TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Trophy]

I am following up from this thread: I got ad strengths working with others and excellence but also got Resource and Work Management as weakness. Not quite sure on their criteria and what counts as good or bad. Any advice? 😊

This is just my own opinion I’m not affiliated with linklaters whatsoever (yet👀)

But I’d say again those are good results I wouldn’t focus on the weakness as there are far worse ones to have. The TC is a learning process and you’ll learn to manage your workload as your move along and familiarise yourself with the job and tasks being asked from you.

Good luck 😄

 

[Lawlawland]

How soon one might get a reply if you mail the Linklaters team for the WGT test report?

 

[anonymous.15]

Hi! Does anyone have any tips for the HSF Kramer online assessment, as I know the benchmark can be a bit funny sometimes? Also, has anyone completed Evershed's critical thinking test? How many Qs were there and what was it like? Tysm

I think try to look at the values HSFK is looking for specifically and not "general lawyer traits" , 8Qs with 4 subparts each WG legal para based Qs for the ES test

 

[oliviabeijing]

Has anyone been invited to assessment for Baker McKenzie?

 

[yk1906]

For anyone successful with Willkie post-app: do you reckon I should include my mooting and pro bono experience in the WE section? I would like to talk about my other achievements and positions of responsibility in the dedicated section. Or shall I include my experience there? Thanks!!

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi @Andrei Radu ,
I was wondering whether you might be able to offer some advice on preparing in advance for the final interview on Sidley's winter vac scheme: particularly around the big macro stories and developments I should be up to date on specifically for the firm as well as Sidley's strengths/position versus other US firms?
Sorry if this is a bit general!
Thanks so much

On Sidley's market position and strengths:

• Sidley is a Top 10 global law firm by revenue (sitting around the $3.5bn mark), is more international than most US rivals (with 20+ offices), with a large both New York and London presence (currently the 17th by London-generated revenue, having surpassed the $225m mark).
• The firm is known for its high-value transactional work, and is therefore uncontroversially deemed to be part of the newly formed group of "global elite" law firms (a group of highly-profitable firms with strong offerings in both London and New York, who are expected to increased their hold over the transatlantic deal corridor over the coming years).
• While sitting just bellow the traditional "Vault 10" group of firms (a US publication ranking the biggest US firms by prestige based on associate reviews every year) in terms of historical reputation and also profitability (most V10 firms are sitting around the $7 million average PEP figure, while Sidley's PEP is approx $5 million), the firm could be compared with the likes of Milbank and Paul Hastings in terms of its embrace of private capital work and its huge recent growth to catch up with the historical New York elite.
• Speaking of an embrace of private capital, while Sidley had historically been very strong in traditional banking, securitisation, and financial regulatory work, but, as this type of work took a hit post 2008, the firm has shifted to servicing the booming PE industry.
• In London, this is reflected in their practice area strengths, as the firm has top tier teams for PE Funds work and PE buyouts, and more recently has hired one of the best leveraged finance teams in the market from Latham. This move was very talked about last year as it is thought to demonstrate (i) Sidley's growing ambition in London; and (ii) its increasing clout, having been able to hire rainmaking partners from Latham, a larger and more profitable firm, that has traditionally been seen as more dominant in the private capital space.
• Finally, in London Sidley is also known for its regulatory work, being particularly strong in financial services and life sciences - a feature that differentiates it from most of its US rivals. This is apparently also helping Sidley secure work on PE deals that come with particular regulatory complexity.

 

[Chelsea101]

Anybody know what I should expect with strength-based interviews for a law firm? Thanks!

 

[anonymous.15]

Anybody know what I should expect with strength-based interviews for a law firm? Thanks!

is this for BCLP? pm for insights

 

[futuretraineeihope]

I started a new legal role (and have now been there an month) after submitting an application over a month ago, and it’s been really strengthening my experience. Do you think it would be appropriate to email graduate recruitment to update them on this, or could that come across negatively?

 

[ttlaw12344]

should I assume DLA PFO as I haven't had a TI and found out I passed WG near to 3 weeks ago now?

 

[Lawlawland]

Any tips for the TW SJT please. Does it involve VI? And is it automatic?

 

[aspiringlawyer2028]

Anyone done the Clyde & Co VI yet?

 

[yk1906]

Any tips for the TW SJT please. Does it involve VI? And is it automatic?

Not sure if it's automatic but it doesn't involve VI

 

[Amgrad]

Those are good results.

I think Resource and work management and leadership are two skills that develop the further you get into your career especially as firms hire people as young as 19 they won’t be expecting a leader but rather a team player.

I’ve attached their framework for you to look at.

My weakness: Resource and Work Management
My strenghts: Excellence and Commercial Thinking/Awareness

Not sure why both my best and worst were part of entrepreneurial outlook. Am I cooked 🤷🏻‍♀️ ? lolll

 

[Amgrad]

Any tips for the TW SJT please. Does it involve VI? And is it automatic?

It's WG, not SJT and someone here said it's WG on steroids! 💪🏻

 

[M_m]

Does the TW test have numerical reasoning?

 

[Julia Dyminska]

Hi all, does anyone know if the HSFK 1st online assessment is just the SJT, or is the verbal reasoning test present as well. Are there any online interviews embedded there too? This is for the Spring Vacation scheme. Thank you.

 

[Trophy]

My weakness: Resource and Work Management
My strenghts: Excellence and Commercial Thinking/Awareness

Not sure why both my best and worst were part of entrepreneurial outlook. Am I cooked 🤷🏻‍♀️ ? lolll

I can’t answer if you’re cooked or not but like I said to someone else there are worse things to get. The fact you got commercial awareness as a strength is top tier imo.

I do think resource and work management is the best one to get as a weakness. As looking at the others you wouldn’t want critical thinking, respect, integrity and motivation to be a weakness these are things a firm would want you to possess before coming to them through work and studying rather than learning them on the job.

I say this my own scores I’m happy with them. Yet to do the WG.
Strengths: working with others + respect
Weakness: leadership preference

 

[yk1906]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock !!

How do you explain you want a career in commercial law if all your experience is IN commercial law, but abroad? In the sense that it is pretty obvious that I am committed to the career. Should I focus more on why London/UK, then?

Thanks!

 

[elle woods]

Hi all, does anyone know if the HSFK 1st online assessment is just the SJT, or is the verbal reasoning test present as well. Are there any online interviews embedded there too? This is for the Spring Vacation scheme. Thank you.

hey, so from doing it last year, I believe it was just a SJT mainly - no VIs and I can't recall if there was verbal reasoning, but to my mind there wasn't anything but SJT exercises haha. Sorry if that's not so helpful! But genuinely I do remember it was one of the tests I enjoyed doing the most, so I think that says something!