-
Join Premium →Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training ContractNow 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.
-
Office Hours with BCLP (Live Q&A)29 Oct 2025 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (UK) Hosted on TCLA TVJoin Isabel Elsey, Legal Recruitment Manager at BCLP, for a live Q&A session. Get details on secondments, innovation, growth areas, and everything else you’ve wanted to ask about life at BCLP!
📺 Join Event
Search results
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Macfarlanes Senior Partner Dinner interview invite post-test!!! 😅- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,795
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
It’s definitely time consuming but I think it has worked out well for me. I have sent 20 VS applications this cycle and 8 got past the application stage (Akin, BCLP, Covington, Paul, Weiss, SH, White & Case and Willkie). I am still waiting to hear back from PH post interview. 🥲 I think based on...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,774
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
It varied for each application. For example, it took me a lot longer to complete applications that required a cover letter + long answer questions (White & Case, Travers Smith, etc) or that had several long answer questions (BCLP, SH, HL and Covington). Each of these applications took me at...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,760
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5
This is where I am right now. I have completed most of it. I just have one question left (choose a topic of interest). I am in two minds whether to send the application off once I am done. I don’t have substantial legal work experience. I might give it a shot and who knows, I could surprise...- Harvey Specter
- Post #3,348
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5
Is there anybody else still working on their Baker McKenzie DTC application or who has not yet submitted it? I am still working on mine and it looks like it won’t be done until Sunday. I hope I am not on my own here. 😅- Harvey Specter
- Post #3,346
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Is this the disability confident scheme? I think SH and TS are signatories. If you meet their minimum entry criteria (grades, application screening, test scores), you are guaranteed an interview. You have to opt in though by ticking the box. I think it’s for both VS and TC. I think there may be...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,711
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5
I was worried the paulbearers would come after me because I may or may not have made that exact mistake in my application. I think it went unnoticed though, or it was just a minor error so they overlooked it. 😅- Harvey Specter
- Post #3,333
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
I can understand why you feel that the partner interview can be slightly discriminatory. There is definitely an element of luck involved. There is also still a lot of bias and prejudice against people that are visibly ethnic minority or poc, and people that come from socially mobile backgrounds...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,703
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Take both of these bad boys in to your next partner interview and they will fw you for sure:- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,690
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
I definitely agree that there is still a lot of bias and prejudice in city law. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea for recruitment processes to not involve partners and/or associates. I feel like since partners have an ownership stake in their firm(s), they will want to ensure the right...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,687
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Huge congrats on getting SPB VS! That’s some GOATed stuff right there. 🐐- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,654
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
To my knowledge, the application deadline for Paul, Weiss was 19/01/25. They sent out a lot of their online test invites between 30/01/25 and 31/01/25. I think others received online test invites in the first week of February. Paul, Weiss sent out a lot of post app and post test PFO’s around...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,547
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
It’s pretty ironic considering the SQE was supposedly introduced to broaden access into the legal profession, yet it seems to be having the opposite effect lmao. I think the exam fees have gone up again recently as well! 🥲 Why would a firm need to approve a future trainee working whilst...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,540
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Vantage + AllHires >>> CvMail. I don’t know how to work CvMail, especially the work experience entries. Those tiny text boxes are a nightmare and pain to navigate. Whoever designed the layout needs to go outside and touch grass. 🥲 I have yet to get past the application stage for a firm that...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,524
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Do you know of any city law firms that do allow people to retake SQE 1 and/or 2 if they don’t pass it the first time? 🥲 Also, why do firms clawback money they give as a grant? How are people expected to pay the money back? 🫤- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,517
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
I don’t think anyone has heard back from Paul Hastings yet tbf. It has been a while since their deadline as well. I haven’t heard back at all from them post application lmao. 🥲- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,508
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Have you ever considered working in-house for a media or entertainment company? That way, you could practice as a commercial lawyer, but in an organisation that is focused entirely on that sector. I don’t think there are many firms that have a specialist focus in this area of law, apart from the...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,465
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
Clifford Chance and Macfarlanes have rescinded offers in the past. Last year, I’m sure there were people who were told that they had failed the SQE but they had actually passed. Despite that, their TC offers were rescinded. They were future trainees at big city law firms. I think it’s a policy...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,429
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
The top 20 is dominated by Magic and Silver Circle firms which all pay £100-£110k to their trainees and offer grants of £15-20k. It can’t be HL or NRF either as they offer similar amounts to future trainees. That’s at least 10 firms out of question, which leaves 10. 🤔 It is unlikely to be...- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,427
- Forum: Applications Discussion
-
TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25
I probably sound like a broken record but has anyone heard back from Paul Hastings at all re the SVS (‘Phirst Steps’)? The deadline passed around 3 weeks ago. Not sure whether to assume PFO yet. They said they’d get back to successful candidates in March and April. 🥲- Harvey Specter
- Post #20,342
- Forum: Applications Discussion