• TCLA Premium: Now half price (£30/month). Applications, interviews, commercial awareness + 700+ examples.
    Join →

Search results

  1. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I’ve probably asked this question at least 10x by now but has anyone heard from Travers Smith or Ropes & Gray at all? Low-key starting to crash out from waiting this long lmao. 😂🥲
  2. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Is this why they asked on their application form for one of their 500 word questions “how do business generate and maintain a profit.” These guys were trying to get some ideas from us lmao. Icl it’s clever on their part. I hope they took some detailed notes. 😂
  3. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I remember at their open day, someone asked why their trainee retention rates were so low and why BCLP seems like a sinking ship, and the partner basically dodged the question and waffled about how the firm is recognised for its training quality. Having said that, I may or may not re-apply for...
  4. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Most of us who got invited to interview scored between 20-24 on the SJT. I think scoring anything above 20 will be fine. However, since Paul, Weiss assess test scores alongside written application, I think it would also depend on the quality of the application as well. I’m sure you’ll hear back...
  5. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    By video interview (VI), do you mean like a pre-recorded style VI, or any kind of VI? I think Travers Smith have a similar process to Slaughter and May, except the partner interviews are conducted virtually. People who pass that interview get the VS offer, and do the AC during the VS. I think I...
  6. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    There is some crossover between both IP Law and Competition Law, especially in the area of patents, but they are quite different areas at the same time. 🥲 I want to explore both during a training contract (I did both as final year optional modules and really liked them). It would definitely...
  7. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    This is really useful @Amma Usman! 🐐 Competition law is acc proper interesting. I’m a fiend for it at this point. I really liked it as a undergrad module. In almost all of my applications I have yapped about each firm’s competition practice for at least one of my ‘why this firm’ reasons. Even...
  8. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    The only firms that I know of that have a deadline of 28th Feb for VS are RWK Goodman and Stephenson Harwood, is it either of those? 😂
  9. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I have a controversial question. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? It appears it’s technically both at the same time (botanically and culinarily). It therefore seems tomatoes are very versatile and adaptable. I would also like to be a tomato. 🥲🥲
  10. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    “If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?” is a crazy question what the hell. 😂😂 I didn’t realise these kinds of questions would be asked in interviews. It looks like I need to spend some time on figuring out which fruit I want to be. I’m thinking maybe an apple. 🍏
  11. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    You may have seen my posts on the forum in the middle of last week where I was on the verge of crashing out because I hadn’t heard anything from Paul, Weiss and I had convinced myself it was a PFO (seeing others had also been PFO’d). 🥲🥲 To my surprise (literally I was shocked and I still am)...
  12. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    I don’t think there are many city law firms that offer TC’s to majority of the candidates on the VS. In most cases, I think that the VS to TC conversion rate is between 25-50%. Some firms, such as the Magic Circle, only recruit 1/2 of their trainees from the VS. The rest of its trainees are...
  13. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Thank you so much man I really appreciate it. 🙂
  14. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2024-5

    I might be wrong here, but wouldn’t the offer of a TC to those that did the VS, be based on the fact they did the VS and not based on their AC performance? I don’t think city law firms (who invest at least £100k in training) would be able to make a decision solely off of an AC. In the instance...
  15. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I think I saw someone say on the forum recently that they had either been invited to the HSF AC, or completed the HSF AC, but were told that HSF’s Spring VS was full and that HSF was recruiting for Summer VS’ only from now on. Best of luck for HSF! 🙂
  16. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    I am thinking it’s going to be both motivational and competency questions so I am preparing for both just in case. 🥲
  17. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    Hi @Ram Sabaratnam, In relation to the final point, what would you say about a hypothetical situation where the firm may have made its initial judgement that advising a client would not impose harm to their professional branding and reputation, but it actually later turned out that it most...
  18. Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner

    TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2024-25

    White & Case post-VI/TI PFO. 🥲 For reference, I think I applied on the 5th of Jan, received VI invite around the 28th of Jan, and sat the VI around the 31st of Jan. I had applied for both Spring and Summer VS.

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.