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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hello!
I'd approach these questions by making your answers targeted, evidence-driven, and personal. I've set out below how I would approach each one - hopefully it helps as a starting point!
1. Why Paul, Weiss?
I'd focus on specificity. Make sure that instead of discussing generic points such as "prestige" or "top-tier private equity", dig into the aspects of the firm that genuinely attract you:
- Practice areas that Paul, Weiss is known for (e.g. private equity, litigation, etc.)
- Big headline matters the firm has handled that particularly resonate with you
- The culture - things such as their diversity values, their training style or the collaborative environment
- Any interactions that you have had with lawyers / trainees (e.g. at open days, networking events, on LinkedIn).
The important part is to connect those features back to you. Explain why they matter to you, with reference to both your past experiences and your future career goals and what you hope to contribute. You should show the graduate recruitment team why you are a good fit for the firm based on those two things.
2. How do your extracurriculars align with a career at Paul, Weiss?
Pick 2-4 extracurriculars that clearly demonstrate relevant skills or qualities. For example, this might look something like:
- Business societies / finance roles / commercial awareness competitions -> private equity or transactional awareness
- Advocacy or debating -> litigation interest and communication skills
- Pro bono / volunteering -> aligns with the firm's strong pro bono culture
- Competitions / sport / leadership -> resilience, teamwork, high performance, etc.
For example, when I applied to Paul, Weiss last cycle, I discussed my participation in BIUCAC and how this showed an interest in private equity work and developed commercial awareness skills. I could then link this to my motivations for applying to the firm, which helped to create a clear image of how my experiences align with the firm overall.
I hope that helps!
Hi @Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock please can I ask during a 2 minute video interview response, if I talked about all important points and got cut off when I was trying to end the whole answer with a nice conclusion sentence, does that automatically mean failing the video interview question?
Hi!
Not a silly question at all! If Legal Cheek are holding another fair in March 2026, firms will still attend even if deadlines for that round have closed. They often use these events to engage with future applicants for the next cycle, so it can still be useful for 2026/2027 recruitment.
Vacancies can reopen later, but it's not guaranteed. This usually happens if there are dropouts, deferred offers, or unexpected space in the intake (e.g. as you noted, when someone doesn't pass the SQE). Reed Smith's late direct TC route last year is an example, but it's pretty tricky to predict whether more firms will do the same.
It's definitely still worth attending the virtual law fair - you can network, ask about future cycles, and get ahead for the next round even if applications are closed for this cycle
Do you get the second stage automatically after passing the first stage?It doesn't but the second stage does!! Best of luck
Hi!
In my view, it's not necessary at all - plenty of people secure vacation schemes and TCs without paralegal experience. It can be helpful for building legal awareness or proving commitment to the profession, but it is definitely not required in order to be successful. In many of my vacation schemes last cycle, I was often one of the only people with paralegal experience (and that is simply due to my placement year, which a lot of universities do not offer). Even in my direct TC cohort at Reed Smith, there are a few people who don't have any prior legal work experience!
What firms really look for is transferable skills, motivation, and evidence that you understand commercial work. You can demonstrate this through uni societies, part-time jobs, mooting, volunteering, open days, insight schemes, or other non-legal work. Even if paralegal roles tend to be more common at small-mid size firms (as you have seen on LinkedIn), this tends to be as they sometimes recruit trainees internally after getting to know them through support roles, so the pathway can be more common. That said, it's not a requirement - plenty of students go straight from uni to VS / TC without paralegal experience, especially if they can show the same core skills and motivation in other ways!
If you can get legal experience in some way, that's great - but don't worry if you're starting out. Focus on building skills and exposure in whatever way is available to you, and use applications to show why you're well-suited to their firm.
I hope that helps!
Thank you Abbie. I was aware of the deferral as well, your answer made it clearer.Hi!
Not a silly question at all! If Legal Cheek are holding another fair in March 2026, firms will still attend even if deadlines for that round have closed. They often use these events to engage with future applicants for the next cycle, so it can still be useful for 2026/2027 recruitment.
