TCLA Direct Training Contract Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[ghostyb]

Mayer brown pfo. Ngl, I'm a bit disheartened. This was my highest-scoring amberjack, so I genuinely thought I had the best shot there.

I've been having a tough time with DTC applications this cycle. I've basically been rejected post-application across the board, which has surprised me because I was progressing well with VS applications. My drafting hasn't really changed, and I still tailor each application, so I'm struggling to pinpoint what's going wrong.

For context, I'm an international student who did my LLB in the UK. Most of my work experience (internships and paralegal role) has been abroad, and my UK experience is mostly just extracurriculars during my degree. Maybe the issue is that I don't have enough UK work experience, or the fact that I don't have a 2.1 across all modules (still have a 2.1 overall)?

Does anyone have any insight into why I might be hitting this wall with DTCs specifically? And what I could do to improve next cycle? Would really appreciate any honest feedback or tips.

Thanks in advance.

also hoping @Abbie Whitlock has any advice?

 

[tozziesss]

Has anyone even heard anything about WFW hosting ACs? I saw some people a while back got post-VI rejections (weeks before I got an invite) so their timeline is confusing me a little bit

at this point you need to just email them because you are asking this every week loool

 

[spamelinazoid]

at this point you need to just email them because you are asking this every week loool

For me its premature to email them. I only did mine beginning of June. But it seems there have been VI invites since beginning of May - bit odd if nobody’s heard anything, esp since I got the VI invite a few days after the apps closed.

Also this is a discussion forum - dont see literally any issue in checking in once a week to ask if there’s been any updates.

 

[tozziesss]

For me its premature to email them. I only did mine beginning of June. But it seems there have been VI invites since beginning of May - bit odd if nobody’s heard anything, esp since I got the VI invite a few days after the apps closed.

Also this is a discussion forum - dont see literally any issue in checking in once a week to ask if there’s been any updates.

I don’t think it’s pre mature asking for a rough timeline and I genuinely think emailing might be the best way to get some sort of answer as no one’s giving much info on WFW in general . Best of luck

 

[spamelinazoid]

I don’t think it’s pre mature asking for a rough timeline and I genuinely think emailing might be the best way to get some sort of answer as no one’s giving much info on WFW in general . Best of luck

fck it, I emailed. let's see if they grace me with a response.

 

[lucky2]

Shoosmiths Post-AC PFO. This one hurt. I could really see myself there. This is really making me doubt myself now and a massive knock to my confidence. I have another AC coming up, but I just don’t think I have what it takes to be a lawyer now. I just want to give up.

Does anyone know other careers related to law that aren’t as brutally competitive to get into or is that unrealistic since the current job market is insane? Ideally being a commercial lawyer would be a dream come true that I’ve been working towards for so long but after three application cycles post-uni, I think I just need to settle for something else.

 

[AryanAgg]

Shoosmiths Post-AC PFO. This one hurt. I could really see myself there. This is really making me doubt myself now and a massive knock to my confidence. I have another AC coming up, but I just don’t think I have what it takes to be a lawyer now. I just want to give up.

Does anyone know other careers related to law that aren’t as brutally competitive to get into or is that unrealistic since the current job market is insane? Ideally being a commercial lawyer would be a dream come true that I’ve been working towards for so long but after three application cycles post-uni, I think I just need to settle for something else.

Don't give up now, getting to AC is an achievement by itself, the TC is just a few steps ahead.

 

[Bottega_Veneta]

Anyone heard from Slaughter and May?

 

[CheddarChaser]

Anyone heard from Slaughter and May?

I’ve not heard anything.

 

[nonlawstudent98]

Have only a handful of people heard from RS so far? I thought they would send outcomes all at once

 

[QuillandCounsel]

Have only a handful of people heard from RS so far? I thought they would send outcomes all at once

I know they sent ACs out in batches last year. Perhaps there are a lot more candidates this year

 

[PermanentParalegal]

Has anyone got any insights for the farrer and co interview ?

Is this one the tc’s you got offered?

 

[soon-to-be trainee]

Shoosmiths Post-AC PFO. This one hurt. I could really see myself there. This is really making me doubt myself now and a massive knock to my confidence. I have another AC coming up, but I just don’t think I have what it takes to be a lawyer now. I just want to give up.

Does anyone know other careers related to law that aren’t as brutally competitive to get into or is that unrealistic since the current job market is insane? Ideally being a commercial lawyer would be a dream come true that I’ve been working towards for so long but after three application cycles post-uni, I think I just need to settle for something else.

