TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Donna Paulsen]

I was subscribing on and off, but have been subscribed for the last 2 months and I would say yes.

The website had had a revamp so information is accessible more easily. The commercial awareness articles they post, especially those behind a paywall (e.g., trends for law firms in 2026) are really clear and simple. Similar to other sites, they also have playbooks on firms and insights into different application stages.

Sigh *taps card*

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Partner]

Sigh *taps card*

So many subscriptions... I have Watson's Daily for the month and CLA

 

[Novaa]

Sigh *taps card*

So many subscriptions... I have Watson's Daily for the month and CLA

I keep getting bank notifications for different sites, and I swipe them away so quickly! If I can’t see it… it isn’t real!

 

[TortillaTC]

I got a 26 this cycle which I thought met the benchmark.

What irks me is that they fully claim they review application answers at stage 1 and tests and vi are selective. They have said a few times in virtual events that once they review your application, they don't look at it again and the VI is reviewed independently.

Clearly they changed their game now.

The tests+VI are definitely selective and only sent to 50% of applicants. Their grad rec stated this in multiple events I attended + many people posted about getting PFOs post application on the forum.

But I think they do occasionally look at initial applications in later stages, I mean they have to. Perhaps sometimes a VI answers doesn’t make sense so they look at the application to gain clarity - just a guess.

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Sigh *taps card*

So many subscriptions... I have Watson's Daily for the month and CLA

Sigh *you guys’ bank balances after subscribing to CLA, Watson’s Daily and ZipLaw which easily costs £100s per month (ouch)*

Fr though do yous think these subscriptions are acc worth it cos I’m skeptical about the ROI/VFM and will end up protesting for refunds like:

 

[Donna Paulsen]

Sigh *you guys’ bank balances after subscribing to CLA, Watson’s Daily and ZipLaw which easily costs £100s per month (ouch)*

Fr though do yous think these subscriptions are acc worth it cos I’m skeptical about the ROI/VFM and will end up protesting for refunds like:

£15 on a ZipLaw subscription which could have been a Nandos..... hate this world x

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Partner]

Sigh *you guys’ bank balances after subscribing to CLA, Watson’s Daily and ZipLaw which easily costs £100s per month (ouch)*

Fr though do yous think these subscriptions are acc worth it cos I’m skeptical about the ROI/VFM and will end up protesting for refunds like:

I just pay for CLA because I needed a place to start...hopefully it bloody pays off

 

[Novaa]

Question for people who had favourite firms going into this cycle: if you didn’t hear back from them and heard back from a firm who wasn’t your top choice. Would you accept a TC with them?

The spirit of UCAS lives on

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Question for people who had favourite firms going into this cycle: if you didn’t hear back from them and heard back from a firm who wasn’t your top choice. Would you accept a TC with them?

The spirit of UCAS lives on

Ngl beggars cannot be choosers in this game so I guess I’d *reluctantly* accept the TC scraps…

But then I can imagine the firm’s reaction after they discover that they weren’t my top choice:

 

[InterestInPublicLaw]

Does anyone have specific insights into anything in particular DAC Beachcroft is looking for in our CV for their training contract application? Couldn't find any specific guidance on their website, Legal Cheek, or LawCareers.Net.

 

[InterestInPublicLaw]

Same buddy, I did 10 as well but skipped the last two thinking there might be - marking for wrong answers so it’s better to skip and am quite sure I should get around 7-8 right atleast. It was brutal.

Shepard and wedderburn assessment had 28 ques like this to be done in 40 mins (including those patterns and chains ques too) I did like 22ish and made it to the AC 2 weeks ago so hopefully Osborne is a bit lenient considering the candidate has done well on the verbal part.

That's reassuring! I did the test with patterns stuff with Birketts too, hope it wasn't too bad! And good luck on your AC!!

