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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hi @vera.mekhonoshina @ZNadeem and any one else, do you recommend applying to firms without attending any events this cycle as I usually wait to apply as I feel like it will give the application more of a chance? Are people actually consistently successful when submitting without attending any events? thanks
- Sep 7, 2024
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I'm really sorry about this.
Please let this keep you going: there are still many law firms with applications open, and each one is a new opportunity to refine your strategy and bring you closer to achieving that ultimate goal of securing your TC. You got this, and we're rooting for you as always!
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hi there!
In my experience, such tests usually focus on situational-like assessments - testing how you would react to different workplace scenarios. There may also be some verbal reasoning elements to this, and my main course of action to prepare for those was really just going on YouTube and TikTok, looking at how people approached example questions, and learning from them.
The attached picture below should also help with regards to SJT-like assessments within this sphere.
Do let us know if you've got any more questions on this
Hey, sorry about the interview im sure it was tough! when did you apply and hear back that you got an interview, just submitted mine yesterday and wondering what the time line is like
hi all, I did a vac scheme last summer and was unsuccessful but got a lot of positive feedback on the call and was encouraged to reapply. they have a limited number of work experience entries on the application form. their scheme was my most recent work. should I use an entry to talk about what I did and what skills I demonstrated during the vac scheme I did at their firm, or focus on other earlier experiences (would be the same ones I used last year when I successfully got the vs). on the one hand, using an entry about their vac scheme it proves my insight and experience at the firm and means I know they will consider my previous performance with them. on the other, if they would do that anyway I could be using that entry to showcase other work I have done, like last year.
I emailed grad rec who gave an "it's up to you" response. I would appreciate some advice please as I haven't been in this position before! thank you @Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman @ anyone with insight
I emailed grad rec who gave an "it's up to you" response. I would appreciate some advice please as I haven't been in this position before! thank you @Ram Sabaratnam @Amma Usman @ anyone with insight
Tell us about any experiences outside of your work and study that have allowed you to develop skills that are relevant to this role.
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hiya!
To be honest, you don't really need to bother too much about this. Generally speaking, attending open days and online events certainly do help your applications all round, as they give you an insight into the industry at large, and some specifics of the firm itself. However, a lot of it may be similar across firms such that key differences may only be spotted across areas such as application processes, and niche practices, for example.
Another example - if you attend an open day at a transactional-focused law firm, and you found you were interested in that side due to that experience, then you could easily reference that in an application to another transactional-focused law firm you may be interested in as well. The point I am trying to make is that you don't need to specifically attend a designated open day for the firm you are applying to. Transferrable skills can also be thought of as transferrable experiences, in this light. That said, if you are strongly interested in a particular firm and soooo keen to train there, then by all means apply to their events! Just be aware that grad rec will look at more than that, and the time spent attending a heavy load of events could be spent perfecting other key skills - such as case study or interview preparedness.
Another tip to stand out in open day applications is to understand that they differ to vac scheme and TC applications - you need to highlight more of what you will gain from that experience, rather than what you know already. This could include highlighting any skills or knowledge gaps which you know the open day can fill for XYZ reasons.
Hope this helps.
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hey,
I am unsure of any specific policies law firms have on this as this will differ between firms. My personal view is to just not use it to write applications, to avoid such problems.
Hey @FutureTraineeMaybe !
That's a really good question, and I completely understand your concerns as there are definitely multiple elements that you are expected to include in your answer. When it comes to these sorts of questions, I would always follow a clear structure to ensure that I address all of the individual elements. Whilst I haven't previously applied to Dechert, I have answered a similar question for other law firm applications, and so I thought I would share what worked best for me.
Essentially, the firm is making sure that you:
- Have an understanding of the skills that you possess and how you have developed them
- Know what skills are required for being a commercial solicitor / trainee, and
- Can demonstrate how these particular skills and experiences make Dechert the right firm for you
1. Your Own Skills
I would start by discussing the skill and how you developed it through your experiences/previous roles - this does not necessarily have to follow the STAR method, as it is more about demonstrating how you have the skill rather than explaining a particular instance in that role. For example, you could discuss how you worked as a committee member in one of your university's societies and how interacting with a wide range of people developed your communication skills. An example of how this might look in practice is:
"In my role as the Welfare Secretary in X Society, when a member was anxious about joining a social event for the first time as they didn’t know anyone, I encouraged them to step out of their comfort zone and reminded them that there would be many people in a similar situation. To make them feel more comfortable, I offered to meet them before the social event so that they wouldn’t have to walk in alone, and introduced them to some of the other new members. This experience developed my confidence and communication skills, as I was required to listen to an individual's situation and communicate a thoughtful solution that was tailored to their problem."
