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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hey!
Congratulations on the VS offer and the AC invite! I can see how this is a tricky decision (even if it is a positive position to be in overall!), but definitely try to be reassured by the fact they want you to still attend the AC!
I would have a think about how likely you think it is that you will convert your other scheme (in a general sense, as I definitely wouldn’t rely just on the rates!) AND how likely you think you could get to AC again if you decided to reapply. I can see why you are hesitant to do the AC if you can’t reapply post-AC rejection, however, it is also important to remember that you would still have to go through all of the application stages again if you were to wait.
I would say that an accommodation like this shows that the firm sees potential in you! If you really like the firm, and feel confident in your preparation for the AC, I would go for it!
Hi all, just wanted to check what kind of topics come at group exercises? I have my first group exercise tomorrow and am freaking out!
Edit - just to add to this, are there any current commercial awareness topics I should be aware of especially in context to pe ma, credit, funds or finance/ any similar areas
@Abbie Whitlock
Edit - just to add to this, are there any current commercial awareness topics I should be aware of especially in context to pe ma, credit, funds or finance/ any similar areas
@Abbie Whitlock
Last edited:
Hi!
If it is any consolation, I’ve gone back through my emails from when I applied to their spring vacation scheme last cycle and I didn’t receive the test + VI invite until the 13 March, with the VS offer following on the 17 March. Still some time to hear back if they’re following a similar timeline as last year!
Hi!
I have previously written a few posts on negotiation exercises which discussed what I found helpful (especially as someone who is also very introverted!) - I have quoted them below.
Overall, it is important to remember that you don’t need to be the loudest person in the room or make the most points to perform well. Quality of contribution always matters far more than quantity.
Additionally, take a moment to properly think through what you want to say before speaking. Some of the more constructive feedback that I have received following these exercises is that it comes across better to pause to ensure you make a clear and structured point, rather than jumping straight into it.
It helps to focus on contributing where you feel confident and can add genuine value. For example, when I competed in BIUCAC, I felt most confident handling the IP section for the team as I had just studied it at university. Being selective in this way can show self-awareness, good judgement, and strong teamwork - however, don’t be afraid to offer your thoughts on things even if you are not 100% confident, particularly if you feel it may be useful!
Wishing you the best of luck - I will be cheering you on as a fellow introvert! 💪
Hello!
Huge congratulations on getting an invite to the Macfarlanes AC - that's a fantastic achievement!!
It sounds like you've already got a good handle on the competency interview, which is great! For the group negotiation, I'd recommend practicing staying calm and structured under pressure - try to balance contributing your ideas confidently while also showing that you can listen, build on others' points, and bring the group towards a practical consensus. Sometimes they are mainly assessing how you work well with others in the team, so I would focus on remaining professional at all times and working with the rest of your group. One thing that always used to help me was to summarise what had already been agreed at points throughout the negotiation - this shows that you are ensuring everyone is on the same page, and that you have been listening!
For the written exercise, it's usually about clear and logical communication under time pressure. If you can, I'd have a go at practising summarising complex information into concise recommendations - think about structuring your writing and being clear on what your rationale is. Structure was always really vital for me - it might be beneficial for you to have a read on the formatting of various types of documents (e.g. report, memo, client email, client letter, etc) to have an idea of what they will be expecting. Additionally, reading a few business case summaries can help you get into that concise and professional writing style.
For the case study interview, I would try to practice analysing unfamiliar information quickly. It might be worth reading through all of the documents first, and then going back to look at the fine details and identify the issues / opportunities. I would try and use a set framework to help you structure your thinking out loud - for example, what's the problem, what information do you have, what do you need, and what's your recommendation? You may be challenged on your thoughts, and remember to try and stay calm - show your thought process, and be open to changing your mind if they introduce a point you hadn't thought of.
Finally, I would also give yourself some time to do some more research into the firm. I know that it can feel like no amount of research will be enough, but I would try and bring your own perspective to discussions and show how you are a great fit for the firm!
Good luck! You've got plenty of time to prepare, and it sounds like you're approaching it in exactly the right way. I'm sure you'll smash it
Hey!
Whilst I haven't completed a negotiation exercise at an AC before, I did complete one when I competed in BIUCAC and during my vacation scheme at Travers Smith, so I'm happy to share how I prepared for these!
I remember finding negotiation exercises really intimidating, but they feel slightly easier and less nerve-wracking once you are actually in it. The key thing to remember is that negotiations are much more about how you approach the discussion, rather than 'winning' or forcing the best deal. You should be looking to display traits such as collaboration, commercial awareness, and clear communication - definitely try to avoid things like aggression and stubbornness (which was slightly challenging for me as a naturally stubborn person haha 😅).
