TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[adh3]

Hey,

Just to add another perspective here, because I recognise this mindset and I fell into it myself.

I also had part-time retail experience and for a long time I avoided using it in competency answers. Whenever I was asked about challenges, initiative, or teamwork, I’d default to my legal experience because I assumed that’s what firms wanted to hear.

Interestingly, feedback I received from one firm was the opposite. They said I was diminishing my non-legal experience, and that they actually wanted to see candidates who valued all of their experiences, not just the “legal” ones. Retail roles can show resilience, communication, problem-solving, and handling pressure far more convincingly than some vac scheme examples, if they’re reflected on properly.

That doesn’t mean retail experience magically levels the playing field, and I completely get why it feels weaker when you’re comparing yourself to candidates with internships. But firms are often more interested in how you extract learning and insight from an experience than how prestigious it sounds on paper.

I know it’s frustrating when effort doesn’t translate into outcomes, especially as a graduate, but I wouldn’t write off your experience or your potential on that basis. A lot of people reading this will be in the same position, even if they don’t say it out loud.​

I hope this helps

Hi,

I wouldn't really say this is a "mindset", as opposed to it actually being my reality.

I'm not avoiding using my part-time retail experience in my application/competency answers. In fact, it's one of the only (good) experiences I have for many key competencies (i.e. teamwork, leadership, etc.). It's just a simple fact that it's very hard to "spin" an answer to "why X firm" or "why commercial law" on the back of academics and retail experience.

I appreciate the kind words (and, frankly, the only reason I haven't written myself off as of yet is because of 'kind words' from people like you). Truly, the reason I am posing messages like this is because I understand that others are in the same position as me, but don't feel as if they can say it.

I saw (in another post) that you had completed two vacation schemes in your first cycle. I don't know when your first cycle was, but my belief is that firms like to see potential in their candidates. If you're a first- or second-year student who has retail experience, you can easily leverage this to show that you're a hardworking individual. But, once you're a graduate, (I have found that) it's harder to use low-level experiences to demonstrate your capacity to thrive in a professional environment. So, I'm not certain that we've experienced the same thing.

I want to leave things at this. All of my friends believe that I'll secure a TC. Honestly, they believe more in me than I do in myself. However, it's really demoralising to go through this process year after year, getting better and better at writing application answers, and ultimately realising that no matter how interested I am in certain aspects of commercial law this is simply meaningless without also having relevant experience to reinforce it.

 

[S1kumo]

could anyone please advise on this please on understanding what a firm is looking for in their video interview process?
- Format: 3 mins to prep 90 seconds to respond
- Told we are being assessed on skills and competencies, and the VI email invite explicitly stated that the VI assesses 4 competencies
- But the firm's video advises us to focus just on how we would approach the situation - to not bring in past examples - but to also show your unique perspective and how we would approach the situation.
- am I correct in thinking that this is what the firm is saying: your skills/past experience is not directly assessed, only how you would approach the situation (which can be informed by past experiences, no matter what that encompassed and how much you have).
- but if everyone is saying similar things and making similar points, how would the firm distinguish between candidates (this is the final stage before the AC)?

Hey @floral.tcla,

From my understanding, it seems that the firm wants you to focus on the specific situation in question rather than on a STAR structure based on a previous experience. For example, if the question is "How would you handle competing deadlines?" I'm assuming the firm wants to just hear the process you would take to handle these deadlines. A good way to stand out here would be to showcase knowledge of the firm, eg do they use Microsoft Teams? Do they have any AI tools which may be helpful? Is there a specific way you're trained by the firm to handle the situation? I'd say this is where you would distinguish yourself from other candidates, and I assume you might make reference to past experiences, such as saying I used a Gantt Chart during sixth form, and I'd follow the same approach not but the firm doesn't want a PEEL or STAR paragraph on how you used a Gantt chart during school!

Does that make a little more sense?

I also think that when everyone is making similar points, a big differentiator for the firm is the strength of your communication style. The approach that has worked for me is letting your personality come across during your video interviews. Don't be afraid to smile at the camera when answering the questions, and don't think you have to speak like a robot either! Amongst all the competencies and requirements, most firms just want to see that you're someone they can put in front of a client and be confident in your ability to represent them in an appropriate manner.

I hope that helps but if you have any follow ups then please reach out!

 

[elle woods]

Hey Elle,

Completely normal to feel this nervous, especially when it’s a firm you really want.

A few practical things that really helped me, especially with written tasks:

Written work / tasks
One big thing: set your own timers. Don’t rely on just the final deadline.

For example:​

• 10–15 mins to read the brief properly​
• a few minutes to identify exactly what you’re being asked​
• then plan before you start writing​

A lot of people panic because there’s loads of information, but not all of it is relevant. Take time to work out what actually matters for the question. Also, make sure you’re answering every part of the question. Often one question has multiple elements, and people accidentally only answer one.

If you want to practise, Forage tasks are genuinely useful for getting into the habit of structuring answers and working under time pressure. Even just doing one or two helps.

On converting generally
Try not to treat the scheme like a competition or fixate on conversion the whole time. That pressure can make nerves worse. Focus on learning, asking questions, and being yourself. You got the vac by being you, so don’t suddenly try to act like someone else.