If you can do it once, you can get another one again! Don't lose confidence

 

[PermanentParalegal]

If you can do it once, you can get another one again! Don't lose confidence

Just paralegal then you can see if you like the industry or not

 

[1136PX0]

Just paralegal then you can see if you like the industry or not

Every paralegal role i've come across requires at least a year of experience. Seems impossible to find any aimed at graduates with no exp!

 

[Gioiabwear Yong]

Any idea when we can expect to hear from S&C and Morgan Lewis?

Last year I heard back from Morgan Lewis’s DTC 1 month later.

 

[Gioiabwear Yong]

Hi! For Macfarlanes’ Direct TC:

Can I talk about Macfarlanes without talking about private client? I’m interested in their corporate and litigation seats. I genuinely have nothing to say about private client.

 

[Jaysen]

Hi! For Macfarlanes’ Direct TC:

Can I talk about Macfarlanes without talking about private client? I’m interested in their corporate and litigation seats. I genuinely have nothing to say about private client.

Absolutely. Many candidates write about private client for Macfarlanes, so I suspect this will be refreshing for graduate recruitment to read.

 

[Gioiabwear Yong]

Absolutely. Many candidates write about private client for Macfarlanes, so I suspect this will be refreshing for graduate recruitment to read.

Thank you so much for the advise, Jaysen!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Mayer brown pfo. Ngl, I'm a bit disheartened. This was my highest-scoring amberjack, so I genuinely thought I had the best shot there.

I've been having a tough time with DTC applications this cycle. I've basically been rejected post-application across the board, which has surprised me because I was progressing well with VS applications. My drafting hasn't really changed, and I still tailor each application, so I'm struggling to pinpoint what's going wrong.

For context, I'm an international student who did my LLB in the UK. Most of my work experience (internships and paralegal role) has been abroad, and my UK experience is mostly just extracurriculars during my degree. Maybe the issue is that I don't have enough UK work experience, or the fact that I don't have a 2.1 across all modules (still have a 2.1 overall)?

Does anyone have any insight into why I might be hitting this wall with DTCs specifically? And what I could do to improve next cycle? Would really appreciate any honest feedback or tips.

Thanks in advance.

also hoping @Abbie Whitlock has any advice?

Hey!

I am really sorry to hear about Mayer Brown - particularly as it was your strongest Amberjack result. I can completely understand why that feels frustrating and confusing.

I've shared a few thoughts below (although with the caveat that none of us can know for sure).

Firstly, I wouldn't jump to concluding that this is a UK work experience issue, as plenty of firms value international experience and I think that internships + paralegal experience abroad can be a real strength to your application if framed well. Equally, I probably wouldn't fixate too much on not having a 2:1 in every module if you still achieved a 2:1 overall (unless a firm specifically says otherwise, as I know some are slightly stricter).

Personally, I found that DTCs and VSs can sometimes reward/value slightly different things. VS processes often give you more opportunities to demonstrate potential over multiple stages, whereas DTC applications can sometimes be much more compressed and competitive at the application stage as firms are trying to assess whether someone is TC-level immediately.

You also mention that your drafting hasn't changed, which actually might be worth revisiting slightly. If your VS style worked as it focused more on potential, curiosity, and exploration, DTC answers sometimes need a slightly different emphasis - i.e. more evidence on readiness, clearer commercial judgement, stronger examples of ownership, and more direct articulation of why you'd succeed as a trainee.

I also wouldn't discount things like timing and cohort effects too much. If you have previously been progressing well in VS processes, this would suggest that your underlying application skills are stronger than it currently feels, and it might be things out of your control that are causing the outcome.

If I were you, I would perhaps treat this more as a diagnostic exercise than evidence that something is fundamentally wrong. It might be helpful to compare a couple of your strongest VS applications against your DTC ones and see whether there are any differences in positioning - for example, whether your DTC answers lean more towards listing achievements rather than showing impact, or whether your answers have become a bit too polished and lost some of the specificity that made them stand out.

From your post, you come across as reflective and thoughtful rather than someone who is completely missing the mark - therefore, I wouldn't assume there's an obvious issue causing all of this! Sometimes an application cycle is just more competitive or the timing is off, and the best thing you can do is just tweak a few things rather than trying to overhaul everything.

Resilience and continuous improvement are really key traits that are essential to succeed in this process - based on what you've written, I'm sure you are more than capable of receiving an offer. Wishing you the best of luck with whatever you apply for next