TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[James Wakefield]

I think I'm experiencing a similar problem, but it has manifested itself in a way that I did not receive an invite to their online assessment and I applied 1 hour before the deadline. Ik that the first test is automatic

I didn’t see anyone saying they missed it for Spring, so reckon this is a mistake and we will get the tests!

 

[msclm]

How many people do you think are invited to a VI stage or first interview stage.
I know it’ll vary firm by firm but would 10% of applicants be a reasonable ballpark ?

I only know actual stats for Sidley but for them for the winter, around 150/1800 were invited to the first stage interview so I guess that is kinda around the 10% figure you had in mind !

 

[Amen.daniel]

Im about to sit mine, but I cant find the link either - I went on allhires and I havent been assigned anything?

Same, I’ve emailed them to let them know

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Interesting! Anyone know if this is the case for Weil too?

This might be a reach but in my VI with the early careers team, they’d mentioned I’d hear back by the beginning of the new year, as atm they’re working through everyone’s VI, but they didn’t mention if they’d be reviewing SJT scores. My guess is the firm has a benchmark and only review VI for the people who pass (it probs automatically informs them who has done so). This is purely speculation idk what their process acc is at all. ​

 

[James Wakefield]

This might be a reach but in my VI with the early careers team, they’d mentioned I’d hear back by the beginning of the new year, as atm they’re working through everyone’s VI, but they didn’t mention if they’d be reviewing SJT scores. My guess is the firm has a benchmark and only review VI for the people who pass (it probs automatically informs them who has done so). This is purely speculation idk what their process acc is at all. ​

Thanks! Did Weil today and got bad scores, so look forward to putting down different answers tomorrow for Mayer Brown!

 

[Mike]

Thanks! Did Weil today and got bad scores, so look forward to putting down different answers tomorrow for Mayer Brown!

Hey! Good luck with Mayer Brown! Do you have any tips for Weil? I've got my VI tomorrow, no idea what to expect!! Are they competency/motivational/commercial awareness questions? Pls lmk if you have any insights/tips on how to prep

 

[Bbhu19]

Hi, I was rejected a couple weeks back following the hirevue

Is that after the video interview?

 

[londonlawyer]

I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. How many points would a firm expect you to include in why this firm question on a VI in a 60 second response? I've tried to include 2 points but after timing my response that's literally 3 sentences for each reason and they're not quite developed. Would it be okay to just mention one reason?

 

[Amgrad]

Hey for Kirkland VI, is it Amberjack or what? Hirevue? I didn't see SJT, but Amberjack and Cappfin always include SJT.

 

[Kate.m]

no way the hill dickinson work experience section has a 50 word limit for each entry

how did you approach your answer to the second question - As a firm, we operate across a number of sectors and specialisms, and offer sector-specific training contracts in each of our business services, health and marine groups. Which of our teams would you be most interested in completing a seat in and why? ( 250 words)

I'm assuming it means which team e.g. family, commercial disputes, would you be interested in completing a seat in, rather than wanting us to answer which sector group (marine, healthcare, BSG) we would want to be in?

 

[TheSlapDotCom]

I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. How many points would a firm expect you to include in why this firm question on a VI in a 60 second response? I've tried to include 2 points but after timing my response that's literally 3 sentences for each reason and they're not quite developed. Would it be okay to just mention one reason?

good q maybe @Abbie Whitlock can help

 

[Saul_specter]

has anyone heard back since passing the benchmark for HSFK Summer VS, be it PFO or AC?
A lot of ppl have said they have got pfo for spring, just wondering about summer

 

[floral.tcla]

Hey guys, just wondering how are you keeping up with commercial awareness… NGL I feel mine slipping away

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Hey guys, just wondering how are you keeping up with commercial awareness… NGL I feel mine slipping away

I saw someone posted on the forum recently about their commercial awareness resources and they’d referenced a podcast on Spotify called Wake Up To Money (BBC Radio 5 Live). I’ve been listening to it and ngl it’s lowkey good asf (better than trying to decipher the FT’s complicated jargon imo).​

 

[Donna Paulsen]

Anyone thinking of applying to Browne Jacobson or has applied previously and knows what the process is like? Couldn’t find anything on the website.

 

[dreamer]

Hey guys, just wondering how are you keeping up with commercial awareness… NGL I feel mine slipping away

I have a couple of ideas for this one. But here's the simple one: If you can pair FT's News Briefing with Unhedged and The Next Five, you'd do just fine. The first two should do the trick. They're usually a few-minute podcasts.

 

[dreamer]

Hey! Good luck with Mayer Brown! Do you have any tips for Weil? I've got my VI tomorrow, no idea what to expect!! Are they competency/motivational/commercial awareness questions? Pls lmk if you have any insights/tips on how to prep

+1

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Hey! Good luck with Mayer Brown! Do you have any tips for Weil? I've got my VI tomorrow, no idea what to expect!! Are they competency/motivational/commercial awareness questions? Pls lmk if you have any insights/tips on how to prep

The questions are all motivational and competency based. The first VI question has a longer response time so utilise it as best you can.​

 

[Amgrad]

Who else thought Cleary website looks like a blog and its application form is antiquated with a docs file for the T&C.. wondering how they keep up the modern world. Seems like they are a neo-luddite firm, a disaster for a tech savvy and clients who sought for efficiency on better UI LOL

 

[Amgrad]

I saw someone posted on the forum recently about their commercial awareness resources and they’d referenced a podcast on Spotify called Wake Up To Money (BBC Radio 5 Live). I’ve been listening to it and ngl it’s lowkey good asf (better than trying to decipher the FT’s complicated jargon imo).​

Yeah I like listening to podcast, especially for auditory learner like me. If you're visual or kinesthetic learners, you can read posts on LinkedIn which is an all-in-one platform to keep up with bunch of information from FT, BBC, etc. I've personally being active just to update my knowledge base, not for seeing a cringe post of people who said "I AM THRILLED TO TAKE A FORAGE COURSE" or anything else that sounds lavish. If you keep liking similar posts about commercial awareness, your algorithm would fit it and you'd be likely never seen those extravagant posts anymore.