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TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
IM insight day offer as well! We can all breathe now longest day at work ever lol
The new Baker McKenzie form is absolutely god-awful
Weirdly, the cvmail form is still active... do we know which of the two forms should be used? They are not the quite the same. Although the questions are identical, the new form suggests a 300 word limit for the second question (cf 400 word limit in cvmail) and does not require referees (cf 2 referees in cvmail)...
No ano it’s atrocious. Whoever decided to approve of this format needs to give their head a good shake and wobble ngl. It’s so bad omg…
The worst part is everytime I tried to log back in it wouldn’t accept my password. I entered my email for a new one and it refused to send a link…
Eventually I figured it out by some holy asspull. It asks for us to enter our academic details twice on the form to make things more frustrating.
Then the work experience section is a nightmare to navigate too. It asks us to upload a CV only to ask us to manually enter the WE all over again anyway.
The only decent part is the section for answering app questions cos it lets you format it and tweak the styling so it looks presentable…
The worst part is everytime I tried to log back in it wouldn’t accept my password. I entered my email for a new one and it refused to send a link…
Eventually I figured it out by some holy asspull. It asks for us to enter our academic details twice on the form to make things more frustrating.
Then the work experience section is a nightmare to navigate too. It asks us to upload a CV only to ask us to manually enter the WE all over again anyway.
The only decent part is the section for answering app questions cos it lets you format it and tweak the styling so it looks presentable…
I thought CvMail was bad until I came across this new Bakers portal it’s snatched the crown straight off of CvMail for worst app form lmao. It took me hours to figure it out but glad it’s over…
Now I’m confused cos I submitted my form using the new portal. Were we meant to use their CvMail one? I only did 300 words per Q and I’ve not even included any references either yikes…
Now I’m confused cos I submitted my form using the new portal. Were we meant to use their CvMail one? I only did 300 words per Q and I’ve not even included any references either yikes…
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Didn't it say 2000 characters limit - I had to check that since its acc quite different from 300 words lolNo ano it’s atrocious. Whoever decided to approve of this format needs to give their head a good shake and wobble ngl. It’s so bad omg…
The worst part is everytime I tried to log back in it wouldn’t accept my password. I entered my email for a new one and it refused to send a link…
Eventually I figured it out by some holy asspull. It asks for us to enter our academic details twice on the form to make things more frustrating.
Then the work experience section is a nightmare to navigate too. It asks us to upload a CV only to ask us to manually enter the WE all over again anyway.
The only decent part is the section for answering app questions cos it lets you format it and tweak the styling so it looks presentable…
I thought CvMail was bad until I came across this new Bakers portal it’s snatched the crown straight off of CvMail for worst app form lmao. It took me hours to figure it out but glad it’s over…
Now I’m confused cos I submitted my form using the new portal. Were we meant to use their CvMail one? I only did 300 words per Q and I’ve not even included any references either yikes…
@Abbie Whitlock I did a VS in March and think it would be great to put in applications, especially since I don't have any other recent legal work experience. I will do so moving forwards, but what about previously submitted apps currently in progress? I have multiple direct TC applications which I submitted before doing my spring VS. Would you recommend sending grad rec emails to add this to my application? Thank you!
I have no idea if my form submitted correctly. It was a nightmare.
I agree it's horrendous. I was timed out three times and each time despite having saved along the way numerous times I had to start again. Its quite off putting (maybe thats the point)
I applied via CV mail just now realising the text of the confirmatiom email seems outdated
Thank you for taking the time to complete Baker McKenzie's online application form for a Direct Training Contract 2027.
May - June 2025 - Successful candidates will be offered a Training Contract to commence in March or September 2027.
References to 2025 and 2027.
But hoping its okay otherwise what a waste of time that app was...
Wait, there are two baker mckenzie platforms? Can someone confirm if the second question about sector of interest to you is 300 or 400 word limit? 
On CV mail is 400 words on the other platform is 300 wordsWait, there are two baker mckenzie platforms? Can someone confirm if the second question about sector of interest to you is 300 or 400 word limit?
Dentons VI (London)!
Im still waiting. Its seems to be that those who have heard back applied to London (Could be wrong?)
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