It is difficult to prepare for a negotiation exercise in advance of an AC, as it will depend a lot on the fact pattern itself. In terms of preparation on the day, make sure that you know your brief inside out. It is important to be really clear on your client's priorities, and break the factors down into:
1. What is essential for your client
2. What you are willing to negotiate (i.e. there is some leeway)
3. Areas that you are willing to compromise
It helps to have a think in advance about any potential trade-offs, so that you are not just saying yes or no but can suggest alternatives or offers to the other side that move the discussion forward.
During the exercise itself, focus on listening just as much as speaking. I would try to ask questions, acknowledge the other side's points, and explain your reasoning calmly. A good negotiation should feel constructive rather than adversarial, so make sure to keep the tone professional and solution-focused. If any new information comes up that wasn't included in your facts, show that you can adapt rather than sticking rigidly to what you prepared in advance - this is why it is important to have some areas you are willing to negotiate and compromise on.
Additionally, if it is a team negotiation, I found it really helpful to summarise the points that had been agreed as we went along. This helped for time management, as you want to ensure that you aren't staying stuck on one point for too long. If the negotiation has been stuck for a while, it might make sense to suggest that you move on to the next issue, and come back to the earlier point towards at the end.
One thing that I picked up on after speaking to the assessors at the negotiations I have taken part in is the importance of being realistic with your demands. For example, if your client is aiming for £100,000 for a company, it makes sense to open slightly higher to leave room for negotiate, but you should avoid going wildly overboard (e.g. suggesting £1,000,000). An unrealistic opening position can undermine your credibility and make it harder to build a constructive dialogue. A sensible and well-reasoned starting point shows commercial awareness and helps keep the negotiation collaborative overall.
If you have time to practise, you could have a go at doing a mock negotiation with a friend - even just getting comfortable structuring your points and responding under a bit of pressure can be really helpful. I'd also recommend that you familiarise yourself with concepts such as warranties, indemnities, etc. before the AC (if you haven't already), as these are things that are likely to be negotiated.
Overall, as long as you stay calm and continually aim to work towards a solution with the other side, you will be doing exactly what the graduate recruitment team want to see - even if you don't end up with the 'best' deal.
Best of luck!!
Hey!
I wouldn’t say that 2 minutes 30 seconds is automatically too long - I think it depends on the question itself, and how structured and engaging your answer is.
If you are speaking clearly and answering the question clearly (without rambling!), most interviewers won’t mind - particularly for the longer motivational questions. However, if your answers drift, you repeat points, or you take a while to actually answer this question, this might be riskier.
A good rule of thumb that I followed is to aim for around 2-2.5 minutes for motivational questions (e.g. ”why law” and “why this firm”) and 1.5-2 minutes for competency questions. It helps to follow a clear structure to keep you on track, such as STAR!
Hello!
For an interview based on a written exercise, I would focus on making sure that you really understand your own reasoning. The assessors are likely less concerned with whether you have reached the “perfect” answer, and are more interested in how you approached the task. Therefore, I would be ready to explain why you prioritised certain issues, any assumptions that you made, any points where you might need further information, and how you structured your analysis.
It is also very common for interviewers and assessors to challenge your conclusions or introduce new information to see how you would respond. Definitely don’t see that as a sign you were wrong - they are often testing how you think on your feet, and how you approach the new issues that might arise. If the new facts change your original view, it is absolutely fine to say so and explain how and why you would adapt your advice (and vice versa if you stick to your original view).
Finally, I would also be prepared to reflect on what you might improve if you had more time in the exercise. It is important to be reflective and show that you can evaluate your own work.
Overall, I’d treat it as a discussion on how you approached the written exercise and how you reached certain conclusions, rather than having to defend it perfectly.
Best of luck!!
Thank you so so much!Hello!
For an interview based on a written exercise, I would focus on making sure that you really understand your own reasoning. The assessors are likely less concerned with whether you have reached the “perfect” answer, and are more interested in how you approached the task. Therefore, I would be ready to explain why you prioritised certain issues, any assumptions that you made, any points where you might need further information, and how you structured your analysis.
It is also very common for interviewers and assessors to challenge your conclusions or introduce new information to see how you would respond. Definitely don’t see that as a sign you were wrong - they are often testing how you think on your feet, and how you approach the new issues that might arise. If the new facts change your original view, it is absolutely fine to say so and explain how and why you would adapt your advice (and vice versa if you stick to your original view).
Finally, I would also be prepared to reflect on what you might improve if you had more time in the exercise. It is important to be reflective and show that you can evaluate your own work.
Overall, I’d treat it as a discussion on how you approached the written exercise and how you reached certain conclusions, rather than having to defend it perfectly.
Best of luck!!
Hi!
Congratulations on the interview!
