TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Abbie Whitlock]

for interview questions, how long should you aim for answers to be? 2-3 mins?

Hey!

I'd say that for most interview answers, you should aim for around 1-2 minutes (i.e. straightforward ones). 2-3 minutes is fine for competency or "why firm / why law" questions, but only if you make sure that your answer is structured and isn't rambling.

Interviewers can always prompt you if they want to find out more!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey guys, just looking for some insight. So I knew I wanted to do VS this cycle, but wasn’t aware how soon applications closed (that’s on me tbf just had no one from uni tell me ahaha) so it means that I’ve only done 5 applications for VS this cycle. There’s not any more London firms (where I want to work) that interest me. Is it worth also doing so DTC applications as some that I’m interested in close later? So far I’ve had a rejection from Willkie after application (wasn’t my best application tbh) and waiting to hear back after SJT from MDR. Waiting for answers from the rest of my apps.

Hey!

I'd say it is definitely worth doing DTC applications for firms that you are genuinely interested in! I know plenty of people in my DTC cohort that had never completed a vacation scheme or worked in law, and whilst it'll differ between firms, there usually isn't an expectation that you have legal work experience. What matters most is that you are able to write a strong application that is tailored to the firm, and that you perform well in the assessments themselves

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock This might be a super stupid question but I wanted to ask about how you approach talking about a deal to an interviewer. I have found a deal that I am super interested in ahead of my AC next week but it's a deal in another office and not the firm's London office. Is the expectation typically to speak about deals done in the office you're applying to? Thank you!!

Hello!

Not a stupid question at all! The short answer is that it is absolutely fine to talk about a deal from another office - the interviewers will mainly be testing:

• Whether you understand what the firm actually does
• Whether you can explain why the deal interested you, and
• Whether you can link it back to the practice area or skills relevant to the London office

If you wanted to be clear in your answer, you could briefly acknowledge that the deal is from another office and explain how the same practice area or client work is relevant to London (e.g. cross-border nature, collaboration between offices, similar clients / sectors).

What matters more is that you can talk about the deal commercially and with genuine interest - a well-understood and well-explained deal from another office would land better than a London deal that you only half understand.

Best of luck with the AC!!

 

[Ijustwanttobealawyer]

Hello!

Not a stupid question at all! The short answer is that it is absolutely fine to talk about a deal from another office - the interviewers will mainly be testing:

• Whether you understand what the firm actually does
• Whether you can explain why the deal interested you, and
• Whether you can link it back to the practice area or skills relevant to the London office

If you wanted to be clear in your answer, you could briefly acknowledge that the deal is from another office and explain how the same practice area or client work is relevant to London (e.g. cross-border nature, collaboration between offices, similar clients / sectors).

What matters more is that you can talk about the deal commercially and with genuine interest - a well-understood and well-explained deal from another office would land better than a London deal that you only half understand.

Best of luck with the AC!!

This is so so helpful Abbie - thank you very much!!

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

If Vantage has a million haters I’m one of them. If Vantage has 1000 haters I’m one of them. If Vantage has 1 hater it’s me. If Vantage has 0 haters it means I have left this world. If the world is against Vantage I am with the world, if the world is for Vantage, I am against the world

This is Rare after seeing this forum post about their Vantage platform being a complete mess:

 

[nordicnomad]

hey guys, i'm wondering how important is vibe matching/being liked by the interviewers in ACs, especially for CC? Will this contribute to my overall score? I did my CC AC -nthe partners agreed to or praised many points that I made during the interview, seemed to like me, and took the initiative to shake my hands twice at the end before leaving...imao i might be overthinking too much at this point...

 

[anonymous.15]

apparently R&G would like headings lmao

WHATTT BUT IN THEIR INSIGHT SESSION THEY DIDNT MENTION ANY OF THAT TF ....INCOMING PFO

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

WHATTT BUT IN THEIR INSIGHT SESSION THEY DIDNT MENTION ANY OF THAT TF ....INCOMING PFO

Who’s gna take it for the team and message one of R&Gs future trainees to see if they used headings for their R&G response. I feel like grad rec would tell us the opposite of the truth lmao. Makes their job to filter apps so much easier too.