• 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 Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    I’d avoid (1). You don’t really need to describe the events, more what you gained from attending them. So I would expect (3) would be best as long as your focus is on the learnings/skills gained rather than the process of the event.
  2. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

    No - if its been explicitly described as a personal statement, it does not need any cover letter formalities. I would just go straight in with your opening sentence/paragraph.
  3. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    1) not a problem if it is only one page - they are just strict on the two page rule and therefore it should not be over this amount 2) from what I have heardabout Slaughter's view on this, you state factual responsibilities, outcomes and achievements. In the vast majority of cases, the person...
  4. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    I would stress many of these type of assessments you cannot prepare for as such, and this type of presentation/assessment is probably designed as such so that candidates cannot prepare. You can consider what makes an effective presentation though. To me, this article is quite useful in...
  5. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    Yes - this is a very sensible approach to take. It is effectively a competency question as it is asking you to pull upon a previous example of where you have demonstrated something in particular.
  6. TCLA Community Assistant

    Am I disadvantaged in the future if I fail to submit an application with a firm?

    No - not at all.
  7. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    No - doesn’t need to be academic or within a legal setting. I would try to ensure it is fairly recent (say last 2-3 years) to show you have put yourself outside of your comfort zone more recently. It can really be any example but the emphasis pf the answer needs to be on how you explain why the...
  8. TCLA Community Assistant

    My Final Law Results have come in and I urgently need direction on what to do now to have a successful career in law despite a 2:2.

    Public sector legal roles also tend to have fewer or no academic requirements
  9. TCLA Community Assistant

    How important are your grades when it comes to a Vac Scheme?

    Ranking doesn’t really mean much in applications. Most candidates don’t even know their ranking let alone provide it on their application.
  10. TCLA Community Assistant

    How important are your grades when it comes to a Vac Scheme?

    It would be useful to understand what you mean by rank here. How come you mostly have a first overall but your rank is not good (do you also mean your rank against other students)?
  11. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    I’d aim for no more than 1000 words across the three questions (not including the cover letter).
  12. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    How many questions are there, are they competency questions, and what’s the word limit for the cover letter?
  13. TCLA Community Assistant

    Definitive Guide to Law Firm Interviews! *Monday Article Series*

    Hi there - Jacob isn’t really on the forums much these days. I would speak to the firm about this. It’s a very normal question to ask the graduate recruitment team.
  14. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

    I wouldn’t say they are expecting a first. Seen plenty of people without firsts get TCs with US firms.
  15. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2023-4

    Very much so - historically around 50% of their trainees have not done a VS with the firm.
  16. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

    Then I think this is fine - no need to over worry.
  17. TCLA Community Assistant

    SQE Resit Policy by Law Firm

    Typically this is not the case - the policy will be a standard one that they apply to all trainees as a matter of fairness/consistency and they won’t differentiate trainees by self finders va sponsored trainees. However, the policy could be that they look at resits on a case by case basis...
  18. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

    Was this asked around motivational questions or commercial awareness questions?
  19. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

    Call both organisations today to try and get to the bottom of this - don’t rely on email purely because of the lack of time.
  20. TCLA Community Assistant

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2023-24

    Well congratulations! And just shows you how I can get things wrong.....!

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.

    Share this page

    Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2022 XenForo Ltd. | Style and add-ons by ThemeHouse | Community services from Audentio
    XenCarta 2 PRO © Jason Axelrod of 8WAYRUN
    Top Bottom