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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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Commercial awareness or interview books?
Christopher Stoakes' Commercial Awareness is a really good starting point! I couldn't commend it enough, especially if you're a little bit lost by all the different terms being thrown around (which was me)- Hazal
- Post #3
- Forum: General Discussion
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Macfarlanes Assessment Centre
Hey Daniel, So some pointers I picked up by attending this training session: The negotiation exercise is usually a sponsorship deal They assess you on your contribution but also how you react to your team members. Are you supportive if they have forgotten their point/are being brutally...- Hazal
- Post #8
- Forum: Interviews Discussion
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'Tell us about a topic you know' question
This is some well-needed insight into how to approach the question, thank you Harvey. I've seen others find this question difficult elsewhere so I gave some tips over on this thread here @Camilla Gionso , which I pretty much geared to the question you've mentioned ...- Hazal
- Post #4
- Forum: Vacation Schemes Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
Sorry to hear that :( When did you attend the assessment centre yourself?- Hazal
- Post #110
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
No worries. Just wasn't meant to be. No news unfortunately and yeah definitely. Now to wait over the weekend- Hazal
- Post #108
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
Oh sorry I didn't make it clear that it was an application rejection. But this was my second cycle trying, after getting on their reserve list last year, so my chances were always slim to be reconsidered.- Hazal
- Post #106
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
Jones Day rejection just came through. Wasn't expecting much to come out of this one though tbh- Hazal
- Post #104
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
I would 100% advocate that it doesn't need to be commercial but at the same time, if that's your interest, go for it. Either way, if your writing is top notch, they'll want to invite you in. When I read it, I actually initially thought I had to do something more personal but I ended up choosing...- Hazal
- Post #93
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
Hey Selma, Not legal at all but commercial leaning. I have a friend who wanted to write something legal, asked if it should be something legal and hsf said no so I think it threw her off a bit. I think if you can write a great answer about a legal matter because you're genuinely passionate...- Hazal
- Post #91
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Hearing Back from Firms + AC & Interview Tips Share - 2018 - 2019
hey Sandrou, completed mine today actually! I agree with Helena in that it's tougher than most but there are things to prepare for/keep in mind when going into it. So for the scenario interview you will need to have some general commercial knowledge. How a business works, how banks lend...- Hazal
- Post #89
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Amount of work experience
I think they're all viable! You have a good enough amount of legal experience. Definitely don't leave it haha. I'm also going into the finance sector, while still aiming for law It might just be another part of your application? The impression I got from law firms were they look at...- Hazal
- Post #5
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Aspiring Solicitors Commercial Awareness Competition
Loved The Big Short! Whenever I hear about investors shorting a stock, I actually understand. Also makes the financial crash better to visualise (i.e. how complacent banks got with sub-prime mortgages)- Hazal
- Post #15
- Forum: General Discussion
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Amount of work experience
I have a mix of both but have been transitioned to the next stage before with none at all! Although, some places are quite particular about it so it might depend on where you're applying. Your position in the finance industry sounds more of a bonus than a detriment since its commercial law...- Hazal
- Post #2
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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News story that interest me Dilemma?
I used Netflix and how it has achieved such a strong market position and tied it into my interest in business competition and the recent Sky takeover :) I gave some tips on how to answer this, actually on this thread...- Hazal
- Post #4
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Assessment Centre Tips
I think that one is also good. I specifically mentioned Commercial Awareness because it looks at finance/business from a purely business perspective, so seems a little easier to understand and relevant to us at the stage that we're at. Ah ok! I saw your vac scheme badge and thought maybe you...- Hazal
- Post #18
- Forum: Interviews Discussion
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How 'performance' impacts what we do and the way we work with clients?
Oh I see! Sounds pretty difficult, almost as if they want you to pinpoint each one and give your reasoning. I'd probably say with performance, it's what they achieve for the client so like you said, the value. I'd personally zoom into one value-giving aspect of RS's legal services, like their...- Hazal
- Post #6
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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How 'performance' impacts what we do and the way we work with clients?
Is that the entirety of the question? Seems pretty difficult!- Hazal
- Post #4
- Forum: Applications Discussion
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Assessment Centre Tips
Thank you! Sounds quite similar to how I prepare those parts too! I especially agree about Investopedia. My solution to that is to read and revise Christopher Stoakes' Commercial Awareness book. It has so many buzzwords and he paints a good picture when explaining how they all feed into one...- Hazal
- Post #14
- Forum: Interviews Discussion
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Which law firms recruit on a rolling basis? 2018-2019
Their website and brochure say they invite applicants to the next stage around December, which suggests that they don't recruit rolling, simply because if they did then people would get those invitations at different times. Also, I've realised that almost all firms who do recruit rolling make it...- Hazal
- Post #31
- Forum: Vacation Schemes Discussion
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Assessment Centre Tips
I was hoping to revive this discussion and ask everyone a different kind of question - What are the steps you take to prepare for an assessment centre? So for example, I usually split it into: 1) draft and practice likely interview questions, consolidating reasons why they should hire me...- Hazal
- Post #3
- Forum: Interviews Discussion