TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi there! Was the final TC interview different to the partner interview? If so, can you please outline how it was different, and what the final TC interview focused on?

Hi!

Unfortunately, I can't go into the specifics of the final TC interview, but I'd say it was pretty similar to the partner interview! There were a few additional elements, but nothing that was out of the ordinary - therefore, I would prepare for it like you would any final TC interview

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Jaysen @Abbie Whitlock , I was wondering whether anyone can offer guidance on case studies involving restructuring and capital markets? I known M&A case studies are very popular but the firm I have got an interview with is also known for restructuring. Any tips/resources would be very helpful, and just in general what would a non-M&A case study look like?

Thanks everyone,

Hey!

With restructuring case studies, the emphasis usually shifts from "should this deal happen?" to "how do we deal with a company in trouble?". Therefore, you'll typically be given a scenario where a business is under financial pressure, and your job is to diagnose what is wrong and think through realistic solutions to assist the business. This could involve looking at cash flow issues, debt levels, or external pressures, and then considering options like refinancing, selling parts of the business, or some form of insolvency process. I'd say that a big part of what they are assessing is whether you can think in a balanced way and reach a solution that benefits a wide variety of stakeholders (e.g. creditors, shareholders, and management).

Capital markets case studies are also slightly different, and tend to be more about advising a company on how to raise money or access the market. Therefore, you might be weighing up options such as issuing shares versus taking on debt. The focus is less on technical knowledge (so try not to panic too much!), and more on your ability to think through timing, market conditions, and risk - essentially, you should show why one option might be more attractive than another in a given situation.

In terms of structure, I would say that they are actually quite similar to M&A case studies. You still want to clearly set out the key issues, work through the options in a logical way, and then land on well-reasoned recommendation - the main difference is just the context.

For preparation, it might be worth getting familiar with the basics of restructuring (like the different routes a distressed company can take and how creditors rank) and keep an eye on the wider economic picture in your commercial awareness preparation, particularly things such as interests rates. I always found Investopedia handy for learning new concepts, so it might be worth checking those out! Additionally, Jaysen has recently released a video that explains Corporate Finance, which I'd definitely recommend to provide some wider context

Best of luck with the interview!!

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Did anyone here go to the disputes or energy open day(s) for King & Spalding this app cycle?

Also, has anyone heard anything from Sidley last week or this week? Day 71 post app and nothing…

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock hey Abbie, would be grateful for some guidance on the below. I’ve just gotten my first VS offer and was informed yesterday that I should be aiming for 3-5 coffee chats a day?? My first question is, won’t I have work to do? If I do, do I still go up and ask for coffee chats, and if so, won’t that reflect badly on me?

Also I’m not quite sure how to approach people. Obviously you get plenty of exposure to trainees, but would one just waltz into a partners or associates office and ask to have a conversation? I’m assuming they will obviously be very busy.

Also do I just talk to them about ongoing commercial developments/deals they’ve done? Like “hey what do you think abour X development”? Or do they expect more open curiosity about their work specifically. This coffee chat concept has me mildly losing my mind

Hey!

Congratulations on the VS offer!!

3-5 coffee chats a day does sound like quite a lot - on some of my schemes, I didn't even have that many across the whole week! I would personally treat it as a rough guide rather than a strict expectation, as you will have work to do and that should always come first. If you are busy, focus on doing that well and just fit in coffee chats where you can. Of course, if the firm is encouraging that level of networking, it's worth making an effort to arrange a good number, but I would still prioritise the quality if your work over hitting a specific number of chats.

In terms of approaching people, you definitely don't need to just walk into offices unannounced (although this can be a quick way to arrange one if they are in your team!). I personally found it easiest to send a brief email which said something along the lines of: "Hello X, My name is Y and I am on the vacation scheme this week, currently sitting in Z department. I would love to hear about your work if you have some time this week". Most people are very open to it, including associates and partners - they know that you'll be at the firm, and will want to learn. I'd also make sure to put it in their calendar once you have arranged it, so that they don't forget!

