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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hiya @ashwright
Call me old school, but I’ve always been an unapologetic Excel loyalist (and yes, this is a hill I will die on).
Although some of my colleagues who use other tools would probably disagree, I never really felt the need for Notion or other tools. During my second year, I used an excel spreadsheet to track absolutely everything in one place, e.g. firm names, deadlines, application status, interview dates, and a section for little "miscellaneous notes/links" that were relevant to each firm. I'm also a big fan of the conditional formatting and just generally using colour-codes (e.g. green for submitted, yellow for in-progress, red for “oh no, deadline tomorrow”). This was just my preference though, so I'd say just use whatever platform is helpful to you
Thank you so much, @Ram Sabaratnam and @Chris Brown ! Excel sounds like the way forward - it should be a lot less fussy than Notion & a lot more practical than Word!I did the same as @Ram Sabaratnam! I used an excel spreadsheet to organise and keep track of my applications. I had separate columns for all of the following categories:
1. Firm names (usually in alphabetical order).
2. VS/TC deadlines for each firm (in order from earliest to latest e.g., WVS or SVS).
3. Application stages e.g., SJT, VI, AC and what stage of the process I was at.
4. Interview dates and type of interview (was it solely commercial or competency etc).
5. Application outcome (whether successful or unsuccessful) for VS and/or TC.
I am also a fiend for formatting and so I colour coded everything (green for submitting an app, blue for passing a certain stage, yellow if it was still in progress and red for a PFO).
I didn’t even know there was something called notion until now lmao. I think ultimately it just depends on personal preferences but I found it easier to use excel over word.
I really appreciate the breakdown of what you guys included in your spreadsheets; it's really helped me to get a sense of the main things I should keep an eye on.
I have one quick follow up, if that's alright
When researching a firm, we go through quite a bit of content on a given firm (e.g., podcasts, articles, news). Unfortunately, this 'information collecting' process is still something I haven't quite got a handle on!Do you guys think it's worthwhile taking notes on each source that you come across? Ram, you mentioned a 'miscellaneous notes/links' section - what was your approach to this section? Chris, did you have a similar process of collection or did you take a more ad hoc approach?
Thank you again - you're both the best!
Thank you so much, @Ram Sabaratnam and @Chris Brown ! Excel sounds like the way forward - it should be a lot less fussy than Notion & a lot more practical than Word!
I really appreciate the breakdown of what you guys included in your spreadsheets; it's really helped me to get a sense of the main things I should keep an eye on.
I have one quick follow up, if that's alright
Do you guys think it's worthwhile taking notes on each source that you come across? Ram, you mentioned a 'miscellaneous notes/links' section - what was your approach to this section? Chris, did you have a similar process of collection or did you take a more ad hoc approach?
Thank you again - you're both the best!
The main source I used for note-taking or firm research was attending firm events (in-person or online). Whether it was open days, practice area workshops, Q&As, law fairs, etc., I spent a lot of time attending as many as I could for all the firms I was targeting for VS and DTC. 
I don’t think it is worthwhile making notes from websites or articles that you can easily re-read over again. It’s already in written form so that’s just ‘copying out the textbook’ stuff. For other things like podcasts or live streams, I think it’s a good approach to take notes.
As far as how I organised firm research, I again had an excel spreadsheet. I had columns for all the things I needed to know. This also helped me with seeing the differences and similarities between competing firms, which is useful at an interview or AC stage of the GR process.
Some of the things I looked for were as follows:
1. Main practice areas e.g., M&A, Competition, Restructuring, Disputes.
2. Number of offices and which regions they’re located in (EMEA, USA, etc).
3. Number of partners and associates and size of trainee intake of the firm.
4. Sector focuses e.g., life sciences, tech, real estate, financial services, etc.
5. Clients (multinational corporations, financial services firms, PE firms, etc).
6. Competitors (e.g., PW, Kirkland and Weil for PE work) and their relative strengths.
7. Recent deals or disputes (e.g., has the firm advised on a huge M&A transaction).
8. Firm facts and figures e.g., 161% growth of London Office since 2017.
9. Useful links for further research - published articles or memos relative to each firm.
10. Trainee experience and firm culture - what do the people there think of the firm?
Eventually it will look like a giant table full of all the relevant firm research and information you need. It’s easier to navigate as everything is in one place and you can cross reference things in different parts of the table too. Excel was my best friend during the last cycle.
