TCLA Spring & Summer Vacation Scheme Thread 2026

[lawyersum]

Hey @Abbie Whitlock! Was just wondering how to best utilise your trainee buddy throughout a two week vac scheme. Each week is in a different department. We’ve been told that our buddy will remain the same for the weeks and may or may not be sitting in the same department/s that we’ve been placed in. So what sort of things should I be using them for, especially if they’re not sat in any of my departments? Am conscious of not using them ‘enough’ and not seeming that engaged with them. Thank you!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi everyone, international student here, Pleaae I’d like advice on how to answer the question, “ why you have decided to pursue a career as a solicitor?, and what other career you have explored and why you choose the solicitor role over it?

Ps: I’m CURRENTLY APPLYING TO K&L gates

I have decided to pursue a career as a solicitor because I am drawn to the role solicitors play in directly advising clients on international business strategies. I am also fascinated by how law intersects with commercial objectives to help clients protect their brand and expand globally.

I initially strongly considered becoming a barrister because of its focus on litigation, and I was intrigued by the intellectual rigor of presenting cases in court, however with research and commercial exposure at my internship at a stockbroking firm, I figured i prefer the role of a solicitor that allows me to build long term client relationships, and combine legal expertise with international client advisory.

I believe a career as a solicitor will be highly rewarding, as it allows me to work in collaborative environments, contribute to international projects and develop technical expertise while understanding clients commercial objectives. This aligns very closely with my personal areas of interest and background in international law, making the role not only professionally but personally fulfilling.

This is my current answer
Please I’m very open to corrections and suggestions!

Hey!

I think this is a solid draft, as your reasoning is clear and you have a nice structure!

Whilst I can't provide detailed advice on individual answers, the main way that I would strengthen this answer is to anchor your motivations in specific examples from your past work experience / academic experience. At the moment, you have stated you are drawn to things such as advising clients on international business strategies and building long-term relationships - these are great points to make, but it would be much more convincing if you can briefly show where you have actually seen or experienced this in practice (i.e. how you have confirmed that you are interested in these elements).

For example, in your first paragraph, you could reference something from your stockbroking internship (or similar), such as:

• Exposure to how legal or regulatory factors impact multi-jurisdictional businesses
• Any client-facing interaction or relationship management
• A situation where commercial objectives influenced decision-making

Even a short example can help strengthen your answer and show evidence that you have taken steps to confirm your interest.

I would also suggest making your tone a bit more decisive. Phrases such as "I figured I prefer the role of a solicitor" could sound slightly tentative, and I would try to tighten this to something more confident, such as "I realised that I am better suited to the solicitor role because...". Making small changes like this can make your motivation come across as much more intentional and well-considered.

Overall, I think your core ideas are strong - I would just try to make them feel more personal, evidenced, and definitive. Best of luck with your application!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Would just like to say that all of Abbie's responses on this thread have been SO helpful, thank you so much @Abbie Whitlock ! I'll be assessed based on 2 research tasks over two weeks, and i've been told that at least one of them will be a written memorandum. I've always been a little confused on what exactly a memorandum entails, so I'd be grateful for any advice. Thanks so much again!

Hey!

Ahh, I'm so glad to hear it! I really am more than happy to answer any questions people have on vacation schemes (especially the 'silly' ones), so feel free to fire away!

A written memorandum (or "memo") is basically a clear and structured piece of advice to a client or supervisor on a specific legal issue. In my view, it is less about showing off everything that you know, and more about communicating your analysis of the issue in a way that is easy to follow and useful in a practical way.

In terms of what that involves, I'd say you are usually:

• Identifying the key legal issues from the facts
• Explaining the relevant law (briefly and accurately - if to a client, in layman's terms)
• Applying that law to the facts you have been given
• Reaching a clear and well-reason conclusion (often with some commercial awareness incorporated into your answer)

Therefore, to address all of those points, I would follow a structure such as:

1. Introduction (i.e. what you have been asked to advise on)
2. Issues
3. Law
4. Application
5. Conclusion and Advice

The main pitfalls that I would try to avoid are things such as being too descriptive and not applying the law enough, or trying to include every possible point rather than focusing on the key points that matter to the client/supervisor. It is much stronger to be selective and clearly explain a few key issues, rather than trying to cover everything at a superficial level. Clarity is also something that is really important - I'd use things such as short sentences, a logical flow, and clear signposting. These all make a really big difference, especially as you are often writing for someone who is busy and wants to understand your conclusion and main points quickly.

As the task itself will likely be under time pressure, I would really recommend taking a few minutes at the start to plan your answer - even just noting the key issues and the order that you want to deal with them in can really help. It also helps to leave a little bit of time at the end to check that you have actually answered the question that you have been set, as it is easy to drift into a more general explanation (which I know I have done before!).

Finally, I'd also encourage you to have a look online at some example memoranda to get a feel for how they are typically structured and the level of detail expected. I always found it much easier once I'd seen one in practice, as it made it clearer how to organise my own answer and present the analysis in a logical way.

I hope that helps, and best of luck - I'm sure you'll smash it!!