• Get Everything You Need to Secure a Training Contract
    Now half the price. Join TCLA Premium for £30/month and get step-by-step application support, daily commercial awareness practice, and 700+ successful examples of past applications and interview experiences. Plus so much more.
    Join Premium →

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

hanz123

Legendary Member
Gold Member
Premium Member
Sep 16, 2022
268
388
Doesn’t this process feel like you are on the bachelor or something 🤣🤣🤣
Waiting around to be picked ( Offer) or sent home (pfo) 😵‍💫😵‍💫

chris harrison episode 6 GIF by The Bachelor
greys anatomy love GIF
me to all of the firm's I've applied to
 

Donna Paulsen

Legendary Member
  • Sep 23, 2025
    141
    365
    Do you know if they vehemently reject people who may have the odd 2:2 module?
    I got a 2:2 in a Jurisprudence module and one thing that made me feel better was talking to a Slaughters partner who said he got the same! Obviously that was years ago for him, but I’m sure there’s plenty of high-achieving people in law that have the odd 2:2 module and it never hindered them. I highly doubt that a firm would automatically reject someone for having the odd 2:2 if the rest of their grades are good. Some firms do have a requirement of having a 2:1+ in every module though.
     

    BealMcAlly

    Legendary Member
    Gold Member
    Premium Member
    Feb 3, 2025
    228
    264
    I got a 2:2 in a Jurisprudence module and one thing that made me feel better was talking to a Slaughters partner who said he got the same! Obviously that was years ago for him, but I’m sure there’s plenty of high-achieving people in law that have the odd 2:2 module and it never hindered them. I highly doubt that a firm would automatically reject someone for having the odd 2:2 if the rest of their grades are good. Some firms do have a requirement of having a 2:1+ in every module though.
    Yeah... I was mainly referring to Linklaters because they have the usual consistent 2:1s requirement...
     

    Donna Paulsen

    Legendary Member
  • Sep 23, 2025
    141
    365
    Yeah... I was mainly referring to Linklaters because they have the usual consistent 2:1s requirement...
    If I’m honest, I’ve avoided firms with that requirement to focus my energy elsewhere. It’s annoying because the 2:2 was very clearly a one-off for me, but I don’t have any extenuating circumstances to explain it, nor would they care that many people who took the same module that year got a 2:2 as well. However, there’s no harm in trying your chances, and there may be elements in your application that may encourage the recruitment team to overlook the grade.
     
    • Like
    • 🤝
    Reactions: Prudentia and BealMcAlly

    Shiv Lawy

    Well-Known Member
    Dec 17, 2025
    22
    28
    If a firm hasn't got back to you by now about it, how likely is an AC within the last week of Jan? I'm travelling from the 19th-28th Jan and I'm terrified I'll have to cancel the family holiday and drop everything for a last minute AC.

    Anyone have insight to how much notice they give?
     

    Harvey Specter

    Legendary Member
    Jul 4, 2024
    929
    3,426
    If a firm hasn't got back to you by now about it, how likely is an AC within the last week of Jan? I'm travelling from the 19th-28th Jan and I'm terrified I'll have to cancel the family holiday and drop everything for a last minute AC.

    Anyone have insight to how much notice they give?
    Would they not be able to offer a remote AC held virtually? Some firms allow this option I think. I’ve seen it in the FAQs section of grad rec websites.​
     
    Reactions: Novaa

    Novaa

    Esteemed Member
    Dec 2, 2022
    82
    306
    One for the full time work crew.

    How do you explain your role when filling out work experience sections? I work in projects, and I find my descriptions often lean heavily toward project-focused language when I’m explaining all the different things I do rather than clearly highlighting transferable skills.

    Like, do you focus on a certain amount of skills, then build your entry around that, or go for everything?

    I find explaining my part-time jobs easier because it was mainly serving customers, folding t-shirts, and working in a team for like 4 hours.😍 So fewer responsibilities, which means more clear skills.
     

    Novaa

    Esteemed Member
    Dec 2, 2022
    82
    306
    If a firm hasn't got back to you by now about it, how likely is an AC within the last week of Jan? I'm travelling from the 19th-28th Jan and I'm terrified I'll have to cancel the family holiday and drop everything for a last minute AC.

    Anyone have insight to how much notice they give?

    Would they not be able to offer a remote AC held virtually? Some firms allow this option I think. I’ve seen it in the FAQs section of grad rec websites.​
    Just on the back of what Harvey’s saying, I know two people who have had virtual ACs because they were out of the country. So it can be done 🙂‍↕️

    It’s usually not being available for the VS which may cause issues.
     
    Last edited:

    Harvey Specter

    Legendary Member
    Jul 4, 2024
    929
    3,426
    One for the full time work crew.

    How do you explain your role when filling out work experience sections? I work in projects, and I find my descriptions often lean heavily toward project-focused language when I’m explaining all the different things I do rather than clearly highlighting transferable skills.

    Like, do you focus on a certain amount of skills, then build your entry around that, or go for everything?

    I find explaining my part-time jobs easier because it was mainly serving customers, folding t-shirts, and working in a team for like 4 hours.😍 So fewer responsibilities, which means more clear skills.
    I usually have one paragraph to set the context of the job role and then two paragraphs focusing on main responsibilities and skills gained. If I’ve got space I’ll add in a link to trainee solicitor role sentence or two for good measure. Firms seem to have different preferences. It also depends on the nature of the job role itself I think.

    At one of Willkie’s app workshops when Gemma was there she said she preferred less skills focus and more of a focus on what we did. Goodwin, Reed Smith and Skadden mentioned we should discuss skills gained but that might’ve been that particular GR person’s individual preferences so it varies depending on each firm ultimately.​
     
    • ℹ️
    Reactions: Novaa and Donna Paulsen

    About Us

    The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

    Get Our 2026 Vacation Scheme Guide

    Nail your vacation scheme applications this year with our latest guide, with sample answers to law firm questions.