Keeping a daily log of what you’ve worked on, who you’ve spoken to, and what you’ve learned can also be really helpful. Firms often ask what you’ve taken away from the scheme, and it’s much easier to answer when you’ve reflected as you go.

You already have vac scheme experience, which is a big plus. Feeling nervous doesn’t mean you’re unprepared, it just means you care. That’s very normal.

Good luck and I’m sure you’ll smash it in the summer 🙌​

Thank you sm! This is great advice - I’ll keep this in mind going forward!

 

[c.t.tc]

Any tips on how not to lose my mind over christmas knowing firms are going to be telling anyone anything until Jan🫠

 

[elle woods]

Any tips on how not to lose my mind over christmas knowing firms are going to be telling anyone anything until Jan🫠

Stuff yourself with Christmas pudding and Christmas tunes and occupy yourself with the shiny gifts under that tree 😍

On a more serious note, what works for me is spending time with friends and family - I find I don’t have time to be thinking about apps when I’m in the presence of others

 

[Cookiemonster]

Hi,

I wouldn't really say this is a "mindset", as opposed to it actually being my reality.

I'm not avoiding using my part-time retail experience in my application/competency answers. In fact, it's one of the only (good) experiences I have for many key competencies (i.e. teamwork, leadership, etc.). It's just a simple fact that it's very hard to "spin" an answer to "why X firm" or "why commercial law" on the back of academics and retail experience.

I appreciate the kind words (and, frankly, the only reason I haven't written myself off as of yet is because of 'kind words' from people like you). Truly, the reason I am posing messages like this is because I understand that others are in the same position as me, but don't feel as if they can say it.

I saw (in another post) that you had completed two vacation schemes in your first cycle. I don't know when your first cycle was, but my belief is that firms like to see potential in their candidates. If you're a first- or second-year student who has retail experience, you can easily leverage this to show that you're a hardworking individual. But, once you're a graduate, (I have found that) it's harder to use low-level experiences to demonstrate your capacity to thrive in a professional environment. So, I'm not certain that we've experienced the same thing.

I want to leave things at this. All of my friends believe that I'll secure a TC. Honestly, they believe more in me than I do in myself. However, it's really demoralising to go through this process year after year, getting better and better at writing application answers, and ultimately realising that no matter how interested I am in certain aspects of commercial law this is simply meaningless without also having relevant experience to reinforce it.

Hiya,

Thank you for explaining this, and I really do understand where you’re coming from.

Just to clarify one thing, because I think there’s been a slight assumption made. My first cycle was also as a graduate. I didn’t apply to law firms at all during university. When I first applied, the only real experience I had was part-time work at Sainsbury’s and Ocado. I worked throughout university because I had to, and that was the bulk of what I drew on in my applications at the time. I didn’t hold society positions either, and my university wasn’t a target one. There was 1 person in my cohort of 250 who got a Tc in a city firm.

I was in a graduate job when I applied, but only for a short time, so it didn’t meaningfully change how firms assessed me in that first cycle. Most of what I relied on was still my retail experience and academics, which I know can feel very limiting once you’ve graduated.

I completely agree with you that the graduate stage feels harsher, and that it can feel like firms expect more “professional” signalling by that point. I don’t think you’re wrong to find that frustrating, and I don’t think it reflects a lack of effort or insight on your part.🙌The process isn’t as meritocratic as it’s often presented, and that’s hard to sit with when you’re genuinely invested in the work.

I didn’t mean to suggest our experiences were identical, but I did want to be clear that I wasn’t coming from a position of having vacation schemes or internships behind me in my first cycle. I recognise how demoralising it is to feel like you’re improving but not being rewarded for it.

I really respect how openly you’re articulating this, and I know others reading will see themselves in what you’ve said, even if they don’t reply. 🤝​

 

[c.t.tc]

Stuff yourself with Christmas pudding and Christmas tunes and occupy yourself with the shiny gifts under that tree 😍

On a more serious note, what works for me is spending time with friends and family - I find I don’t have time to be thinking about apps when I’m in the presence of others

Both bits of advice equally valid haha

Christmas tunes will be working extra hard this year to pull me out of my ✨festive✨ spiralling

 

[Harvey Specter]

Does anyone have any advice on how to properly tackle a question asking: ‘how would you ensure you are continuously learning and developing in the role of a trainee associate’? Any help would be appreciated frfr!​

 

[Trophy]

Hi Trophy!

Honestly, I won’t sugarcoat this. Being rejected after a vacation scheme really hurt.

My first non-conversion hit me hard. I struggled with imposter syndrome throughout the scheme and put an enormous amount of pressure on myself to convert. When I got feedback, it was clear that nerves and lack of confidence came through in my interview, even though I knew the content. Hearing that was devastating at the time, and I did need space to process it.

What helped, eventually, was allowing myself to step back. I took time away from applications, LinkedIn, and constant comparison. That distance mattered more than I realised. When I came back the following cycle, I was clearer on what I needed to work on and less consumed by the fear of failure. I ended up securing further two vacation schemes as a result.