Vacancies can reopen later, but it's not guaranteed. This usually happens if there are dropouts, deferred offers, or unexpected space in the intake (e.g. as you noted, when someone doesn't pass the SQE). Reed Smith's late direct TC route last year is an example, but it's pretty tricky to predict whether more firms will do the same.
It's definitely still worth attending the virtual law fair - you can network, ask about future cycles, and get ahead for the next round even if applications are closed for this cycle
I'd definitely still attend it whether I secured TC or not in next Spring, especially I love to Network with people, but I could only attend virtually so that least I can do. I renewed my list that I missed to attend their booth last fair because of running out of time and outage, also I noticed new 5-6 firms that will attend first time this cycle, so interesting as it'd be 93 law firms, the biggest one.
Heya, I was wondering if you heard back from them!
Though I anticipate them to wait until the deadline (December 15) to make decisions, I wanted to know if they've made any offers, given they're rolling.
I did it yesterday evening, haven't heard back yet. Will give it another day or so since it's the weekend
The people who have heard back post AC for A&O Shearman summer scheme, did you have your assessment day in the first week or second week? wondering if they’ve only sent offers out for the first week so far
- Sep 9, 2024
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Hi @CharlesT47 while this is not a topic I am extremely knowledgeable about, I will list some points of analysis that you could consider addressing in your answer:
- The positive impacts may be gradual rather than immediate, as from my understanding the lowering of the capital adequacy threshold will only be implemented in 2027;
- This is thought to come with a positive effect on general economic growth, as an increase in credit supply allows more borrowing from both businesses (and thus to invest in upscaling, increasing productivity, research and development, and hiring), and consumers (thus increasing their purchasing power and boosting the demand and revenue of aforementioned businesses), which can create a virtuous growth cycle.
- At the same time, the relaxation of capital rules always comes with at least some increase in systemic risk in the banking sector, thus making economic growth and financial stability and resilience competing objectives that need to be balanced. In your analysis, you may want to consider this negative side effect and express a judgement as to whether, all thing considered, this is a good idea or not.
- In terms of finance dealmaking, this should increase activity of traditional finance (as it will be easier for more companies to take out more loans) and securitisation and capital markets departments of law firms (as banks will then be looking to package and sell a greater amount of debt on secondary markets);
- In terms of corporate dealmaking, I think your assessment is generally on point. I would agree with you that capital intensive industries stand to benefit most from this, and, in particular, life sciences companies could be big winners, as this is currently thought to be the area where UK companies innovate the most and are most relevant in the modern global economy. On this point, I would also add that PE funds likely stand to benefit a lot, as availability of huge amounts of debt finance is central to the leveraged buyout model.
Same here but I think its bc its a weekend! I did it last year on a sunday and heard back on mondayAbout to approach 24hrs since I completed mine, and I haven’t heard back yet
For those applying to Akin, how are we meant to approach these two questions, as they appear to be pretty similar:
1: what motivates you to pursue a career as a commercial solicitor, and why do you see Akin as the right place to begin that journey?
2: what are you looking for in your legal career, and how do you see a firm like Akin helping you achieve those goals?
Any help would be appreciated! Also, if @Andrei Radu or @Abbie Whitlock have any insight that would be super helpful too!
1: what motivates you to pursue a career as a commercial solicitor, and why do you see Akin as the right place to begin that journey?
2: what are you looking for in your legal career, and how do you see a firm like Akin helping you achieve those goals?
Any help would be appreciated! Also, if @Andrei Radu or @Abbie Whitlock have any insight that would be super helpful too!
Yeah I think so too!! Really hoping for some good news lol, the feedback report left me slightly confused
For people asking whether Latham's test needs to be completed before midnight today, this is what it says:
"To access the assessments, please log back into the apply4law homepage. The deadline for completing these assessments is three days after submission of your application for all vacancies."
I think it can be done after the deadline as well.
"To access the assessments, please log back into the apply4law homepage. The deadline for completing these assessments is three days after submission of your application for all vacancies."
I think it can be done after the deadline as well.
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