For a first stage interview, I don't think you would be expected to have extremely specialist knowledge to complete the technical elements. It is more likely to be either basic core legal principles (e.g. elements of a contract and how you would apply them in a scenario) or a more commercial angle. For example, they might test how well you understand how law interacts with business, so I would keep up to date with recent events and a recent deal from the firm. You could be asked to discuss these and explain how any commercial or legal issues could affect the company.
Therefore, as long as you have an understanding of the legal and commercial principles that are relevant to the firm (i.e. if it is a PE-heavy firm, make sure you understand how a PE deal is carried out), you should be fine!
I hope that assists!
Hi!
No need to apologise at all! Unfortunately, I wouldn't know any specifics of the elevator pitch exercise, but I'm happy to share some more general tips for approaching this kind of exercising. An elevator pitch is designed to be short and memorable (think around 2-3 minutes, if that!). Therefore, they are typically looking for: why you are, what you bring, and why RG. I would keep your pitch structured (such as present -> past -> future) and avoid citing your CV word for word - it should be a summary! Additionally, make sure that you can article why you are motivated to work at this firm naturally and confidently, to ensure that it doesn't come across as overly scripted.
In relation to written exercises and negotiations, I have written a few previous posts which I will quote below - I hope they are useful!
Best of luck!!
Hello!
Congratulations on getting the invite! 🎉 Whilst I haven't completed the Ashurst written exercise, they will usually test your ability to communicate clearly and structure your arguments logically - similar to what you'd do as a trainee when drafting emails or internal notes.
I've outlined some previous tips that I always used when preparing for written exercises below:
- Practice timed writing - pick a 30-45 minute slot, read a short business or news article, and summarise the key points in a structured 1-2 page memo with a clear conclusion summarising your findings.
- Work on prioritisation - pick an article with a lot of information, and practice picking out the 3-4 most important issues rather than trying to summarise and include everything.
- Use a clear structure - this was the main thing that I implemented that helped me score higher on written assessments! Follow a clear structure in your answer, and practice what this would be for each type of document.
- Check clarity - after writing (potentially one of the above), ask yourself if someone with no context to the facts could follow along with the information and your reasoning.
- Proofread under pressure - I would get used to quickly checking grammar and flow, as this is really important in a written exercise! I sometimes struggled with this, as the pressure made me skip parts of my writing, but I found that literally following along with a pen or your finger can make sure you don't miss anything.
- Review sample case studies - I would have a look online and see if there are any free resources that you can have a go at. A true lifesaver during my last cycle was this forum post by Jacob Miller, and I would definitely give it a read!
The main thing that assisted me in written exercises is following a clear structure! I would go through and read all of the materials first, and then go back to pick out the key details. You should be looking for key issues, areas that you will require more information, and anything that you think is important for the client to know.
I would then follow a clear structure in your answer. There are a a few different types of documents that they could test you on - e.g. an email, memo, report, note, etc. I would have a look beforehand at the formatting of each, and have a go at writing them! If you are writing a letter / email to a client, make sure that you aren't including technical terms and writing in way that is easy for them to understand.
I would also try and find ways to showcase that you have the skills that they are looking for in trainees. For example, in one of my previous ACs I was asked to write an email to a supervisor. In this email, I outlined my arguments and recommendation, but I ended it by offering to draft the email / document for the client (e.g. proactivity). This will be dependant on each exercise, but if you can incorporate this in some way, I think it's a great way of standing out!
I hope that assists - best of luck with the written exercise, I'm sure you'll smash it!
Hello!
Huge congratulations on getting an invite to the Macfarlanes AC - that's a fantastic achievement!!
It sounds like you've already got a good handle on the competency interview, which is great! For the group negotiation, I'd recommend practicing staying calm and structured under pressure - try to balance contributing your ideas confidently while also showing that you can listen, build on others' points, and bring the group towards a practical consensus. Sometimes they are mainly assessing how you work well with others in the team, so I would focus on remaining professional at all times and working with the rest of your group. One thing that always used to help me was to summarise what had already been agreed at points throughout the negotiation - this shows that you are ensuring everyone is on the same page, and that you have been listening!
For the written exercise, it's usually about clear and logical communication under time pressure. If you can, I'd have a go at practising summarising complex information into concise recommendations - think about structuring your writing and being clear on what your rationale is. Structure was always really vital for me - it might be beneficial for you to have a read on the formatting of various types of documents (e.g. report, memo, client email, client letter, etc) to have an idea of what they will be expecting. Additionally, reading a few business case summaries can help you get into that concise and professional writing style.
For the case study interview, I would try to practice analysing unfamiliar information quickly. It might be worth reading through all of the documents first, and then going back to look at the fine details and identify the issues / opportunities. I would try and use a set framework to help you structure your thinking out loud - for example, what's the problem, what information do you have, what do you need, and what's your recommendation? You may be challenged on your thoughts, and remember to try and stay calm - show your thought process, and be open to changing your mind if they introduce a point you hadn't thought of.