I also stressed about what to talk about in the coffee chats, but I would try not to overthink it! You don't need to lead with a commercial news story unless it comes up naturally. It is completely fine (and usually expected) to ask questions about:

• What they actually do day-to-day
• The types of deals or matters they work on
• How they got into their practice area or joined the firm
• What they enjoy or find challenging

If you can link in a bit of commercial awareness, that is great, but it isn't a test so I'd try not to force it. It is more about showing a genuine interest in the individual, and being easy to talk to.

The overall aim of coffee chats is to learn more about the firm and to come across as engaged and curious. You don't need to be overly strategic about it, and a few good conversations a day alongside your work should be more than enough

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Kirkland & Ellis’ latest financials are insane they’re miles ahead of everyone except Latham wtf:

​

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey everyone. And hi @Abbie Whitlock if you could please have some insight to this, that would be great.

Is it considered weird to reach out to trainee solicitors before an AC? Obv in regards to what they like about the firm. Reach out to them on LinkedIn? Or is this considered bad practice for future ACs? And would it be bad to ask how they found the interview- and whether the firm prefers a more formal ( neutral approach) or a chatty one

Thanks everyone!! Have a good day

Hi!

I don't think this would be considered weird at all - it is definitely perfectly acceptable to reach out to trainees to ask about their experience at the firm, and any specific insights they can share about the culture. Just keep the message polite, concise, and don't send loads in one go! It also helps to ask specific questions, rather than quite a broad or open-ended one, as it means they can answer directly.

The only thing I'd be a bit careful about is asking directly about the interview itself (e.g. what it involved and what style the firm prefers). Some people may answer in a general way, but others might avoid it, and you don't want to put them in an awkward position. It is usually better to frame this type of question more broadly - e.g. asking about the firm's culture or how they found the overall process.

Definitely fine to reach out though - just keep it thoughtful and polite! Best of luck with the AC, and I hope you have a good day too

 

[an03]

Has anyone not heard from crs?

 

[soph107048]

Hey!

Congratulations on the VS offer!!

3-5 coffee chats a day does sound like quite a lot - on some of my schemes, I didn't even have that many across the whole week! I would personally treat it as a rough guide rather than a strict expectation, as you will have work to do and that should always come first. If you are busy, focus on doing that well and just fit in coffee chats where you can. Of course, if the firm is encouraging that level of networking, it's worth making an effort to arrange a good number, but I would still prioritise the quality if your work over hitting a specific number of chats.

In terms of approaching people, you definitely don't need to just walk into offices unannounced (although this can be a quick way to arrange one if they are in your team!). I personally found it easiest to send a brief email which said something along the lines of: "Hello X, My name is Y and I am on the vacation scheme this week, currently sitting in Z department. I would love to hear about your work if you have some time this week". Most people are very open to it, including associates and partners - they know that you'll be at the firm, and will want to learn. I'd also make sure to put it in their calendar once you have arranged it, so that they don't forget!

I also stressed about what to talk about in the coffee chats, but I would try not to overthink it! You don't need to lead with a commercial news story unless it comes up naturally. It is completely fine (and usually expected) to ask questions about:

• What they actually do day-to-day
• The types of deals or matters they work on
• How they got into their practice area or joined the firm
• What they enjoy or find challenging

If you can link in a bit of commercial awareness, that is great, but it isn't a test so I'd try not to force it. It is more about showing a genuine interest in the individual, and being easy to talk to.

The overall aim of coffee chats is to learn more about the firm and to come across as engaged and curious. You don't need to be overly strategic about it, and a few good conversations a day alongside your work should be more than enough

Thanks Abbie!! Would you say its normal to then just step away mid work day for such a coffee chat? As in, should these be planned during work hours or only during lunch/after work? I’m worried that i will come across as disengaged if i step away for these chats for longer periods mid work day.

Also, is it usual to ask for work during VS from the lawyers youre interested in working with? Or is it rather that you wait for your supervisor to give you work, as youre not yet qualified and thus expected to spend your time networking. I was very much under the impression that we’re meant to appear proactive and ask for work, but spoke to someone who said this isn’t something we should focus on as we’ll have tasks from supervisors and expected to network more.

Finally, is staying in the office longer than expected a red flag? I work for a US firm at the moment, and found that they appreciate when one stays longer as it demonstrates commitment and willingness to exceed expectations. However, I had someone mention that during vac schemes this is actually a red flag, as you aren’t technically qualified and therefore should not be staying after work hours

 

[ABC234]

Hi Abbie,

I was wondering how you would go about answering "What is your dream firm?" during an interview.

