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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

Asking for a friend who got a Capsticks PFO without an invite to the online test the emailed implied was automatic.
He applied on deadline day is it possible he got rejected because it was rolling and already filled?

Did anyone get an auto invite to the online test or PFO before the invite? Any advice appreciated because I believe his application was strong and he met the minimum grade requirements.
Hi, took a quick look at the website and the test does not seem automatic. Your friend may not have had the correct requirements or failed a spag check
 
Was wondering the same thing.. Idk if this refers to one of their Business Groups or a specific seat within a Business Group? Could anyone who's successfully progressed to the next stage before pls advise? Thanks in advance!
So I’m not sure if the next stage was automatic or not but on my application I wrote a short paragraph about the sector and then a couple of paragraphs about the specific seats I would like to do within that sector.
 
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Has anyone applied to Clyde & Co during Christmas and not yet received their auto assessment?
Nevermind I just sent them an email to ask, and in their auto response they say they will not be sending out online assessment invites between Dec 17th and Jan 5th, and will resume sending them Jan 5th onwards :)
 
Happy weekend y'all!

Exciting times ahead (everything closes soon and uni assessments in full swing 💪).

Keep going! Cue Rocky's theme

rocky GIF
 
Hey need advice. I am struggling a bit with commercial awareness right now. I usually rely on Watson's Daily but he (Peter Watson) is on holiday. I am struggling to find a methodical way of going through the FT to find the relevant information in a time efficient manner. Does anyone have any tips ?
Bloomberg daybreak Europe podcast / Bloomberg businessweek podcast. Or just a Bloomberg subscription if you have the money.
 
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Hey need advice. I am struggling a bit with commercial awareness right now. I usually rely on Watson's Daily but he (Peter Watson) is on holiday. I am struggling to find a methodical way of going through the FT to find the relevant information in a time efficient manner. Does anyone have any tips ?
FT has a legal section too. It's not quite as fleshed out as their more target financial or economic productions but it will go over the commercial basics of headline stories with a focus on the legal sector. Think sanctions, firm mergers, the effect of tariffs and so on. The big reads every week are good talking points, especially in interviews as a lot of people will read that on a monday morning. Commercial awareness more broadly is just the ability to logically reason through real life talking points and the ramifications on different industries, most reliable non-biased news sources are worthy of a read so long as you can flesh out your own opinions in an evidenced way.
 
Hey need advice. I am struggling a bit with commercial awareness right now. I usually rely on Watson's Daily but he (Peter Watson) is on holiday. I am struggling to find a methodical way of going through the FT to find the relevant information in a time efficient manner. Does anyone have any tips ?

I usually use podcasts like the others have said, but also some commercial news pages!
Here are some good examples;
  • The Commercial Legiscope (instagram and linkedin + website)
  • UK Legal Pulse (instagram and linkedin)
  • Littlelaw
  • Watson's Daily is good too!
  • If you're interested in a particular niche/practice area, you can subscribe to some pages dedicated to that too!
Regarding the FT, I just usually skim top headlines and check 'my FT' more thoroughly because I've followed categories which I am interested in. If I see a headline which I believe is interesting/ will have relevance to the legal/commercial world, then I'll read it quickly.
 
I usually use podcasts like the others have said, but also some commercial news pages!
Here are some good examples;
  • The Commercial Legiscope (instagram and linkedin + website)
  • UK Legal Pulse (instagram and linkedin)
  • Littlelaw
  • Watson's Daily is good too!
  • If you're interested in a particular niche/practice area, you can subscribe to some pages dedicated to that too!
Regarding the FT, I just usually skim top headlines and check 'my FT' more thoroughly because I've followed categories which I am interested in. If I see a headline which I believe is interesting/ will have relevance to the legal/commercial world, then I'll read it quickly.
Love this!!

Just a question, when you find something you’re interested in how do you approach your full read?

Do have things in mind when skimming through like: who it impacts? Why it’s interesting? How it can be resolved? and do you make notes on the article?
 

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