• 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 →
  • Office Hours with BCLP (Live Q&A)
    17 December 2025 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm (UK) Hosted on TCLA TV
    Join 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!

    📺 View Event →

Search results

  1. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Sorry to hear about the PFO. Can I ask when did you apply to Slaughters?
  2. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    To those applying to Goodwin, was at their open day today and they said they still haven’t gotten to finalising their VI questions. Early careers did mention it will be kind of similar to the application questions so largely motivational, competency and commercial awareness questions. Not really...
  3. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Yeah probably likely it’s March 2026 start SQE, March 2027 start TC. I was thinking of applying but decided to opt for the VS instead.
  4. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    It’s odd though because Legal Cheek is advertising a second DTC window for 2028/29, closing in mid Jan, but it’s not on Travers’ website. Only seeing the Summer VS. In any case, it’s quite telling that most candidates turned their TC offer down. 🤷🏾‍♂️
  5. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    I think the DTC was for 2027 intake. They have a later intake for 2028/29 which has a deadline for mid Jan (same as the VS). They might have only had a handful of spaces for 2027. Pretty sure the firm allows you to re-apply if you were rejected after your initial application too.
  6. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    I wrote about UK/EU Competition Law and some of the latest developments in that, since I find it super interesting. The budget is fairly new so it’s probably okay to write about it, but perhaps try find a unique angle to discuss.
  7. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    In the same boat here. Have tried tailoring it best I could by mentioning some statistics and specific USPs. Besides their M&A practice, it is probably worthwhile discussing either their arbitration or tax practices (ranked highly on Chambers UK). Just submitted my application. It is reviewed...
  8. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    I think Skadden is 23:59 on the 1st, so just over 48 hours till their deadline. Probably best to get it in at least a few hours before in case there are technical difficulties with the platform!
  9. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    For those applying to Skadden, how do we write a detailed answer for the second question ‘if you could choose a career other than the law, what would you choose?’ Is the expectation to explain why that career, our skills or competencies, how they align back to law and/or Skadden, etc? Just seems...
  10. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    There is an app question (additional 4) which asks for hobbies, interests and achievements, so it could be better to include extracurriculars in that part of the form. If you have quite a few insight days, I think you could amalgamate them into a single work experience entry. I asked grad rec at...
  11. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Does anyone have insight into the Hogan Lovells Job Sim (stage 2). Can trade for insights in other firms. Would really appreciate it.
  12. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Hi Kirsty, I submitted my application form recently and the GCSE section asked for the school name and the dates I attended. There was no space to include my GCSE subjects and/or results. Will this have an impact on my application?
  13. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    I got into their open day and went to a RG uni not in London or Oxbridge. I asked them about it and they encouraged me to apply for the VS. Wonder if they were just being nice though. 🥲
  14. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    It is automatic but sent out in batches manually, so it might be possible they will send it to you in the next batch of test invites.
  15. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    I think Willkie has their assessments before the VS (written app, video interview, written exercise and partner interview). Candidates are judged solely on their VS performance. Most firms have a range of assessments during the VS and/or a final interview afterwards.
  16. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Stephenson Harwood London open day PFO, but been offered the virtual open day instead. Going to assume it’s non-selective. Thought I had written a decent application. Guess it is indicative of the entire process being either hit or miss. 🥲
  17. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    I’m going to their open afternoon next week so I can ask them about the final details of the VI, as their VS deadline is on 12/12/25.
  18. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Weil online test invite, submitted app 4th Nov!
  19. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    Has anybody heard back from Weil or Willkie yet who applied in November? Been almost 3 weeks since I applied to Weil and over a week since I’ve sent off my Willkie application.
  20. Harvey Specter

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

    White & Case WVS PFO post app & test. Idk if it was down to the app, the test or both.

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.

    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