I don’t think it is worthwhile making notes from websites or articles that you can easily re-read over again. It’s already in written form so that’s just ‘copying out the textbook’ stuff. For other things like podcasts or live streams, I think it’s a good approach to take notes.
As far as how I organised firm research, I again had an excel spreadsheet. I had columns for all the things I needed to know. This also helped me with seeing the differences and similarities between competing firms, which is useful at an interview or AC stage of the GR process.
Some of the things I looked for were as follows:
1. Main practice areas e.g., M&A, Competition, Restructuring, Disputes.
2. Number of offices and which regions they’re located in (EMEA, USA, etc).
3. Number of partners and associates and size of trainee intake of the firm.
4. Sector focuses e.g., life sciences, tech, real estate, financial services, etc.
5. Clients (multinational corporations, financial services firms, PE firms, etc).
6. Competitors (e.g., PW, Kirkland and Weil for PE work) and their relative strengths.
7. Recent deals or disputes (e.g., has the firm advised on a huge M&A transaction).
8. Firm facts and figures e.g., 161% growth of London Office since 2017.
9. Useful links for further research - published articles or memos relative to each firm.
10. Trainee experience and firm culture - what do the people there think of the firm?
Eventually it will look like a giant table full of all the relevant firm research and information you need. It’s easier to navigate as everything is in one place and you can cross reference things in different parts of the table too. Excel was my best friend during the last cycle.
Last edited:
Thank you so, so much, Chris!! I am literally in the process of creating my Excel spreadsheet so this saves me A LOT of timeThe main source I used for note-taking or firm research was attending firm events (in-person or online). Whether it was open days, practice area workshops, Q&As, law fairs, etc., I spent a lot of time attending as many as I could for all the firms I was targeting for VS and DTC.
I don’t think it is worthwhile making notes from websites or articles that you can easily re-read over again. It’s already in written form so that’s just ‘copying out the textbook’ stuff. For other things like podcasts or live streams, I think it’s a good approach to take notes.
As far as how I organised firm research, I again had an excel spreadsheet. I had columns for all the things I needed to know. This also helped me with seeing the differences and similarities between competing firms, which is useful at an interview or AC stage of the GR process.
Some of the things I looked for were as follows:
1. Main practice areas e.g., M&A, Competition, Restructuring, Disputes.
2. Number of offices and which regions they’re located in (EMEA, USA, etc).
3. Number of partners and associates and size of trainee intake of the firm.
4. Sector focuses e.g., life sciences, tech, real estate, financial services, etc.
5. Clients (multinational corporations, financial services firms, PE firms, etc).
6. Competitors (e.g., PW, Kirkland and Weil for PE work) and their relative strengths.
7. Recent deals or disputes (e.g., has the firm advised on a huge M&A transaction).
8. Firm facts and figures e.g., 161% growth of London Office since 2020.
9. Useful links for further research - published articles or memos relative to each firm.
10. Trainee experience and firm culture - what do the people there think of the firm?
Eventually it will look like a giant table full of all the relevant firm research and information you need. It’s easier to navigate as everything is in one place and you can cross reference things in different parts of the table too. Excel was my best friend during the last cycle.
You're the best!One quick question about something you mentioned - what is a 'memo'? I understand that it's a term of art, but I'm not super clear on what it actually means (and where to find memos?) Google is currently suggesting that 'memo' can mean a letter in response to a client, but I'm not sure if that's what you're referring to.
(Apologies for the silly question!)
Hi, I'm relatively new to the VS application process, having just graduated from a non-law, non-rg degree. Personally, my university's grading system is really different, so I've converted marks to percentages. I know most firms are looking for a high 2:1, which I have, but my overall mark is 73%, which is an average 2:1 at my university, 82.5% being a first. Does anyone know if law firms will take 73% as a high 2:1 or look into the grading system at my university?
This will depend on firms. The vast majority will ask for your grades in percentages. Being that they will assume 50-59 = 2:2, 60-69 = 2:1, and 70+ = 1st.