One thing I’ve learned is that rejection after a vac scheme doesn’t mean you weren’t good enough for the profession. Often it comes down to timing, confidence on the day, or very fine margins between candidates. Putting “everything” on converting can actually make it harder, because the pressure can stop you performing as you normally would.

What grounded me most was perspective. I’m the first in my family to go to university, from a low-income background, with no real understanding of the legal process around me. Getting to university, completing my degree, and even being in the position to do vacation schemes were achievements in themselves. I couldn’t let one firm’s “no” be the thing that ended a career I’d worked years towards.

I understand winter vacation schemes are slowly wrapping up so If you’re going through this now, be kind to yourself. Take time if you need it. Rejection feels personal, but it doesn’t define your ability or your future in law. 🤗​

Thank you, What a great response, your experience is invaluable! Good luck in your tc

 

[JBM]

Hi all! I received a call yesterday that I got Freshfields' Summer Vac Scheme, and I just wanted to ask if anyone had any insight into what the VS to TC conversion rates are like? I heard last year that they were quite low... apparently they've been oversubscribing spots for the last couple of years/business demand has been lower and that's why? I'm penultimate non-law, so I'd only start a TC in 2029, which I'm hoping hasn't had many spots taken yet. I'm just trying to work out whether it is worth still applying to a bunch of places in the hopes of perhaps getting a second vac scheme as a back up (but I admit, even getting a single one feels impossible lol.)

one scheme last year took 2/23

 

[Trophy]

Any tips on how not to lose my mind over christmas knowing firms are going to be telling anyone anything until Jan🫠

I got a rejection 23rd December last year.

GR are always working… sleep with one eye open😭

 

[loch_sk]

Anyone heard back from FF? Just wish Freshfields would PFO me already haha

 

[asplawyer100]

Has anyone on here done Osborne Clarke's deductive reasoning SHL test? I just did it and I think it was by far the hardest law firm test I've ever done... so little time for questions which aren't necessarily "hard" but realistically just can't be done that fast because you need a couple of minutes to work some of them out!

 

[Cookiemonster]

Any tips on how not to lose my mind over christmas knowing firms are going to be telling anyone anything until Jan🫠

Hey,

Biggest and best advice I could give you is to enjoy the time off. Give your inbox a rest from the constant refreshing!

Enjoy the holiday period

 

[TortillaTC]

Attended Paul, Weiss’s webinar on PE deals today. As much as I found it useful, I’m honestly feeling quite discouraged from applying. Their associate said that we should speak with many people from every firm we’re applying to and how spending a week on an application isn’t enough time (as apparently, the associate speaker spent a whole year on their K&E vac scheme app answers and seemed to be super focused on landing a US TC at a top M&A/PE firm). He basically portrayed the whole process as a multiple year strategy, implying that getting into a firm of this calibre starts in your first year (or at least undergrad), and that working just a week on an application is nothing.

I just don’t see the point of applying if some candidates are this connected to top firms from their first year onwards. I can imagine that a lot of them will have done first year schemes or vac schemes at other firms, while all my experiences are in completely different sectors. On top of that, I did my law degree outside the UK and only decided to go corporate after I graduated, so this whole application world is new to me compared to LLB students in the UK that did first year schemes or were ambassadors etc.

His whole speech, while coming from a place of trying to help, made me think that unless I can back my motivation with very strong PE-related experience or open day at the firm, I might as well not apply. I can very well explain what I know about PE, why I want to work at a transactional firm, etc but honestly can’t compete with the likes of candidates the associate seemed like, given how selective PW and similar firms are.

Basically, my whole profile is very different to the usual successful candidate at firms like PW, K&E etc. so I’m trying to figure out if applying is even worth it. Regarding today’s discussions, I personally think that tailoring application answers makes a huge difference but perhaps trying with firms that are actually paying attention to them and trying to hire diverse people is a better idea.

Any insights?

 

[c.t.tc]

Has anyone on here done Osborne Clarke's deductive reasoning SHL test? I just did it and I think it was by far the hardest law firm test I've ever done... so little time for questions which aren't necessarily "hard" but realistically just can't be done that fast because you need a couple of minutes to work some of them out!

Honestly I found it so so tricky timings wise too and I haven’t heard anyone say they actually finished it! At least someone has to get picked for the AC so you never know) And honestly if anyone actually found it doable they deserve it lol

 

[Applicant3728299643]

one scheme last year took 2/23

How on earth did they justify basically giving no one a TC lmao whattt?

 

[Harvey Specter]

one scheme last year took 2/23

What was even the point in running that scheme in the first place lmao. I’m lowkey interested to hear what their excuses were for that. 🥲​

 

[Applicant3728299643]

What was even the point in running that scheme in the first place lmao. I’m lowkey interested to hear what their excuses were for that. 🥲​

This is why I'm low key still stressed about getting another vac scheme...it almost feels like getting freshfields alone is SUCH a gamble with the conversion rate being so low

 

[plsgivemetc]

Sooo… does anyone have any tips on not being nervous and feeling like time is running out as a graduate LOL?! 😀

i feel like this as a 2nd year undergrad... it's on my mind 24/7