TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[ilikelaw]

does anyone know what amberjack scores are considered competitive for reed smith... got 7767 (...) and mid verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning😓 my first experience with the amberjack pillars

also, do firms place much weighting on the sjt or is the VI component more decisive?

 

[ninarosee]

What’s so bad about it 😭

It was really just a combo of different things. For the WG style part, the passages were so long and unnecessarily complex (think your normal WG but just 10x worse). There was also a section where you had to organise your schedule in a way that accommodated your team and their availability, and another part where you had to book meetings without them clashing with existing ones.

I’d say the novelty of it all threw me off, because I was expecting a more traditional WG. Doing it for the first time was quite challenging, especially given how little time they give you to complete everything which honestly just made it 10x worse 😅

 

[BealMcAlly]

does anyone know what amberjack scores are considered competitive for reed smith... got 7767 (...) and mid verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning😓 my first experience with the amberjack pillars

also, do firms place much weighting on the sjt or is the VI component more decisive?

That's a really good score. Basically a 75%

I don't know the benchmark but I'd say you fared pretty well! I assume the VI is weighted higher given you demonstrate your research and behaviours through it.

 

[BealMcAlly]

I think different strategies work for different people.

If you're very confident in your application or know there are only some firms you'd be happy with, it's worth it to focus and write detailed applications. The pay off is worth it because you're investing more time for better results.

If you're someone like me who genuinely wouldn't mind the firm they work at (I'm really, really interested in tax and so every corporate law firm has a tax team), you can apply everywhere and still end up with a reasonable result that you'd be happy with.

I think we more or less said the same thing here.. 🙃😊

 

[Shiv Lawy]

If people who applied after me have received Dechert WE, should I assume my PFO is imminent?

 

[yasmars]

It was really just a combo of different things. For the WG style part, the passages were so long and unnecessarily complex (think your normal WG but just 10x worse). There was also a section where you had to organise your schedule in a way that accommodated your team and their availability, and another part where you had to book meetings without them clashing with existing ones.

I’d say the novelty of it all threw me off, because I was expecting a more traditional WG. Doing it for the first time was quite challenging, especially given how little time they give you to complete everything which honestly just made it 10x worse 😅

Oh gosh! Thanks for the heads up. Annoying that they changed the test as this is one of my top firms!

 

[Donna Paulsen]

I'm applying to a firm that offers the option of applying to both the vacation scheme and training contract (under one application). Is it a good idea to do this, and if so, how would I frame this in my answer to the question: 'What attracts you to applying to our vacation scheme/training contract?'. Would I just write separate points in the intro regarding why a vacation scheme would be useful and why a training contract would be useful?

Idek how the selection process would work for applying to both but I am assuming I would just be considered for both schemes and would get one or the other rather than both but I have no idea - it doesn't say anything on the website about how applying to both schemes work. This firm does not seem to recruit directly from vacation schemes, as it says on the website that 'many of the people that attend the vacation scheme go on to apply for the training contract'.

 

[radssss]

If people who applied after me have received Dechert WE, should I assume my PFO is imminent?

Only people who applied for spring have heard back I think. That too, I’ve hardly seen 2-3 people say it on here. Give it some time

 

[radssss]

I'm applying to a firm that offers the option of applying to both the vacation scheme and training contract (under one application). Is it a good idea to do this, and if so, how would I frame this in my answer to the question: 'What attracts you to applying to our vacation scheme/training contract?'. Would I just write separate points in the intro regarding why a vacation scheme would be useful and why a training contract would be useful?

Idek how the selection process would work for applying to both but I am assuming I would just be considered for both schemes and would get one or the other rather than both but I have no idea - it doesn't say anything on the website about how applying to both schemes work. This firm does not seem to recruit directly from vacation schemes, as it says on the website that 'many of the people that attend the vacation scheme go on to apply for the training contract'.

Wow! Which firm is this? I thought only farrers did this.

 

[Donna Paulsen]

Wow! Which firm is this? I thought only farrers did this.

Acuity Law!

 

[jagath]

any law students with an upcoming s and m interview?

 

[ninarosee]

Oh gosh! Thanks for the heads up. Annoying that they changed the test as this is one of my top firms!

No worries! It’s definitely very doable though like at one point I even started guessing on the last 5 questions and still managed to make it through somehow so you’ll be fine (take it seriously ofc but try not to stress too much)

 

[Jack Falahee]

It's 00.00 and still not get Reed Smith, applied on deadline, 1.45 PM

 

[yasmars]

No worries! It’s definitely very doable though like at one point I even started guessing on the last 5 questions and still managed to make it through somehow so you’ll be fine (take it seriously ofc but try not to stress too much)

Oh great! So they tell you if you’ve passed or not? How soon do you find out?

 

[Gottagetthroughthis101]

It's 00.00 and still not get Reed Smith, applied on deadline, 1.45 PM

Me neither, I applied on the deadline at 14:53

 

[startupgeek]

anyone who has done the goodwin vi can comfirm if there is a commercial question like in the written application?

 

[asplawyer100]

anyone heard from Dentons post VI for ACs? their email said their first AC is on the 13th jan.

I did the VI a couple of weeks ago and haven’t heard back yet. Which email said the first AC would be on the 13th though? I just checked my last few emails from them and can’t find that info anywhere.

 

[oliviabeijing]

I did the VI a couple of weeks ago and haven’t heard back yet. Which email said the first AC would be on the 13th though? I just checked my last few emails from them and can’t find that info anywhere.

Hiya, did you apply to the London Office? I haven't heard back post assessment for Milton Keynes and im starting to think its a PFO.

 

[James Wakefield]

Eversheds AC! For London

Can’t quite believe it ☺️

 

[lawyer48205]

I did the VI a couple of weeks ago and haven’t heard back yet. Which email said the first AC would be on the 13th though? I just checked my last few emails from them and can’t find that info anywhere.

On the email invite for the VI it says all the way at the bottom the dates of the AC, the first one starting on the 13th of Jan (think they gave 3 dates in Jan and 2 in Feb?). Did you apply spring or summer because these might just be spring AC dates!