TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Bah Bah Pink Sheep]

Happy to share that I after 3 VS AC, I have received two VS offers from VWV and Shepherd & Wedderburn.
After having failed to convert my VS Last year this has given me so much hope that I will get a TC this year ! Thanks for everyone's support and particularly @Abbie Whitlock !

So happy for you!!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey everyone! I was wondering if I could get some advice... I have a legal internship coming up and a friend who did it last year said that they got a lot of tasks looking at companies house and making a spreadsheet with all the information. I was wondering if anyone had any good resources to help! @Abbie Whitlock @Jaysen any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Hey!

This is a great question - I used Companies House quite a lot when I was a paralegal, so I can share some small tips that might help you navigate it when completing tasks!

If you are going to be using Companies House a lot, the main thing is getting comfortable with what to look for and how to extract it efficiently, so I'd definitely take a look at the website itself. I'd recommend just picking a random company and having a play around so you can get familiar with the layout.

In terms of what you are likely to be pulling into spreadsheets, it'll probably be things such as:

• Company number, incorporation date, and status
• Registered office address
• Directors (appointments/resignations)
• Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)
• Filing history (especially things such as confirmation statements and accounts)
• Charges

A few general tips that really helped me:

• Use the filing history tab - this is where most of the useful detail is (e.g. shareholder information in confirmation statements, accounts for financials, etc.)
• Open documents in new tabs so that you don't keep losing your place
• Be consistent with formatting in your spreadsheet (dates, names, etc) - it sounds really basic, but it makes your work look much more professional!
• Don't overcomplicate it too much - they are usually looking for accuracy and clarity, rather than anything overly analytical

If you wanted to go a step further, it might be worth brushing up on basic Excel skills (e.g. sorting, filtering, formatting, etc.). However, I don't think anything advanced would be expected, and I am definitely no Excel expert and seemed to manage just fine!

I'm sure you'll pick it really quickly once you are doing it day-to-day, so I wouldn't stress too much - just getting familiar with the website beforehand will already put you in a good position. Best of luck with the internship!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey everyone,

Is a 1h 30min train or 2 hour drive commute for a two week placement okay?

Hey!

I would agree with other users and say that it really depends on whether you think this is something you can manage, and whether you'll be disappointed about having to leave social events (or other evening events) at an earlier time.

I personally had to commute around 1h 30 / 2 hours on the train for my placement year each day (door-to-door), and I found this relatively manageable (+ that is coming from someone who is absolutely not a morning person!). However, I did find that I had to leave social events earlier than most to make sure that I made the last train home!

I do think it is manageable, though! Even if the commute is that long, you'll likely still be able to attend socials after work - it might just mean you have to plan ahead a bit more (e.g. checking train times or leaving slightly earlier). Additionally, I always enjoyed having the time on the train in the morning to plan my day and do some quick commercial awareness catch-up (e.g. FT News Briefing podcast).

As it is only two weeks, it is a lot easier to treat it as a short period where you prioritise the experience over the sleep in the morning! I found that on my vacation schemes, there were a few people who had commuted in from a bit further out and they seemed to manage it fine - firms are generally very understanding about these sorts of things.

I'd say that as long as you are comfortable with a slightly longer day and being a bit more intentional with your time, it is definitely doable. However, it ultimately comes down to what you think you can manage!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Happy to share that I after 3 VS AC, I have received two VS offers from VWV and Shepherd & Wedderburn.
After having failed to convert my VS Last year this has given me so much hope that I will get a TC this year ! Thanks for everyone's support and particularly @Abbie Whitlock !

Huge congratulations, that is amazing news - I hope you celebrate well!!

Wishing you the best of luck with your vacation schemes, and I'm sure you will smash them