TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[spamelinazoid]

looks like all invites for next stage might be sent out today then if they've reviewed up to 18th Dec...

 

[wqueens8]

Does anyone know roughly how many people progress to bird and bird AC? Since there is 15 places on each scheme/30 overall, just wondering the chances of getting the vac scheme offer?

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

I’m working on my Cooley app atm and one of the app questions is as follows:

We are all ‘work in progress’ and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth). (300 words)

What does this even mean lmao. Questions like this one rly confuse me so much ngl.

Does anyone have any advice or insight into how this kind of question ought to be tackled?​

 

[badmintonflyinginsect]

I’m working on my Cooley app atm and one of the app questions is as follows:

We are all ‘work in progress’ and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth). (300 words)

What does this even mean lmao. Questions like this one rly confuse me so much ngl.

Does anyone have any advice or insight into how this kind of question ought to be tackled?​

probably like 2 strengths/skills that you developed + 1 weakness that you dont (and shouldnt) call a weakness (prlly make sure it's not instrumental to the role like communication/responsiveness or something of that sort). id probably go a step ahead and explain what i'm doing now to develop in my area for growth

 

[radssss]

I’m working on my Cooley app atm and one of the app questions is as follows:

We are all ‘work in progress’ and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth). (300 words)

What does this even mean lmao. Questions like this one rly confuse me so much ngl.

Does anyone have any advice or insight into how this kind of question ought to be tackled?​

Talk about your strengths and how you developed them and are continuously developing them and for the weakness bit, just choose one weakness and the key thing is you mention how you are overcoming that weakness and how you’ve been working on it, what steps have you taken to overcome and work on it. I remember, I had answered this question in an interview, and said networking and said that I had come from a different country, imposter syndrome, then spoke about how important networking is in any profession especially legal so I did a lot of open days, part time roles at university which required client contact though out my degree. They were happy with my answer. Essentially I feel they want to see your approach here.

Edit - another point I was advised by an associate was that don’t say things like “I work too hard so I burn out” kind of weakness because they understand what you’re trying to do and it will back fire🤣

 

[llblawstudent]

Anyone else get that slaughters email? How should we read into it?

 

[Andrei Radu]

If grad rec said they'd get back to me 'by Christmas' post-AC but they still haven't (the AC was a month ago), is it worth emailing them? @Abbie Whitlock @Andrei Radu I would appreciate any advice!

I think it is fine to email them once their self-imposed reply deadline has passed, in the sense that such a query is not likely to be looked negatively upon. That said, I would advise you not to do this before at least another week or so has passed. This is because graduate recruiters frequently end up needing a few extra days to get back to people, and Christmas is a particularly busy time of the year (if not the busiest) for most law firms - both in terms of their general workload and in terms of managing the recruitment cycle.

 

[jagath]

Anyone else get that slaughters email? How should we read into it?

hey what did the email say if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

I’m working on my Cooley app atm and one of the app questions is as follows:

We are all ‘work in progress’ and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth). (300 words)

What does this even mean lmao. Questions like this one rly confuse me so much ngl.

Does anyone have any advice or insight into how this kind of question ought to be tackled?​

Hi!

Totally valid to be confused - I always used to think these kinds of questions are designed to trip you up!

What the graduate recruitment team are usually ask is whether you're self-aware and open to growth, rather than whether you're perfect. I'd try to think of it as a short reflective piece where you discuss your strengths and weaknesses.

I would approach it by:

• Pick 1-2 strengths that are relevant to working in commercial law as a trainee solicitor (e.g. teamwork, communication, attention detail, resilience, etc).
• Give a brief example of each of these strengths in action - just to root your answer in real-life examples
• Choose 1 or 2 areas for growth, but crucially explain what you're doing to improve - that is the part they care about most!
• End by showing how this growth mindset will make you a better trainee (e.g. you could mention that a training contract involves continuous learning, etc.)

I would avoid cliches, and try to think about the areas that you genuinely wish to become better at. When answering this in my applications, I would discuss my fear of public speaking and how I wasn't confident in this area. However, I could then go on to discuss how I was signing myself up for more opportunities to practice this (e.g. BIUCAC) as I knew it was an essential element of being a trainee / commercial lawyer!

In short, they just want to see that you are self-aware and capable of growing throughout your training contract.

I hope that assists, and best of luck with the Cooley application!

 

[llblawstudent]

Essentially a holding email

hey what did the email say if you dont mind me asking?

 

[James Wakefield]

anything from Reed Smith for those on the deadline?

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock @Andrei Radu,

I have an upcoming AC with PWC, and this would be my first AC ! As PWC isn't a conventional law firm, how would you suggest preparing for it?

In addition, would anyone have tips on the Reed Smith VI?

Thank you again and happy holidays!

