• 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 →
  • Ask Withers Anything! (Live Q&A)
    17 Nov 2025 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (UK) Hosted on TCLA Forum
    Chat with Withers' graduate recruitment team and ask about life at the firm, secondment opportunities, and what it's like to be a trainee. Simply return to this page on the day to post your questions.
  • SQE Student Panel with BPP
    19 Nov 2025 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Join us for a live student panel with BPP University Law School. We'll be joined by Jonny Hurst, Senior Lecturer in Law at BPP, and current BPP students who will share their advice on passing the SQE.
    Register on Zoom →

Search results

  1. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Eid Mubarak to everyone that will be celebrating (either tomorrow or Monday)! I hope you guys all had a blessed and enjoyable ramadhan! 🥳
  2. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Does anyone here know how VS candidates can assess a firm to determine if it’s the right firm for them, during a VS? I know associates and partners will assess us but what kinds of things can and should VS’ers look for in a firm? I have a Spring VS fairly soon so starting to think about this in...
  3. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    I imagine they will most likely start getting back to people with AC invites from early to mid April, based on this post from this thread: If you have not heard back yet, take it as a good sign! Quite a few people have already received PFO post WGT. Best of luck for HL! 🐐
  4. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Who knows, perhaps I was one of the few open day attendees that you met. 👀
  5. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I went to their open day in Dec. Someone asked the partner about BCLP’s retention rates. The partner acknowledged that their retention rates are very low but tried to brush it off by yapping about their high quality training. It can’t be that good if people are bouncing at the earliest...
  6. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I am in a similar boat. None of my VI this cycle were 15 minutes long, so I am curious about what they could ask us, given this is for a Senior Partner Dinner and not a VS. 😅
  7. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Likewise my friend! I’m still baffled that they are making us do an online test and interview for a dinner. 😅
  8. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Macfarlanes Senior Partner Dinner interview invite post-test!!! 😅
  9. Harvey Specter

    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...
  10. Harvey Specter

    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...
  11. Harvey Specter

    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...
  12. Harvey Specter

    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. 😅
  13. Harvey Specter

    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...
  14. Harvey Specter

    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. 😅
  15. Harvey Specter

    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...
  16. Harvey Specter

    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:
  17. Harvey Specter

    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...
  18. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Huge congrats on getting SPB VS! That’s some GOATed stuff right there. 🐐
  19. Harvey Specter

    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...
  20. Harvey Specter

    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...

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.