• WIN: Lunch with Willkie Trainees!
    15 Oct 2025 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Put your knowledge of Willkie Farr & Gallagher to the test in this interactive quiz session. The winner will enjoy lunch with Willkie trainees!
    Register on Zoom →
  • Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training Contract
    Now half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
    Join Premium →

Search results

  1. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    i sense the question is more about how you would identify the issues to then advise rather than jumping straight to getting lawyers to advise.
  2. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think this means, if you were working in the firm, what’s steps you would need to undertake to know how best to advise them on the matter. I don’t think they are expecting you to know how specifically you would advise the client now, but instead what resources/suppprt you might utilise...
  3. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    As they are specifically guiding you on what to cover I don't think you need to include a why commercial law section, especially as you are covering "why are you attracted to the work we carry out" as that can effectively be similar content anyway. However, if you feel you need to cover "why...
  4. TCLA Community Assistant

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

    I am just checking with the team regarding availability for onboarding calls and will come back to you as soon as possible with an update.
  5. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    This can just start with Dear…… rather than have all the formal address format. I would try to ensure the cover letter is 800-1000 words.
  6. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Yes - they will be aware of that and will see it across applications commonly enough to know it.
  7. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    I would expect it to be heavily leaning towards converted VS where they take 30 vac schemers a year but only have up to 15 TCs.
  8. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    A lot of firms work on the basis of non-rolling being that they do not make any offers until they have reviewed all applications, but that they start the earlier stages during the application window so it isn't a manic rush at the end.
  9. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I don’t know enough about AI to be 100% certain on this. I think being restrictive on using AI is absurd though. I suspect it feels like when firms wouldn’t let people write typed answers to applications and made them still submit handwritten application forms 😂
  10. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Like any AI (even spellcheck) use it as a guide rather than absolute. If you take that approach and only use what you are happy to integrate rather than any suggestion, it usually works quite well.
  11. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    It would be pretty easy to review applications within a couple of days if they did have capacity. Technically any spell checker (even on Word) is AI, which is why the idea of not using AI in applications is particularly bizarre. I don’t think a firm would pick up on the use of Grammarly though.
  12. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    If it is a particular deal/matter, I think it needs to have wide reaching consequences for the legal sector, which is often not the case for many deals/cases. Therefore a broader story might be more appropriate unless there is something ground breaking about the deal/matter.
  13. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    If it is clear there is an improvement in grades this will be taken into consideration. I can't say that A-levels and your undergraduate degree will be completely discounted though - that is five (or more) years of education compared to only two years of your GDL and LLM. It is also tricky if...
  14. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Generally, yes they are. Although it does depend what the circumstances are and also how long a period you are claiming them for. It becomes very difficult for recruiters to determine your true ability if the majority of your evidence is impacted by the circumstances. Put frankly about...
  15. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    There is likely to be an “other” option somewhere in the list, and so I would select that.
  16. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I would only continue applying if you would renege the existing VS offer to accept a potential new one. There is no point applying to firms if you are not going to accept an offer from them. Firms will only be interested in the VS you have completed and the TC offers you have and even then it’s...
  17. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I don’t think you need to do this unless the firm explicitly asks. You can tailor your evidence to the firm by emphasising skills, topics, or values that might be aligned to the firm, but I don’t think you need to explicitly link it back to the firm. If the evidence is there, your reader will...
  18. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    I think this is the right approach - this would distinguish the two answers as the first would only cover why the firm, while the second would be focusing more on the job (e.g. what type of roles/responsibilities would you like doing).
  19. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Yes - you can include positions of responsibility within this question unless there is a separate question/section asking specifically for this evidence.
  20. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Any further posts derailing this thread’s purpose will be deleted.

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Newsletter

Discover the most relevant business news, access our law firm analysis, and receive our best advice for aspiring lawyers.