TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Gottagetthroughthis101]

Hello!

Huge congratulations on receiving an AC invite! It's totally normal to not feel prepared - I only had a couple days to prepare for my Reed Smith AC as I completed it the week following a vacation scheme, so I'm sure you've done more prep than I did!

I have quoted a post below on some previous general advice I have given for the types of tasks that might come up during the AC (although they may have changed the process!) - hopefully it is a helpful starting point! My main tip would be to make sure that you have a good understanding of the sectors that the firm works in, and how recent events and news stories could affect the firm's clients in those areas. I'd also prepare your answers for the most common interview questions (e.g. 'Why Law', 'Why X Firm', 'Why You', etc.), as it is always useful to know these in case you get asked. Lastly, have confidence in yourself and your abilities - the firm clearly sees that you have the potential, now it's about showing your interest and fit!

Best of luck - I'm sure you'll do great!! 💪

Thank you so so much for your reply- that has been super helpful!

 

[spamelinazoid]

Milbank PFO finally came through

With a personal email from their grad rec Stephen 🙂‍↕️at least its a personal PFO 💝

 

[hfbjsdhfbhf]

bclp ac, if anyone has any insights i'd be so grateful🙏

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

OMG Gibson Dunn Spring VS AC!! I’m in shock rn cos I was doing my Akin TI when I got the email.

For reference, I applied on 23 Dec, sat the SJT and WG on 24 Dec, got VI 8 Jan and did it on 19 Jan.​

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Also I still haven’t gotten my Milbank PFO so wtf is going on over at Milbank it’s been 5 weeks…​

 

[IWillGetATC]

noooooo milbank pfo post stage 2 </3 (spring, traditional track)

 

[I’m a celebrity get me out of here - VS/TC edn]

I know the age of qualification is late 20's but I can't feel as though firms are pushing for younger candidates. I am not old by any means necessary, i graduated in 2024 I have a good job in the biggest Investment Bank, my applications are solid. But constant rejections. I had 3Acs last year, this year nothing. My educational background - good A level grades 1st non law, Oxbridge. neurodivergent and low socio background. I use a deal or case in every one of my applications that the firm has worked on so i do pass the initial stage, SJT and WG I get decent marks in not really a huge barrier. I get rejected in the last batch for most if not all firms. I have received a TC post VS and DTC last year but was not worth leaving the job I have for the firms I got the offers from. (Was my first time applying so I was not sure what I liked in a firm but found out after do not judge me i don't want to hear it). This post isn't to gloat or for people to feel bad more so my confusion as to why I am constantly being rejected my approach has not changed much since last year.

The rejection emails are pathetic to say the least. You make notes when deciding who to invite to interview and AC but cant throw in a small sentence saying "motivation was poor" "grades did not meet" "superficial application". I understand firms get hundreds and thousands of applications but it is their job to communicate with us at the very least so a bit of clarity would go a long way. This brings me to Weil. I did great in the SJT and VI was super strong, did the forage course, I have a friend who is a trainee there now. I spoke to GR personally a few months ago when they went to my brother university law fair. First rejections were sent in December they sent 3 rounds of ACs as well as 3 rounds of rejections. It is worse being in the last batch than the first. Never understand the terrible staggered approaches firms use when they know forums like this exist its induced fear. But then people who applied to 40+ firms and saw it as a tick box of another firm will make it to AC you can't make it up.

I digress as i understand I am rambling but I am very deflated and tired of the inconsistent approach with feedback and the whole "its luck". tired of it and now i am at work having smile through the pain of yet another rejection where a firm puts "we have a policy of not entering into correspondence with candidates" after rejecting.

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

I'm so sorry this happened to you with Akin, I did the TI and the questions were very basic so maybe they changed the questions I guess

This was actually my problem with the questions- I feel like I overprepared for pushback/ a conversation around my answers but the questions were very basic so idk if I under or over elaborated. Must have just been a standard list for tickboxing.

Do you have your Akin outcome yet?

I just did the Akin TI and lowkey think I screwed it up cos they said it should take 20-25 mins but it lasted 45… Oh well it is what it is lmao.

The questions were pretty basic but it felt more like a conversation than a rigid VI. I wonder does it depend on who the interviewer is?

