TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[yasmars]

Honestly, for Mishcon to prioritise the 1 min VI over a 28/36 in the SJT score is a joke. They've completely messed up this year and I will be providing feedback for such a waste of time

Exactly, the SJT is basically worthless

 

[BealMcAlly]

Tbh it doesn’t make sense for them to put us through that chat based interview and then an SJT. IMO it makes sense to sit the SJT first with your initial app and then sit the Bright Apply interview if you pass the initial benchmark

Completely agree.

It felt like a waste of time if the SJT is just a filtering system AFTER you go through all that.

 

[TCTC]

I knew this process was brutal, but this cycle just feels like a completely different ball game altogether. Hang in there everyone. It will all make sense in the end when you get your TC ❤️

 

[adf43256]

Guys what do I do in this situation. a law firm has just scheduled an interview for next week. But the issue is the interview is on the same day as my induction for a part time job ive been offered. Obviously the law firm takes precedence but Idk. what do I do should I call up the retail place and tell them I can't make it for the induction or should I ask the firm if they have other slots available for the interview

 

[Arv_329]

Anyone heard from Slaughter and May yet?

 

[ssch7]

Same boat mate, heard nothing.

recieved a rejection this morning

 

[user397485]

recieved a rejection this morning

pre or post ac

 

[Ernesto]

Honestly, for Mishcon to prioritise the 1 min VI over a 28/36 in the SJT score is a joke. They've completely messed up this year and I will be providing feedback for such a waste of time

how do you know they prioritised this?

 

[trainee4u]

Hey!

Congratulations on being invited to the Farrer AC, that is fantastic news!

The group activity in my assessment centre involved being split into teams and you receive a scenario that you will discuss (almost in a debate-like setting). On the firms' website, an example scenario they have outlined is: "Should everyone be able to enjoy protection from media intrusion into their private life, or are there categories of individuals / circumstances where one’s reasonable expectation of privacy must fall away?"

Your team will be assigned either "for" or "against" this question, and you have 20 minutes to prepare your argument (without Google) before debating for 20 minutes with another team. The aim is reach a joint decision!

I did it last year and we had to debate the "green belt". I found this slightly frustrating as people didn't actually know what the green belt was and said things like "we shouldn't build over the Peak District" (which was wrong because the Peak District is protected not as green belt, but because it is a national park), because, as you say, you're supposed to debate without Google (or GPT!). In fact the green belt is specifically a "belt" around sixteen specified urban areas ensuring they cannot grow beyond its borders 80 years ago, resulting in, for example, ruinous housing costs in London.

You have to resist any urge to be informed and opinionated about "best" solutions and instead be laser-focused on ensuring the group is successful in "collaboration" - in particular by keeping time and trying to guide people to a conclusion

 

[ahahamwahaha]

Does anyone have a list of DTCs currently open please. Should've known better than to bank it all on one firm...

 

[trainee4u]

Hi guys I have an interview coming up, just read over my application form and I’ve realised that the form auto generated and I forgot to update it to include my third year modules (ive now graduated) how do i approach this in the interview ? kicking myself for not realising this earlier

My VS last year I forgot to put in ANY work experience (and I have a lot!). It was allhires and you have to manually enter work experience (the "mylawcareers" thing doesnt support it) and I forgot. Not a big deal.

 

[trainee4u]

Does anyone have a list of DTCs currently open please. Should've known better than to bank it all on one firm...

Training contract deadlines | Law training contracts

If you are looking for law training contracts, you need to have a strong grasp of when your target firms have their training contract deadlines! This page is designed to provide a list of firms’ deadlines for training contract applications.

www.lawcareers.net

 

[Madison Pinewall]

Anyone heard from Slaughter and May yet?

my friend interviewed like 3 weeks ago and heard back on friday so they take time i think

 

[qwerty!]

does anyone have any insights on cleary's CV + competency interview? any last min tips would be super useful

 

[user397485]

my friend interviewed like 3 weeks ago and heard back on friday so they take time i think

vac scheme or dtc for your friend

 

[ssch7]

Did anyone else hear back from DWF Ethnic Minority & Social Mobility programme?
One of my friends received an offer for it today.

im also waiting to hear back on this

 

[safari3]

how do you know they prioritised this?

A strong assumption based off the general feedback

 

[sbbusybee]

Anyone know PW timeline so far with summer vac scheme applicants ?

I think they are aiming to reply either this week or next from what they said the other week on their thread

 

[TS.Law]

how do you know they prioritised

You can infer this by realising that people with an inferior score have progressed to the next stage several weeks ago

 

[1stCycleApplicant]

Once others complete the willkie partner interview feel free to message me if you want to talk about how you felt it went for you. I did mine on yesterday!