• 📅 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

    Just before @Amma Usman can get back to you on this, in interviews, just like in applications, I think you should try to discuss the firm's unique selling points (USPs) - the important features that distinguish them from most other firms. Different firms will have different types of USPs, so you...
  2. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think you should contact them. Recruiters tend to be very understanding with these types of errors and if you do not, you risk them not being able to link your cover letter with the application at all, which could result in an instant rejection.
  3. Andrei Radu

    A complete guide for competency interview preparation

    Unfortunately not yet, but I can definitely consider writing one! I will quote bellow some of the most detailed posts I have made on written exercises and group exercises, you may find them useful. As for the guide, I could collate and organize the information from the posts there, but I am also...
  4. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    As long as you have some legal work experience and the firm is one that recruits a non-negligible part of its trainee cohort from the direct TC route, I would say yes. Two of my friends got TCs via the direct route in their penultimate year, and they were among the few who were applying for...
  5. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @AS24 I definitely am, their scarcity here has really taught me their value 🥲. On this brighter note, I will split up my thoughts between how to organize your time and then your ideas. Organizing Time To ensure you are managing your time well, before you start working through the exercise I...
  6. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @Miss Chocolate when did you complete the VI? If at least three weeks have passed I would say it is definitely fine to email them. If not, given your circumstances, I still think it would be justified. Just make sure to properly explain the reason why you are requesting an earlier response...
  7. Andrei Radu

    Ask 4 future trainees ANYTHING! *New TCLA Team Members*

    Firms have different policies for reconsidering applications post-AC rejection. I know some that have absolutely no issue with it and I know others that will not do it under any circumstances. If you were told the firm has no policy against it, I think it is worth a shot. Perhaps it will be...
  8. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I have found some useful posts describing candidates' interview experiences which will give you an idea as to what to expect: An older post with a general interview experience A 2020 thread discussing telephone interview experiences A 2025 post on a telephone interview experience (available via...
  9. Andrei Radu

    How long does it take for a firm to respond?

    Unfortunately firms have very different application processes and very different response times so it is hard to generalize. In some cases I got a reply within 10 days of my application/VI, whereas in other cases it took multiple months. For Slaughter and May, for instance, I had to wait around...
  10. Andrei Radu

    Hi everyone!

    Hi @Angela77 and welcome to the forums! Feel free to ask any and all questions about applications and commercial law, we'll be happy to help :)!
  11. Andrei Radu

    A complete guide for competency interview preparation

    I am not sure which specific industry you are referring to, but assuming this means the legal industry I think the best way is by using the legal press. In no particular order, I found the following publications to be very useful: The Lawyer, Law.com, Bloomberg Law, Business Law, The Global...
  12. Andrei Radu

    A complete guide for competency interview preparation

    Hey @weupin2025 I'm very happy to hear you found my posts helpful, and huge congratulations for getting to the final stage :)! As for advice, take a look here for a detailed post of two candidates' experiences in the Withers interview, it should give you an idea of what to expect. Using my Guide...
  13. Andrei Radu

    Ask 4 future trainees ANYTHING! *New TCLA Team Members*

    Hi @DarrenB my main tip for the competency interview would be to come very prepared to be challenged and questioned on your motivations and experiences. Firstly, you need to be able to discuss any point in your CV in depth, and particularly any educational point. Be ready to explain every grade...
  14. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    Hey @floral.tcla I recently reviewed someone's answer to this question and they had previously managed to speak with a graduate recruiter about it at a Clifford Chance event. The recruiter's advice was the following: You should take around 200 words to ensure you properly elaborate on the...
  15. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @FutureTraineeMaybe I hope you are doing great as well! My advice would be to have a list of pre-prepared questions to keep in mind, but to ideally find some interesting questions to ask connected to the discussion in the interview or specific profile of the partner. For this second category...
  16. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @Joey green there really is no way to tell - your application might be in the rejected pile, it might be on a waitlist, it might have been progressed though you were not informed yet (if the firm sends decisions in batches, which most do) or the firm might have not even looked at it yet...
  17. Andrei Radu

    Career changer from the film industry (specifically VFX)

    Hi @apap033 the primary reason why I think people do not get past the applications stage is that they do not write a high enough number of high quality applications. To tackle the first bit, as you probably know, commercial law applications are incredibly competitive; for MC and US firms...
  18. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @corporatelore and huge congrats on your interview, it is a big achievement! I will link bellow some useful posts and resources for interview preparation, I hope they help :)! I will also tag @Ram Sabaratnam - he will likely be able to give you more pinpointed advice as he is a future...
  19. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    In managing this situation, I think you should show your capacity for a multi-faceted consideration of multiple relevant considerations. Conceptually (though not necessarily in terms of actually expressing the points this way) I would split the factors into two categories: substantive and...
  20. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    To add to Amma's great response, I think you should try to engage with both, but focus more on the person who is not taking the notes, as that is the person who you will likely be able to hold more eye contact with. Also, at least in my experience, it tends to be a partner/counsel leading the...

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