• Hey Guest, Have an interview coming up? We’ve opened new mock interview slots this week. Book here
  • TCLA Premium: Now half price (£30/month). Applications, interviews, commercial awareness + 700+ examples.
    Join →

2020-21 Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion

Status
Not open for further replies.
Their Instagram did state that we should all hear back by the 22nd June!

Hopefully the good news will come soon! Have a good weekend guys.
I know just thinking realistically to submit a VI and then review them in time for AC’s starting end of this month, doesn’t leave much time! Hopefully good news will come soon! Have a good weekend :)
 
Hi all!

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed/down after my AC.

I think my interview went really well and the associate said that she would look forward to talking to me again should things work out. And she kept saying she couldn't ask me follow up questions because I'd answered everything on her sheet.

But the written exercise I just found so difficult. And in terms of the presentation and group exercise, when giving my answers I was always under time. Which makes me think I didn't give enough detail. Although 4/6 of the group members said they got stopped at the 3 minute time limit.

Also, after the group presentation the panel directed additional questions at everyone but me and I can't help but feel that's a bad thing.

Idk, I don't feel great about it. I just hope it was enough 😔
Hey, first of all I'm sure you did great, everyone is always so self-critical, just take the weekend to relax, no need to obsess over what happened :)

If it works out that's amazing, if it doesn't it would have been a great experience during which you learnt a lot and that you can use to smash the next AC you do :)
 
Hi! This is so strange because I am feeling the exact same way after my AC yesterday. Defeated would be the best word. It was a lot more challenging than I thought. Similar to you, I thought my interview and presentation went well, but the other tasks not so much - so feeling very mixed. :( Fingers crossed for you though, I know exactly how tough the wait is.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey, first of all I'm sure you did great, everyone is always so self-critical, just take the weekend to relax, no need to obsess over what happened :)

If it works out that's amazing, if it doesn't it would have been a great experience during which you learnt a lot and that you can use to smash the next AC you do :)
Thank you so much for this. I have uni work to do over the weekend and loads of deadlines! So I think I might just take a step back from my phone and things for a few days.

You're right though, it's a great experience for the future and gave me an idea of what they're like!
 
At this stage, it isn’t overly healthy to try and assess every micro piece of what did or didn’t happen. I could give you a 101 reasons why you weren’t asked questions - half of which would be positive.

I am surprised to hear there was a designated period of time for answers in the group exercise though - they don’t tend to work like that.

Also, when given time allocations, it is always UP TO that time limit, not a very specific fixed amount of time. Also unless you were timing yourself, I bet it just feels that it went quickly and that actually the time you had was longer than you think it was.

Exercises are designed to be difficult though. If they weren’t, everyone would do well in them and it would be difficult to differentiate candidates. The majority of candidates should be walking away from an assessment feeling like it was very/too difficult.
 
Last edited:
“Up to five minutes” - four minutes wouldn’t be a bad outcome.

And also it’s a group exercise, you are assessed on your input to the group rather what the group overall did.

On this basic information alone, there is nothing that concerns me with what you have said.
 
Last edited:
  • 🤝
Reactions: Anon 11031
It seems I spoke to soon, i just received an email saying I've got a place on the vacation scheme! I have applied for so many schemes over the past three years and received so many rejections, this is the first year I've been successful for anything!

I'm so shocked and could cry! This forum is so amazing and such a constant source of emotional support and help, I'm so grateful to be part of it! ❤️
 
It seems I spoke to soon, i just received an email saying I've got a place on the vacation scheme! I have applied for so many schemes over the past three years and received so many rejections, this is the first year I've been successful for anything!

I'm so shocked and could cry! This forum is so amazing and such a constant source of emotional support and help, I'm so grateful to be part of it! ❤️
Congrats! So happy for you!!
 
  • Love
Reactions: Georgina Evans
It seems I spoke to soon, i just received an email saying I've got a place on the vacation scheme! I have applied for so many schemes over the past three years and received so many rejections, this is the first year I've been successful for anything!

I'm so shocked and could cry! This forum is so amazing and such a constant source of emotional support and help, I'm so grateful to be part of it! ❤️
This is amazing news!!!! Huge congratulations, so deserved!
 
  • Love
Reactions: Georgina Evans
It seems I spoke to soon, i just received an email saying I've got a place on the vacation scheme! I have applied for so many schemes over the past three years and received so many rejections, this is the first year I've been successful for anything!

I'm so shocked and could cry! This forum is so amazing and such a constant source of emotional support and help, I'm so grateful to be part of it! ❤️
Congratulations! 🎉🎉🎉
 
  • Love
Reactions: Georgina Evans
Status
Not open for further replies.

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.