Many firms will have an additional question however asking what classification you’re on track for? Or sometimes just are you on track for a 2:1 or higher.
There should always be a place for your to explain grading systems if you feel it needs further clarification
Hi, If I want to cancel a premium account, will it let me use it for the rest of the month? @Ram Sabaratnam
I just realised I hadn't responded to this, so sorry!Hiya @Zaine1010
Thanks for sharing your background for context!
Your academic record won’t automatically disqualify you from firms like BCLP or CMS. While firms may sometimes look closely at applicant's performance in key modules like Contract or Tort, I think your improvement over time and strong LLM marks will help offset early weaker grades. I think what matters most now is how well you can present your experiences and motivations in a written application. This is especially important for firms like BCLP, where longer application form questions will give you the opportunity to demonstrate strong research, commercial awareness, and a clear interest in commercial law.
As I'm sure you already appreciate, there’s also lots in your own background that you could successfully rely on to articulate/demonstrate a genuine interest in the profession (e.g. founding a law society, gaining international legal experience, paralegalling, volunteering, and balancing part-time work with running a business). Over the next few weeks, I'd encourage you to really reflect on how these experiences have shaped your interests and skills in a way that makes you well-suited to a career in commercial law.
So yes I think it’s worth applying! I'd now just focus on the quality of your applications and how well you tailor them to the firms you're targeting
Many thanks Ram, this is amazing advice I really appreciate it!
Zaine.
Does anyone have any tips for applying to NRF?
I’ve jotted down pointers that I can relate back on, like writing my own API in university for productivity, working with AI clients in a 4-month internship at a communications firm.
It still feels very superficial for some reason. I’d love to get tips!
I’ve jotted down pointers that I can relate back on, like writing my own API in university for productivity, working with AI clients in a 4-month internship at a communications firm.
It still feels very superficial for some reason. I’d love to get tips!
Hey, it took a month and a week from me submitting my app to get the interview invite!Hii! Do you know roughly Sidley’s response time once you submit your application?
A "memo" short for memorandum is an internal note. Usually set out as followsThank you so, so much, Chris!! I am literally in the process of creating my Excel spreadsheet so this saves me A LOT of time
One quick question about something you mentioned - what is a 'memo'? I understand that it's a term of art, but I'm not super clear on what it actually means (and where to find memos?) Google is currently suggesting that 'memo' can mean a letter in response to a client, but I'm not sure if that's what you're referring to.
(Apologies for the silly question!)
To: (partner)
From: (trainee)
Date
Title (often file name and number but could be more general)
Body of memo giving information or asking questions.
They used to be used more than they are nowadays because nowadays the same info is usually sent by email. It is most likely to be used nowadays if attaching physical hard copy papers .
What Winter Vac Schemes are everyone applying for?
Just a heads up - I emailed Freshfields and they confirmed that they will not be offering a winter vacation scheme this year...
Just a heads up - I emailed Freshfields and they confirmed that they will not be offering a winter vacation scheme this year...
There is a forum thread that lists all of the WVS for this year and SVS’ next year. Firms that are doing a WVS this year are A&O, HSF Kramer, Hogan Lovells, Sidley Austin, Paul Weiss, Jones Day and Ashurst, among others:
Thread 'Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025-26 (with rolling/non rolling checklist!)'
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....5-26-with-rolling-non-rolling-checklist.9720/
Thread 'Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025-26 (with rolling/non rolling checklist!)'
https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....5-26-with-rolling-non-rolling-checklist.9720/
Hi, quick question!
What makes a strong answer to commercial awareness questions at application stage? eg. "describe a current commercial issue/development. What interests you about it/why did you choose this". What are recruiters assessing when looking at the responses to this? @Ram Sabaratnam
What makes a strong answer to commercial awareness questions at application stage? eg. "describe a current commercial issue/development. What interests you about it/why did you choose this". What are recruiters assessing when looking at the responses to this? @Ram Sabaratnam
1st rejection of the pre-application cycle. Applied to Dac Beachcroft September Vacation Scheme and got my rejection this AM! Time to reflect and then on to the next bulk of apps!
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