• 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 →
  • How to Stand Out in Law Firm Interviews (Willkie)
    3 Dec 2025 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (UK) Zoom (registration required)
    Willkie’s new graduate recruiter and two trainees will break down what the firm looks for at the interview stage, common pitfalls to avoid, and how you can demonstrate confidence, clarity, and genuine motivation throughout an assessment centre.
    Register on Zoom →
  • Live Chat with BCLP’s Graduate Recruiter
    Today · 5:30 pm (UK) Hosted by Isabel Elsey Live Q&A on applications & interviews
    Join us for a live Office Hours session with BCLP’s Graduate Recruitment team. This is your chance to ask Isabel Elsey your specific questions on how to write a standout vacation scheme application and what BCLP looks for during interviews and assessment centres. Get clear, practical advice directly from the person who reads and assesses applications.
    Join live session →

Search results

  1. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    If people are only now receiving AC invites I dont think you guys should assume PFO. If the VI was staggered I imagine the AC invites would be the same. 🙂 Best of luck to everyone who applied to Weil! I haven’t applied to Weil but hoping for the best for those of you that did. 🙂
  2. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think the skills that are required to read the documents would be attainable from both law and non-law degrees. In my degree I never read any actual contracts. It was more case law and legislation. It might depend on which modules people choose to do at undergrad though.
  3. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I second this. I remember listening to one of Willkie’s current trainees at their in-person open evening and he spoke about how he felt he had messed up so bad on the WE. It turned out he did well because his structure and written clarity was very good. 🙂🙂 I think right now we are all super...
  4. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    From what I have seen on the forum they seem to have said they would get back to you guys by the end of last week and still haven’t been able to do so. 😭 Maybe they received way more applications than they’d expected this year. 🤷🏾‍♂️
  5. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Not sure how I feel about it tbh I have mixed thoughts. I am hoping for the best but also preparing for the worst as well lmao. 🤣 Best of luck to everyone who did the Willkie written exercise! 🙂
  6. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I did my W&C VI on Monday and haven’t heard back yet but it’s only been 2 days. I have seen a fair amount of people on the forum who have done AC’s but they sent their application much earlier. I applied 5th of Jan. Ropes & Gray deadline was on the 31st so just under a week ago. I imagine we...
  7. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I agree whoever invented the amberjack SJT test needs to go outside and touch some grass because what was that it was so hard. 🥲 If Paul from Paul, Weiss is seeing this though I promise I am a nice, friendly and collaborative person in real life!
  8. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think they do this on purpose to test how you react to it. Not sure what they are assessing by doing this. 🥲 I have heard of this being done at other firms and whilst it is odd it makes some sense. I do wonder though whether they do this in an interview with a neurodivergent person who might...
  9. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    If it is true it reeks of nepotism and everything that goes against meritocracy in my opinion! Can’t forget to include the word *allegedly* though just to be on the safe side.
  10. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Thank you for doing this @Jessica Booker! It means a lot to us all on this forum. 🙂
  11. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Imagine if it’s not anyone on graduate recruitment and instead it’s some dodgy automated AI system… 😱 Filter out all the disabled and state school applicants in a flash. 💥
  12. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Next thing it will be targeting anyone who went to state school or who was a first gen student. I think it’s a poor reflection on them tbh. Doing all of this to cut down numbers is crazy work but it’s their loss not ours at the end of the day. 🙂
  13. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think the test has been confirmed to be untimed. I took 90 minutes to do mine so I’m hoping timing won’t be an issue. 🥲
  14. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    If you can’t access the Freshfields specific practice test you could use other practice tests instead before doing the actual WGT. I have quoted a post by @Andrei Radu that has some listed examples below which I hope could be useful.
  15. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Second this I have also been aired by a couple of firms after asking for reasonable adjustments and it is really unfair. I just abandoned the whole application altogether because it was quite indicative of what working for that firm would have looked like. 🥲🥲
  16. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think it’s useful to include all work experience tbh but where they are similar just amalgamate them into one entry. While one VS was 2020, the other one was recently in 2024. It wouldn’t make sense to not include the older work placements. They’re equally valuable imo. 🤷🏾‍♂️
  17. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    These same firms will bombard you with emails about their disability and neurodiversity affinity networks and commitment to diversity… I feel like it’s all just very performative ngl. Some firms are genuine and supportive about adjustments though like Willkie and Macfarlanes.
  18. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Icel that’s actually disgusting. Did they accept that you had emailed for adjustments and that they had failed to respond? Surely they should have been able to give at least a one day extension with the adjustments in place? I’m sorry you had to go through all of that. It’s a joke in my...
  19. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Has anyone heard back from Travers Smith at all about the SVS? I feel like it’s been a while from the application deadline. 🥲🥲 Based on last year’s forum for WVS and SVS it seemed they were getting back to people a few weeks after the final deadline.

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.

Get Our 2026 Vacation Scheme Guide

Nail your vacation scheme applications this year with our latest guide, with sample answers to law firm questions.