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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

How about we just set up our own firm? TCLA LLP has a nice ring to it. @Jaysen as Managing Partner, @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as Senior Partners, and the rest of the community as trainees and a mix of associates depending on rankings in the forum.
A neat little international law firm specialising in Private Equity 🥹🥹
viola davis feminism GIF
You can be the TCLA LLP in-house Supreme Court Justice, the first for any law firm! That’s gna be the firm’s main USP for marketing! 😂
 
Anybody who didn't apply to Mishcon regretted it?

I was not intended to apply as I do prefer 2-week scheme over just one week only as they don't offer DTC,

As a non-law grad I thought one week is inadequate for me to grasp things! Yet, they seem able to sponsor visa for EU PE/citizen only as I listed them on case by case basis.

But after seeing their UK Chamber, I've seen their Band 1 Rank in Gaming! I never met them at any event, but when I attended Legal Cheek WVS, I am so thrilled for this practice area, but Mishcon is just bigger and better than Wiggin! 🤣

Besides, the rural and agricultural band 1 is so unique for people coming from tropical nation. Maybe next time, lol!
 
I'm also actually surprised that I've not received a PFO already from Slaughters? Unless they've just not been replying to anyone yet. Like my grades are absolutely not what they are looking for so I'm a bit confused lol

Has anyone heard back from them?
Yep same and curiously I have personally heard of a few PFOs but radio silence for me too…applied about a month ago Wbu? Could we be on like a wait list or smth potentially? Ik im grasping at straws but ill cling onto any faint hope atp
 
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Okay guys so I am going crazy .... I have an email from the firm saying 'Thank you for completing the Bright Apply interview as part of your Mishcon de Reya application' from a few weeks ago... SO I have done it?!?!??! I just genuinely don't remember doing it..

I'm genuinely so sorry for any confusion (pls don't kick me off tcla, this was not trolling i promise), but I actually have no memory ????? Maybe I am a lot more ahead of myself than I think???!!

So so sorry for the false alarm guys, I'm gonna go to sleep for the foreseeable next few days and catch up on sleep?

Crisis averted, feeling VERY embarrassed, over and out.
Do you not remember speaking to AI at all for 1-2 hours? Just asking as I’m genuinely confused how you could forget doing the AI interview when it’s a completely novel form of assessment that you wouldn’t be able to confuse with another firm.
 
I applied a day or two before the deadline! I was expecting a laser fast rejection, so I'm surprised to not have heard anything since then lol - i was also expecting a faster reply since they are rolling right, so they don't have a huge pile to review altogether after the deadline...or maybe everyone just decided to apply on the deadline so they're still working through the apps haha and haven't even gotten to mine 😂😂

Oooh I've not heard any PFOs or anything from Slaughters yet so that's good to know that they have been sending out stuff... maybe waitlist it is, but lowkey I really don't think my grades are even good enough to warrant waitlisting HAHA
I just had a quick look over at the 24/25 thread and it seems some people hadn’t even heard back from them by the end of January so we could be in for quite the wait 😂
 
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Do you not remember speaking to AI at all for 1-2 hours? Just asking as I’m genuinely confused how you could forget doing the AI interview when it’s a completely novel form of assessment that you wouldn’t be able to confuse with another firm.
That’s what I’m saying! Because if you really didn’t complete the AI interview it kinda proves the theory that MDR progressed lots to SJT because the AI interview was truly a trial!
 
Hello!

This is a great question, and I'd say it focuses more on your reasoning rather than having the "right" law. A structure that I would follow would be:
  1. Briefly explain the law as it currently stands
  2. Identify the problem - what currently doesn't work and who this affects
  3. Explain the change you'd make
  4. Justify these changes - this could involve discussing the legal, commercial, or societal impact as a whole
I don't think it is necessary to link it to the firm (and I wouldn't try to force a link), but if you can naturally tie it to a practice area or sector the firm works in, that is a bonus! The key is to show your thought process, and that you have balanced the consequences to come to a clear conclusion.

I hope that helps! :)
Thank you!
 
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How does one prepare thoroughly for VIs... as a perfectionist I can't help but feel like I need perfectly memorised answers :D I know that is unrealistic, but it's so hard to improvise on the spot when there is a timer staring back at you and no human to interact with :( I find unexpected questions much easier to answer in an irl interview
 
How does one prepare thoroughly for VIs... as a perfectionist I can't help but feel like I need perfectly memorised answers :D I know that is unrealistic, but it's so hard to improvise on the spot when there is a timer staring back at you and no human to interact with :( I find unexpected questions much easier to answer in an irl interview
I make notes and bullet points and hopefully cover them while remembering the actual content for each point etc.

For me, the most challenging VI questions I've had were actually when they were softballs rather than curveballs, which I wasn't expecting, thereby becoming curveballs in themselves instead. Also why I said I think I botched my Weil VI cos with hindsight I feel that I didn't do the first question (which is 2-parter on motivations) very well cos I expected a much more challenging and impersonal question

I think the worst part is sometimes being told that they don't want rehearsed/memorised answers but sometimes you do so many VIs that you essentially end up memorising answers and looking "robotic". Totally agree on your point about human interaction being much easier than staring down a timer too
 

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