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

Guys, btw, is there a positive correlation between the later one gets rejected and the quality of the application? I was told that if one receives a rejection later than others, then the quality of the application was probably better and fencing an acceptance. Trying to clutch at any straws smh (

Ppl confirmed HSF Kramer, but I assume Cooley lenient to this approach. I can see some non-rolling firms sent out invites one go like Skadden, CC, Goodwin, Willkie, and S&M. The rests are rolling, so that's why we got in batches like Reed Smith, Weil, CMS, DLA Piper, etc (this cycle at least)

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

Thanks for the helpful posts on this. It's useful to see what you all think.

My sense at the moment is to stick to one thread. I think GIFs are fine. Many of you make me laugh with your posts, and I find it lightens up what is otherwise a very intense process.

I'd just be mindful not to overdo it. In short, please keep in mind that thousands of people read these threads, and if you *just* post back-to-back GIFs, it makes it hard for everyone to find useful information.

I'm also in the early stages of re-designing the forum. I know it's hard to find information in these very long threads, which I'm hoping to fix.

Finally, as one of you said, please also try not to argue. If there's something you don't like, please report it/message me. I'll always look into it and come back to you. Sometimes, you might not see an action right away, but that's always because we are reviewing it, not because we don't think it's an issue. The more you quote a post you don't like and argue back, the more it escalates the situation for everyone.

Thank you!

Hi Jaysen, could you make the filters function better. I tried to search relevant post by keywords, but the results is a bit messed up as it doesn't allow us to filter based on chronological order (newest to oldest). I'd recommend if there is a 'date interval to pick' or 'attachment' sort of searching infos on email. So far it just allow us to filter the 'username/person' and the 'place/thread' where we want to know. I hope this messiness could be the best solution to cope this intense situation.

 

[trainee4u]

Hi Jaysen, could you make the filters function better. I tried to search relevant post by keywords, but the results is a bit messed up as it doesn't allow us to filter based on chronological order (newest to oldest). I'd recommend if there is a 'date interval to pick' or 'attachment' sort of searching infos on email. So far it just allow us to filter the 'username/person' and the 'place/thread' where we want to know. I hope this messiness could be the best solution to cope this intense situation.

you can sort by date order if you manually create the URL:

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

Quick q: on AllHires, if you’re currently in a role what do you put in the “to” date in the work experience section? Not sure if I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

 

[Lord Sumption]

Guys, btw, is there a positive correlation between the later one gets rejected and the quality of the application? I was told that if one receives a rejection later than others, then the quality of the application was probably better and fencing an acceptance. Trying to clutch at any straws smh (

I'm not sure we can make assumptions on the timeframe of a rejection unfortunately. Maybe it would be better to request feedback from the firm if you have been unsuccessful and I usually take some time to reflect and just drink milk, that helps me relax

 

[Donna Paulsen]

I'm not sure we can make assumptions on the timeframe of a rejection unfortunately. Maybe it would be better to request feedback from the firm if you have been unsuccessful and I usually take some time to reflect and just drink milk, that helps me relax

Bro said drink milk lol xx

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

you can sort by date order if you manually create the URL:

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

Quick q: on AllHires, if you’re currently in a role what do you put in the “to” date in the work experience section? Not sure if I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time.

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

That's not easy to navigate and inefficient to some ppl. We all want some practicality here, not sort of stuff

 

[pepsicola96]

Does anyone have any clue of numbers for Bird and Bird AC places and Vac scheme places?

 

[Winter]

That's not easy to navigate and inefficient to some ppl. We all want some practicality here, not sort of stuff

If you click on the search bar > advanced
Then search your keyword and press "order by date" it should work

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

I'm not sure we can make assumptions on the timeframe of a rejection unfortunately. Maybe it would be better to request feedback from the firm if you have been unsuccessful and I usually take some time to reflect and just drink milk, that helps me relax

Me when a firm ghost me for weeks so I assume it’s a PFO and crash out before I get milk to drink:

VS

Me after I drink some milk to help me completely forget about the future PFO, sit back and relax:​