Hi @lucky gal and huge congratulations on the AC! I would say most of the preparation should still be quite similar to that for a law firm AC, in that most competency/motivational questions and any individual/group exercises will likely not differ a lot. I think the key points of difference will consist of questions around your understanding of PWC's business and your motivation to work there as opposed to at a commercial law firm. Thus, I would invest time in researching PWC really throughly and in scrutinising your "why the firm" explanations.

In particular, aim to be able to respond to the following types of questions:

• Why do you want to work at PWC?
• Why would you prefer to start your legal career at an accounting firm rather than a traditional law firm? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each model?
• Why is working in an institution like PWC more aligned with your long-term career plans than working at a traditional law firm?
• Why has PWC expanded in legal services recently, and how does this strategy drive its business?
• How does PWC add value to clients, and what skills and abilities do you possess that would enable you to contribute to its success?
• Who are PWC's main competitors, and what are its strengths and weaknesses when compared to them?

 

[Jaysen]

I have a weird question...
Is there any thread in this forum where people just log/journal the situation/pressure they're in and others hear or offer comfort?

Something safe and secure and devoid of "i'mma be honest talks" and also that doesn't block the flow of knowledge sharing happening in the main VS/TC thread?

If there isn't one, would it be a good idea to have one, so people feel comfortable to open and seen enough to get hope and pick themselves up? @Jaysen ✨

Hey @Lawlawland,

Good question!

Just so I understand, how do you see this being different to this thread? Would it be more like a general discussion thread?

 

[rain2801]

Hi, does someone know if Baker sponsors international candidates for Vacation Schemes?

 

[AS24]

Does anyone know if Cooley accepts LPC graduates?

 

[zonnonomo]

Does anyone know if Cooley accepts LPC graduates?

i think i met one at their ac

 

[AS24]

i think i met one at their ac

May I ask you when this was?

 

[zonnonomo]

May I ask you when this was?

2023

 

[zonnonomo]

Looking for a bit of advice, would appreciate anything.

I think I’m genuinely considering calling it a day regarding TC’s:

Last year, I managed to make it to 2 ACs, with the more recent of the two being a huge positive for me. Though I didn’t get an offer, I received positive feedback and fell just short, and it was a significant improvement on the first AC. It’s also worth mentioning this was for a firm with a notoriously challenging AC, which I further took as a positive.

This was around August, so it gave me good motivation to hit the ground running with this cycle. By this point, I knew what I was doing, I’d perfected my strategy when it came to SJT’s, Watson Glasers, so I felt good going into this cycle…

Only to quickly realise that most firms decided this year they want to throw a massive spanner in the works and make their processes 40x harder. Before this, I knew VIs were not my strength, so I thought I’ll just avoid firms that use them, considering I knew I was now strong in written applications and psychometrics. Now, it seems that VIs are an unavoidable fact of TC applications as of this year.

Still, I went into WVS applications quite optimistic. Fast forward to now, received rejections from every single winter I applied to, which was demoralising but I knew it was still early days.

Again, fast forward to now, I’m genuinely considering just saving my time and investing it elsewhere, starting to believe the odds are far too stacked against me.

I’ve completed about 10 VIs for firms this year already, with a good portion of those being selective, so again I know my applications are pristine and my psychometrics are too, but I’ve been rejected from all. I’ve had 1 to 1s with various people to help me improve VI performance, who all said that I was seemingly quite good with them.

I was going into this cycle with AC experience from two elite City Firms and so I naturally felt pretty confident in my abilities, but this year feels regressive if anything at this moment in time. Now I just think it’s ultimately impossible to even get an AC, especially with this cycle quietly coming to the end in a month or so, at least for vacs. I’m now a graduate and so I really cannot afford to keep investing my time into what seems to be a black hole, having told myself I’m going to give it my best shot this year and leave no stone unturned.

And in my opinion - and it could sound convenient - I think the way firms are heading with these new recruitment processes is ultimately starting to diminish the merit that used to be involved in writing an impressive application. Though I know endurance is very important in this process too, it does feel like unless the quality you input is matched with an exhausting amount of stamina, people who were strong contenders in ACs and vacs are now not even being shown the time of day.

But that’s just my opinion. Let me know what you think, thanks.

i know people have already given u some great tips and encouragement, but i fully relate to all of your circumstances

good written apps, multiple ACs that feedback suggests i almost passed, good with tests, yet bombed 20+ VIs over 3 cycles lol

until! last year i passed my first one which made me rethink my gloomy doomer "i'll never be good at VIs" mentality

+ what helped me was: recording myself (i also stream so it was easier to speak to a camera like it's my friend) + focusing more on the content (which i can control) than how i come across (although i have some control over this it's largely out of my hands, requiring years of therapy than just any quick fixes lol)

it's up to you if you want to avoid firms that use VIs (of which there are still several!), but it's definitely something you can get better at

 

[flower1]

Hello @Andrei Radu @Abbie Whitlock @Afraz Akhtar
I was wondering with regard for antitrust / competition law - what's the pure substantive things we should know about for ACs? I don't mean like connecting to broader trends, but rather like actual concepts / content?

Thank you