• 📅 2025–26 Applications: Vacation Schemes, Open Days & Training Contracts

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    Vacation Schemes
    Rolling vs non-rolling checklist included.
    Open Days & Insight Schemes
    Comprehensive list across top firms.
    Training Contracts
    All key TC deadlines in one place.
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  1. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    For this year the firm announced they expect to take on up to 9 trainees.
  2. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @Tintin06 this is a somewhat controversial question and the responses you get will vary according to people's different personal experiences. My view here is that there is no set number you should aim for, but simply that you should make as many high-quality applications as you can. If...
  3. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Just to add to @Ram Sabaratnam's great advice, I copied here my most important tips from a longer guide I wrote about general VI and competency interview preparation (which you can access here). Looking out for the issues I listed bellow is a think a big part of the reason I managed to get past...
  4. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @Tintin06 just to add to some of the great responses from other members: 1. I truly do not think there is a 'successful' type - and the reason for that is my personal experience. In the past, I used to think such a type of person did exist, and I would imagine them having all the qualities...
  5. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi, just to add some of the more specific W&C AC preparation resources available on TCLA: A short thread discussing W&C AC experiences An in-depth post written by people who did the AC in previous cycles - this type of post was very useful for me when preparing for other ACs.
  6. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @bella98 the question uses slightly ambiguous phrasing but I think you are going for the right approach. Having taken a quick look across Hill Dickinson's website, I think it's clear you have to choose only one of the three broad groups for your TC. However, then you get to choose between a...
  7. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @lolasparks I have copied my answer bellow (with the names of some lawyers redacted). It is mainly based around my previous work experience with DLA, but I hope it might still be helpful. Also, feel free to post your thoughts on how you think of approaching the question or a draft answer for...
  8. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    This TCLA post about the Slaughter and May interview experience was really useful for me when preparing for my own - you can access it here. Although it is an older post (I think from 2018) I have found my own experience in the VS and TC interviews to be very similar to the one described there...
  9. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Just to add to @Jessica Booker's great response here, since I ended up being progressed by DLA last year, I thought it might be useful to copy here the answer I wrote. The first paragraph illustrates Jessica's point about connecting the key challenges to your experiences and profile, while the...
  10. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    From what you are telling me the answer sounds completely fine, I would be really surprised if any firm would have an issue with it simply because it is related to the world of politics.
  11. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @applebunny I would not worry too much about this. First of all, it is actually quite hard to cheat in a WG as for many questions even consistently high-scoring candidates will have to 'go with their gut'. Secondly, graduate recruiters are well aware that because of that, the WG scores of...
  12. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @mfuturetrainee just to jump in before @Amma Usman comes back to you, I think there should be no issue with discussing this topic as long as you ensure your analysis remains very descriptive and as long as you are careful the language you use is very 'neutral'. While I agree with Amma that...
  13. Andrei Radu

    Anyone had experience with staffing agencies for legal jobs?

    Hey @Marclegal, unfortunately I do not know much about paralegal recruiting, but I just thought to tag @Jessica Booker here as she might be able to answer your question.
  14. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @Soprano the way I see it, this question aims to test you in three key areas: (i) a classic 'why you' justification; (ii) your knowledge of Ropes & Gray and the particular skills and traits they may be looking for; and (iii) an ability to connect those that with what makes the firm's business...
  15. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Ideally I would try to talk about both. However, if you have to choose I would just base my decision on what examples from either the VS/the more substantive work experience work better to illustrate your points. One other thing to keep in mind when deciding is also how competitive the...
  16. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think ideally I would try to bled the commercial interest into the 'why solicitor in general' reasons rather than have a distinct 'why a commercial solicitor specifically', so as not to make any recruiter doubt I was copy pasting a more standard why commercial law answer. However, I think your...
  17. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hey @Audric_T and congratulations on passing the benchmark! I have quoted bellow a post I recently made about preparing for a DLA Piper AC:
  18. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    1. I think the short answer is yes, though perhaps I would put less emphasis on the 'commercial-interest' side of your answer than in your standard 'why commercial law' answer. It might be a good idea to try to integrate an explanation of your interest in commercial law within your broader 'why...
  19. Andrei Radu

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Not only do I not think it is not a bad thing, but I think your approach is in fact desirable. You can do lots of open days and still not get any closer to an AC. In fact, I was rejected at application stage at some firms I had attended both a competitive open day and a number of other insight...
  20. Andrei Radu

    Navigating Work Experience

    Hi @jamescockayne I think unless you have a worry around there being a limited number of work experience entries on the application form, I would just include both the longer and the shorter experiences. While the impact of the latter may not be that great, I also cannot see how including them...

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