assessment centres but unfortunately did not convert them.

I am now considering whether to self-fund the PGDL or the SQE. Funding both would be a significant financial burden, so I am trying to make the most strategic decision. The SQE seems more aligned with my longer-term plans, as I am also interested in opportunities in the GCC, whereas the PGDL appears mainly relevant for UK law firm pathways.

If I choose to prepare for and pass the SQE, would firms still expect me to complete the PGDL? I would be very grateful for any guidance or shared experiences.

 

[wqueens8]

Hey can I ask how did you go about getting work from different people?

I remember being stressed about this beforehand, but it's really not as difficult/intimidating as it might sound. Get the vibes from your team on your first day, you'll see who's approachable and who's not. For me, it was a quiet office day with most people working from home but my supervisor briefly took me around the floor and introduced me to the 5 or so people who were there.

Halfway through the day I was close to finishing my first (and only task). Went to the kitchen to make a coffee and had a quick chat with one of the associates about nothing in particular. Before heading back to my desk I mentioned I was free to help out with anything and she goes "oh actually I do have something, I'll email it over this afternoon and we can go chat about it." Another time I was chatting with my supervisor about a task and mentioned I had capacity, she asked around for me, and two different people came back with tasks for me. But similar to my coffee chat comment, don't feel like you have to do this if you have enough work. It's so easy to get overwhelmed, and nobody expects you to seek out work if you have enough. I know for a fact that the other vac schemer in my department never sought out work. He spent the whole scheme on maybe 3 massive tasks for his supervisor and nothing else, and managed to get the TC.

Like with everything on these schemes, it's a 'go with the flow.' I know some people have sent a team-wide email or openly announced at a breakfast networking event that they are happy to help with anything, but to me, that felt uncouth. Not saying you can't do this, and I'm sure some people would advise to, there's no right or wrong answer. For me, my team was so laid back and friendly, so I took that approach too.

 

[tclauser77898]

I remember being stressed about this beforehand, but it's really not as difficult/intimidating as it might sound. Get the vibes from your team on your first day, you'll see who's approachable and who's not. For me, it was a quiet office day with most people working from home but my supervisor briefly took me around the floor and introduced me to the 5 or so people who were there.

Halfway through the day I day I was close to finishing my first (and only task). Went to the kitchen to make a coffee and had a quick chat with one of the associates about nothing in particular. Before heading back to my desk I mentioned I was free to help out with anything and she goes "oh actually I do have something, I'll email it over this afternoon and we can go chat about it." Another time I was chatting with my supervisor about a task and mentioned I had capacity, she asked around for me, and two different people came back with tasks for me.

But similar to my coffee chat comment, don't feel like you have to do this if you have enough work. It's so easy to get overwhelmed, and nobody expects you to seek out work if you have enough. I know for a fact that the other vac schemer in my department never sought out work. He spent the whole scheme on maybe 3 massive tasks for his supervisor and nothing else, and managed to get the TC.

Like with everything on these schemes, it's a 'go with the flow.' I know some people have sent a team-wide email or openly announced at a breakfast networking event that they are happy to help with anything, but to me, that felt uncouth and over the top. My team was so laid back and friendly, so I took that approach too.

Thank you so so much!

 

[Ronnie114]

have anymore SJT tests been released for brabners since the first phase?

 

[hanz123]

have anymore SJT tests been released for brabners since the first phase?

no haven't heard anything since submitting my application (direct TC)

 

[Futuretrainee002]

Got feedback post vac scheme rejection, and a lot of the constructive feedback and what I could do better i know i didn’t do during a recent AC lol. So thats great! Woulda been good to have had the feedback before the AC lol

 

[hawkins19]

Mishcon AC for Summer VS received this morning