The grad rec person said they’re still conducting TIs so don’t worry if you don’t hear back with an outcome immediately but they’ll send them soon.​

 

[Donna Paulsen]

finally a milbank PFO post stage 1. no idea how i managed to fail that

Ikr I’m so confused, I really wonder what the benchmark was😂

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Director]

Milbank post stage 2 PFO...I'm actually getting worried now

 

[elizabethkate]

Hey! No haven't heard back yet, I did it end of December.

same did it mid jan

 

[Bread]

I know the age of qualification is late 20's but I can't feel as though firms are pushing for younger candidates. I am not old by any means necessary, i graduated in 2024 I have a good job in the biggest Investment Bank, my applications are solid. But constant rejections. I had 3Acs last year, this year nothing. My educational background - good A level grades 1st non law, Oxbridge. neurodivergent and low socio background. I use a deal or case in every one of my applications that the firm has worked on so i do pass the initial stage, SJT and WG I get decent marks in not really a huge barrier. I get rejected in the last batch for most if not all firms. I have received a TC post VS and DTC last year but was not worth leaving the job I have for the firms I got the offers from. (Was my first time applying so I was not sure what I liked in a firm but found out after do not judge me i don't want to hear it). This post isn't to gloat or for people to feel bad more so my confusion as to why I am constantly being rejected my approach has not changed much since last year.

The rejection emails are pathetic to say the least. You make notes when deciding who to invite to interview and AC but cant throw in a small sentence saying "motivation was poor" "grades did not meet" "superficial application". I understand firms get hundreds and thousands of applications but it is their job to communicate with us at the very least so a bit of clarity would go a long way. This brings me to Weil. I did great in the SJT and VI was super strong, did the forage course, I have a friend who is a trainee there now. I spoke to GR personally a few months ago when they went to my brother university law fair. First rejections were sent in December they sent 3 rounds of ACs as well as 3 rounds of rejections. It is worse being in the last batch than the first. Never understand the terrible staggered approaches firms use when they know forums like this exist its induced fear. But then people who applied to 40+ firms and saw it as a tick box of another firm will make it to AC you can't make it up.

I digress as i understand I am rambling but I am very deflated and tired of the inconsistent approach with feedback and the whole "its luck". tired of it and now i am at work having smile through the pain of yet another rejection where a firm puts "we have a policy of not entering into correspondence with candidates" after rejecting.

I’m sorry you feel this way but I completely get you. I can’t think of much more to say tbh because I share the sentiment that grad rec should share some of their notes on applications that get rejected and that firms seem to be pushing for younger candidates.

Like sorry but I doubt a second year in uni has more commercial awareness than someone working in IB😭

 

[elle woods]

OMG Gibson Dunn Spring VS AC!! I’m in shock rn cos I was doing my Akin TI when I got the email.

For reference, I applied on 23 Dec, sat the SJT and WG on 24 Dec, got VI 8 Jan and did it on 19 Jan.​

let's gooo you're generational running yourself too !! let's get itttt

 

[BealMcAlly]

Milbank PFO post stage 1 lol ✌🏼🥴 -- tbh I was not invested at all, just an easy application 😅

 

[RJ Ruban]

bclp ac, if anyone has any insights i'd be so grateful🙏

Congrats! Can I ask when you applied?

 

[kukubird]

Cleary SVS PFO, sat WG 8th Jan, applied 18th December

 

[I’m a celebrity get me out of here - VS/TC edn]

I’m sorry you feel this way but I completely get you. I can’t think of much more to say tbh because I share the sentiment that grad rec should share some of their notes on applications that get rejected and that firms seem to be pushing for younger candidates.

Like sorry but I doubt a second year in uni has more commercial awareness than someone working in IB😭

If you apply to any civil service job they give you feedback using a scoring system of each area 1-7 it's not in depth but it is super helpful to see which areas you were weak in. Civil servant jobs also get tons of applications so there is no excuse really.

Aha apparently they do. It is 10x harder applying whilst working full time and I believe this is not taken in account at all. Especially with most firms recruiting VS only. I guess I will just sit back and watch the rejections pile in with zero substance of where I went wrong.

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Director]

Hello everyone, I thought it might be a good idea to have a place to discuss some commercial issues - how they affect law firms and clients especially. Feel free to drop anything that has caught your eye in the news and let's discuss! :

Commercial Discussion 2026

Hello everyone, I thought it might be a good idea to have a place to discuss some commercial issues - how they affect law firms and clients especially. Feel free to drop anything that has caught your eye in the news and let's discuss!

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

 

[Jessica Pearson - Managing Director]

Milbank post stage 2 PFO...I'm actually getting worried now

I asked for feedback so we'll see if they respond

 

[maylawwww]

Hello everyone, I thought it might be a good idea to have a place to discuss some commercial issues - how they affect law firms and clients especially. Feel free to drop anything that has caught your eye in the news and let's discuss!:

Commercial Discussion 2026

Hello everyone, I thought it might be a good idea to have a place to discuss some commercial issues - how they affect law firms and clients especially. Feel free to drop anything that has caught your eye in the news and let's discuss!

www.thecorporatelawacademy.com

LOVE this idea