Thanks! @Abbie Whitlock

 

[marisachr]

Advice needed! I have been fortunate enough to receive a direct TC offer from a firm, with only 1 week to accept the offer. I have another vacation scheme coming up next month with my dream firm. I really want to try my luck with my dream firm, but also don't want to turn down a guaranteed TC at the other firm (I have asked and they are unwilling to extend the offer deadline). Any advice on how to proceed ? @Abbie Whitlock

 

[CharlieandLola]

Advice needed! I have been fortunate enough to receive a direct TC offer from a firm, with only 1 week to accept the offer. I have another vacation scheme coming up next month with my dream firm. I really want to try my luck with my dream firm, but also don't want to turn down a guaranteed TC at the other firm (I have asked and they are unwilling to extend the offer deadline). Any advice on how to proceed ? @Abbie Whitlock

Congrats! Was this for Kennedys by any chance?

 

[summersun]

Advice needed! I have been fortunate enough to receive a direct TC offer from a firm, with only 1 week to accept the offer. I have another vacation scheme coming up next month with my dream firm. I really want to try my luck with my dream firm, but also don't want to turn down a guaranteed TC at the other firm (I have asked and they are unwilling to extend the offer deadline). Any advice on how to proceed ? @Abbie Whitlock

Hi first congratulations !!! That's amazing

Does your TC contract mention you can't do a VS and vice versa? If not I would say accept the TC and do the VS.
Otherwise that might be more complicated and Abbie might be able to answer better

 

[Bridget1130]

Has anyone heard back from Irwin Mitchell post AC yet? Have a feeling they will wait to the end of the month!

 

[soph107048]

Heyy can anyone advise on which firms genuinely recruit from DTC route? Ive been told to check trainee/vs intake but this isnt very telling as it is not always precisely disclosed, and even the firms which recruit 90% from VS advertise the TC as realistic which it likely isn’t. For those applying to DTC, which would you say genuinely recruit a substantial number from this pathway?

 

[AryanAgg]

Heyy can anyone advise on which firms genuinely recruit from DTC route? Ive been told to check trainee/vs intake but this isnt very telling as it is not always precisely disclosed, and even the firms which recruit 90% from VS advertise the TC as realistic which it likely isn’t. For those applying to DTC, which would you say genuinely recruit a substantial number from this pathway?

Some firms only have a dtc route like fried frank, king & Spalding among others

 

[Bridget1130]

Heyy can anyone advise on which firms genuinely recruit from DTC route? Ive been told to check trainee/vs intake but this isnt very telling as it is not always precisely disclosed, and even the firms which recruit 90% from VS advertise the TC as realistic which it likely isn’t. For those applying to DTC, which would you say genuinely recruit a substantial number from this pathway?

Irwin Mitchell don’t have a vacation scheme anymore so they recruit all from direct applications

 

[AryanAgg]

Harbottle and lewis is another one

 

[cb6056]

Has anyone heard pfo/offer from CRS cheltenham?

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Partner]

Slaughter & May PFO. Yay so happy

 

[trainee4u]

Heyy can anyone advise on which firms genuinely recruit from DTC route? Ive been told to check trainee/vs intake but this isnt very telling as it is not always precisely disclosed, and even the firms which recruit 90% from VS advertise the TC as realistic which it likely isn’t. For those applying to DTC, which would you say genuinely recruit a substantial number from this pathway?

honestly I'd be very wary of the VS vs DTC stats. For example, I applied to CRS DTC on the basis here that

50%-100% from direct TC applications

CRS

Plus:

"No, we recruit from both the placement scheme and direct training contract route. A placement scheme is useful if you also want to gain some legal work experience as part of your application process but isn’t required. We equally recruit our trainees from both routes, so we recommend applying for the route that best suits you. "

However, in reality

"
Thank you for your patience as we review your application.

We appreciate that it has taken longer than we hoped to get back to you. We experienced a significant increase in applications this year and reviewed our Placement Scheme applications first as these take place before our Direct Training Contract assessment days. We are still making decisions and appreciate your understanding."


Best IMO is to assume that unless there is no VS route, then VS is preferred.