• 📅 Vacation Scheme Applications 2025–26

    Planning to apply for winter, spring or summer vacation schemes? Join our dedicated threads for support, deadlines, and discussion:

    Let’s make this your strongest application season yet 💼

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  1. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @badmintonflyinginsect for the minutes task I was not actually ask to write the official minutes document per se; but rather, just to gather as much information as possible, which a trainee would then use for the draft. An important role of lawyers in drafting minutes is to understand the...
  2. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    For a client pitch, I think there are three areas to consider (although the first one is likely to be of central importance): The firm's unique selling points from a client perspective, when compared to main competitors: essentially, you need to classify the type/types of legal services the...
  3. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    Glad I could help :). Yes, you should have open access to the web (bar some sites designated as a security threat or as improper by the system; but this is not something likely to hinder your research efforts). Besides that, you will likely have: (i) some sort of Intranet or firm-wide resources...
  4. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @ashwright and huge congrats on getting to the interview stage 🥳 🥳 I am sure you will nail it! My best advice for you to avoid sounding robotic is to not memorize your answers during your preparation. Instead, I think you should simply aim to remember how to link key competencies/motivations...
  5. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think the approach suggested by @trainee4u is the right one. To add to his points, I have made a list bellow of crucial aspects to consider. Essentially, I think you should choose a new office location that seems to you to best fit the criteria you deem most important from those listed bellow...
  6. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think in the majority of cases the firm would inform you if you were straight up rejected. I think a lack of response over a longer than expected post AC generally means either that: (i) for whatever reason, the firm has not finalized its decision-making process; or (ii) that you have been...
  7. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    It is quite hard to make any predictions with a high degree of confidence as this is still very much of a developing situation. While the deals struck by Paul, Weiss, Skadden, and now Willkie and Milbank might seem to indicate this, I do think there are some important reasons to consider to the...
  8. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @baj5 I would love to give some input - could you post the questions here?
  9. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    The acceptable time you take when responding to a quite broad question of this sort will vary depending on the context. In my case, in one interview I took around 6-7 minutes or so to go through my entire response for a 'Why the firm' question and the partners absolutely loved it. That said...
  10. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think the 'Why law' and 'Why you' sections should not end up being too different from responses you would write in traditional law firm cover letters. The 'Why Accutrainee' part will however end up looking more unique, as Accutrainee operates a unique TC model which involves seconding its...
  11. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Yes, I think this is essentially the right approach. I would just take a lot of care to maintain proper structure by continuously signposting and using connectors. For me, the answer therefore ended up looking something like this: There are three key reasons you should hire me: as I will...
  12. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I hope this is not too late but my main advice would be to try try to walk the fine line of advocating for your position to the best of your abilities while also avoiding to seem unresponsive to the points the partners make to challenge you. You should be aware that the arguments the partners...
  13. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @futuretrainee2025 whenever you are allocated a research task, I think the best thig to do is to actually ask this question to the person assigning the work to you. More senior lawyers sometimes forget the many things that you do not know so will not mention what to them seems obvious...
  14. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    The level to which a trainee buddy can and will help you will depend on a number of variables. Quite a few of them are out of your control, such as: VS policies: in some firms HR will make it a point to emphasize that trainee buddies are meant to be proactive and do all they can to help you...
  15. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    There are a couple of Westlaw/Practical Law practice area resources I have referred to and that you should consider, I will list them bellow: The UK Quick Guides: this is meant to give a quick snapshot of what the work of the given practice area looks like. However, for some practice areas this...
  16. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    As @Ram Sabaratnam and @Jessica Booker have said, there is no objective way to estimate your chances - they are influenced by way too many variables. That said, from my personal experience, I do not think whether this is your first VS or not impacts your odds too much. While my sample size is...
  17. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think this will depend on each firm's specific policies, to the extent they have any policies in this regard. I have brought my bag with personal devices to a number of ACs and this was never an issue. I was allowed to use my laptop and notes to revise during break times and I would assume in...
  18. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I do not think the 15-miunte time slot necessarily indicates that the firm actually expects the interview to ask for that long. It may be that they only plan to ask 3-4 questions and are accounting for potential 2-3 minute answers, introductions, and potential delays when calculating how much...
  19. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @a3736y I think with most presentation task you just want to ensure you (i) have a very clear structure; (ii) deliver it in a composed and articulate manner; and (iii) focus on the interesting points of analysis and discussion. For (i) the details of the exact structure you employ will differ...
  20. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    The tasks that I have completed in my vacations schemes I think were quite illustrative for what one may expect to find in the respective practice areas: In corporate M&A/PE: reviewed contracts for chance of control clauses, reviewed and prepared a memo on a due diligence report prepared by the...

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