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📅 Vacation Scheme & Open Day Applications 2025–26
Planning to apply for vacation schemes, open days or insight schemes? Join our dedicated threads for support, deadlines, and discussion:
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2025–26 Vacation Scheme Deadlines
Includes winter, spring and summer deadlines + a handy rolling/non-rolling checklist. -
2025–26 Open Day & Insight Scheme Deadlines
Comprehensive list of open day and insight scheme application deadlines across top law firms. -
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread
Ask questions, share tips, and support each other through the application cycle.
Let’s make this your strongest application season yet 💼
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2025–26 Vacation Scheme Deadlines
Search results
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Preparing for a Telephone Interview
There's no substitution to finding out previous questions for sure - If you are a member of a diversity network (such as Rare), they collate previous questions for your assistance. The next step I would take would be doing some open-source research. Someone may have interviewed there and posted...- D
- Post #2
- Forum: Interviews Discussion
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General Discussion Thread 2020-21
In my honest opinion - TCLA was one of the main reasons I had the success I did. The application reviews alone were worth the entire package (in my view). My take on the process was that the application was the single most important aspect of you application. If you failed there, you never get a...- D
- Post #2,412
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Equity Derivatives
I started researching it because of the reports I heard of people seeing insane gains on their portfolio's with SPY Puts. I saw $5k -> $1m in the aftermath of CoViD. This got me intrigued. Derivatives in general, you can't go wrong with watching films like The Big Short. They will summarise...- D
- Post #4
- Forum: Commercial Awareness Discussion
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Equity Derivatives
I do not profess to be an expert in this topic, however, I did go down a bit of a rabbit-hole with options recently. I started with Investopedia, and it really went from there. You'll be surprised at what you pick up. What I did, was every time there was a word or phrase I didn't understand, I...- D
- Post #2
- Forum: Commercial Awareness Discussion
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Asking Questions at Interviews/Assessment Days
Don't over-think in these situations. Have an idea of some things you would like to find out, and then at the end of the interview, see if they have been covered. If they haven't - Ask! However, the best questions tend to be organic and flow naturally from your conversation. If I had nothing to...- D
- Post #4
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Entering the job market after a self-funded GDL - no TC yet
@Jessica Booker is definitely going to be the best advice here. Just a note, there is a list of firms on the firm that will retrospectively fund your LPC if you are successful getting a TC with them, but, with the SQE changes, it's probably a really odd time to be considering what to do. What...- D
- Post #2
- Forum: General Discussion
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What to ask at Q&A panels?
I echo all of the sentiments and comments above. There is nothing worse than someone who asks a question that is clearly intended to "score points" when, as mentioned above, it is doing the opposite. I had a series of questions that I would want answers to from the firms I was interested in...- D
- Post #4
- Forum: General Discussion
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How to network effectively
Well, don't view it as "I'm just looking for a connection" because that is not true. I think that is your anxiety telling you that! Yes, you will get to make a connection, but, no doubt you are looking to find out more about the firm. You can ask about their experiences, the type of work they...- D
- Post #8
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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How to network effectively
Hey! Firstly - I have used Aspiring Solicitors to reach out to some of their professional ambassadors. Please note - they do not sign up to do this because they are press-ganged into it. They ask Chris to become an ambassador. Every time - I have received a timely response and they were so...- D
- Post #3
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Interview/Open Day/Vacation Scheme Updates- Coronavirus
From my recollection, Latham did not have a cover letter. It is an application form with a series of questions.- D
- Post #350
- Forum: General Discussion
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General Discussion Thread 2020-21
Ah, never mind. If it's a relevant question still, I could ask them to see if they could offer any insight?- D
- Post #2,030
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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General Discussion Thread 2020-21
What specific scheme? I have friends who had spots on the various VS's, if I can offer any assistance.- D
- Post #2,027
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Mandatory 2.1 or above in non-law modules for top firms?
I concur with the above. It certainly differs on a firm-by-firm basis with some being more particular than others. The way to approach it all really though is to simply do your best. At the end of the day, you are in a pool of applicants that can be thousands in size. You want to limit...- D
- Post #3
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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The Financial Crisis Guide
Incredible write-up Edward. One of the best posts I've read on this forum.- D
- Post #9
- Forum: Commercial Knowledge Articles
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Interview/Open Day/Vacation Scheme Updates- Coronavirus
I mean, it's a possibility. However, they could just lump us all in together. They still need to hire for the 2 years ahead at the end of the day. I suppose a possibility would be to just run Spring/Summer in 2021.- D
- Post #329
- Forum: General Discussion
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Acquiring a foreign company
I like to go through the departments of a law firm in these situations and think - What do they do? Would they be involved? So here, you might get to Competition, or whatever guise it comes in and then ask yourself: "Are there any competition/monopoly issues here that need addressing?". Do this...- D
- Post #6
- Forum: General Discussion
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Interview/Open Day/Vacation Scheme Updates- Coronavirus
They have said no assessment until Winter so this seems to be the line they will be taking.- D
- Post #318
- Forum: General Discussion
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Interview/Open Day/Vacation Scheme Updates- Coronavirus
Latham is now online. 1 week digital. 1 week work exp in the Winter.- D
- Post #316
- Forum: General Discussion
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Giving "details" of work history
Here is my practical advice: 1. Limit your experiences to 4 sections. Pick the most relevant. If you can, combine experiences (Open Days/Vac Schemes etc). The reason why I advocate this is that some firms limit their work experience section to 4 examples. Thus, you are doing yourself a favour...- D
- Post #7
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Scenario Based Assessment
I completed a "Scenario" Interview at HSF. I'd recommend looking at the feedback that has been posted on TCLA and alternative websites about the assessment. For reference, the form mine took was that the partner spoke about a previous deal they had worked on. They presented the issues to you and...- D
- Post #3
- Forum: Interviews Discussion