Finally, I would also give yourself some time to do some more research into the firm. I know that it can feel like no amount of research will be enough, but I would try and bring your own perspective to discussions and show how you are a great fit for the firm!
Good luck! You've got plenty of time to prepare, and it sounds like you're approaching it in exactly the right way. I'm sure you'll smash it
Hey!
Whilst I haven't completed a negotiation exercise at an AC before, I did complete one when I competed in BIUCAC and during my vacation scheme at Travers Smith, so I'm happy to share how I prepared for these!
I remember finding negotiation exercises really intimidating, but they feel slightly easier and less nerve-wracking once you are actually in it. The key thing to remember is that negotiations are much more about how you approach the discussion, rather than 'winning' or forcing the best deal. You should be looking to display traits such as collaboration, commercial awareness, and clear communication - definitely try to avoid things like aggression and stubbornness (which was slightly challenging for me as a naturally stubborn person haha 😅).
It is difficult to prepare for a negotiation exercise in advance of an AC, as it will depend a lot on the fact pattern itself. In terms of preparation on the day, make sure that you know your brief inside out. It is important to be really clear on your client's priorities, and break the factors down into:
1. What is essential for your client
2. What you are willing to negotiate (i.e. there is some leeway)
3. Areas that you are willing to compromise
It helps to have a think in advance about any potential trade-offs, so that you are not just saying yes or no but can suggest alternatives or offers to the other side that move the discussion forward.
During the exercise itself, focus on listening just as much as speaking. I would try to ask questions, acknowledge the other side's points, and explain your reasoning calmly. A good negotiation should feel constructive rather than adversarial, so make sure to keep the tone professional and solution-focused. If any new information comes up that wasn't included in your facts, show that you can adapt rather than sticking rigidly to what you prepared in advance - this is why it is important to have some areas you are willing to negotiate and compromise on.
Additionally, if it is a team negotiation, I found it really helpful to summarise the points that had been agreed as we went along. This helped for time management, as you want to ensure that you aren't staying stuck on one point for too long. If the negotiation has been stuck for a while, it might make sense to suggest that you move on to the next issue, and come back to the earlier point towards at the end.
One thing that I picked up on after speaking to the assessors at the negotiations I have taken part in is the importance of being realistic with your demands. For example, if your client is aiming for £100,000 for a company, it makes sense to open slightly higher to leave room for negotiate, but you should avoid going wildly overboard (e.g. suggesting £1,000,000). An unrealistic opening position can undermine your credibility and make it harder to build a constructive dialogue. A sensible and well-reasoned starting point shows commercial awareness and helps keep the negotiation collaborative overall.
If you have time to practise, you could have a go at doing a mock negotiation with a friend - even just getting comfortable structuring your points and responding under a bit of pressure can be really helpful. I'd also recommend that you familiarise yourself with concepts such as warranties, indemnities, etc. before the AC (if you haven't already), as these are things that are likely to be negotiated.
Overall, as long as you stay calm and continually aim to work towards a solution with the other side, you will be doing exactly what the graduate recruitment team want to see - even if you don't end up with the 'best' deal.
Best of luck!!
Hello!
A few resources below that I used / might be useful:
- Definitive Guide to Law Firm Case Studies (whilst this is a case study, instead of a written exercise, I found it super useful last cycle!)
- TCLA Written Exercises (a good way to practice if you are able to pay to access resources)
- Some law firms upload example written exercises online - I believe DWF has one available!
Hopefully they help as a starting point - best of luck!
I linked the skills to how it would help with their strategy and recent developments in the firm
Hi everyone, haven’t been posting on here as often so here it goes.
I got the Summer vacation scheme scheme at Norton Rose Fulbright and the AI internship at Simmons and Simmons. This is my second cycle with over 70 rejections in total. I am so so so thankful for everyone in this forum and the whole TCLA community for all the support and information, hopefully I can convert this to a TC and any advice to help with that I will be eternally grateful! Thank you all!!
I got the Summer vacation scheme scheme at Norton Rose Fulbright and the AI internship at Simmons and Simmons. This is my second cycle with over 70 rejections in total. I am so so so thankful for everyone in this forum and the whole TCLA community for all the support and information, hopefully I can convert this to a TC and any advice to help with that I will be eternally grateful! Thank you all!!
Hi @Abbie Whitlock
I hope you're well!
I have an AC coming up and there's a presentation where I have to speak to a client and choose an option out of five and say why it's the best one.
What do you think would be the best way to structure this?
Also, if a client is looking for a decision on whether to stay with one of their developers or switch, what factors should I take into consideration?
I hope you're well!
I have an AC coming up and there's a presentation where I have to speak to a client and choose an option out of five and say why it's the best one.
What do you think would be the best way to structure this?
Also, if a client is looking for a decision on whether to stay with one of their developers or switch, what factors should I take into consideration?
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