2. Skills of a Commercial Solicitor
I would then relate that to the role of a commercial solicitor/trainee. If you have discussed, for example, a skill in communication, I would discuss how this makes you well-suited for the role as a solicitor / trainee. This could be shown by discussing how you may be interacting with colleagues in the firm, senior members of staff, and clients. You can expand on this to state that you can utilise these communication skills to cater to the audience you are communicating with. This directly relates the skills you have demonstrated you have to what they are looking for, and shows that you have an understanding of the expectations of a commercial solicitor / trainee. An example of this could be:
“I believe that these communication skills make me well suited to the role of a commercial solicitor as I am able to tailor my communication style to whoever I am interacting with in my role, whether this is a supervisor, business support services, or the firm’s clients. This will allow me to develop strong professional relationships with clients and colleagues through adapting to their communication style, such as acknowledging their preference for emails or in-person meetings, and planning accordingly.”
3. How this relates to Dechert
Once you have established this picture of your skillset, it is then important to tie it into the firm itself. This is where you will want to look at the USP's of the firm and how your experiences and skills are best suited for it. For example, if you know that the firm has a unique system, such as a room sharing system, you can discuss how your skills in communication are best suited for this style of working, and how you feel that this system will allow you to make the most out of your training with your colleagues. Essentially, you are discussing 'Why do you want to work at Dechert' but linking it to the personal skills and attributes that you possess and how this makes you a good fit. An example of this could be:
"This makes X the right firm for me to train at due to its emphasis on partner approachability and the culture of support amongst trainees. By utilising the firm's room sharing system, I will be able to work collaboratively with those around me and gain meaningful experience early on. This will further develop my communication skills, as I will have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of individuals and learn directly from senior staff, strengthening the quality of my training and working relationships."
This can be a bit trickier with some skills than others, but try to think of why you want to work at Dechert, and then think about the skills you will need to do that and how you possess them. This could range from the high-level of responsibility you receive early on, the opportunity to complete an international secondment, or perhaps even their focus in a specific practice area / sector.
I hope that helps! I know that it looks like a lot to fit into one answer, especially if the word count is relatively small, but if you write a couple of sentences for each of the above, it should create a clear structure in your answer and flow together nicely whilst also addressing the whole question. Best of luck with your application
- Sep 7, 2024
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Hey,
If this is not highlighted in the invite email, I would personally reach out to GR to confirm.
I, however, saw this on their website -- "You will need to complete your application and online experience ahead of deadline." This suggests to me that a deadline has been included somewhere, maybe in the link to the assessment or the invite email. If it hasn't, however, please ensure to send a quick email clarifying. Typically, law firms set deadlines of 2-7 days, though I can't go off this as this may be different for A&O Shearman, so confirming with GR is the best thing to do in this instance.
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- Sep 7, 2024
- 1,492
- 1,582
Just to follow up on my last response as well, here's a practice test on their website which could help in your prep too (if you've not already done it!).
thank you!Hey @FutureTraineeMaybe !
That's a really good question, and I completely understand your concerns as there are definitely multiple elements that you are expected to include in your answer. When it comes to these sorts of questions, I would always follow a clear structure to ensure that I address all of the individual elements. Whilst I haven't previously applied to Dechert, I have answered a similar question for other law firm applications, and so I thought I would share what worked best for me.
Essentially, the firm is making sure that you:
In terms of the first two elements, I would focus on the skills that are required for a commercial solicitor and highlight those. Whilst there is no set number, I would typically discuss two or three main ones (depending on word count) so that I can go into detail about each. The typical skills that you could potentially discuss are things like proactivity, commercial awareness, communication, client-facing, drafting, and teamwork.
- Have an understanding of the skills that you possess and how you have developed them
- Know what skills are required for being a commercial solicitor / trainee, and
- Can demonstrate how these particular skills and experiences make Dechert the right firm for you
1. Your Own Skills
I would start by discussing the skill and how you developed it through your experiences/previous roles - this does not necessarily have to follow the STAR method, as it is more about demonstrating how you have the skill rather than explaining a particular instance in that role. For example, you could discuss how you worked as a committee member in one of your university's societies and how interacting with a wide range of people developed your communication skills. An example of how this might look in practice is:
"In my role as the Welfare Secretary in X Society, when a member was anxious about joining a social event for the first time as they didn’t know anyone, I encouraged them to step out of their comfort zone and reminded them that there would be many people in a similar situation. To make them feel more comfortable, I offered to meet them before the social event so that they wouldn’t have to walk in alone, and introduced them to some of the other new members. This experience developed my confidence and communication skills, as I was required to listen to an individual's situation and communicate a thoughtful solution that was tailored to their problem."
2. Skills of a Commercial Solicitor
I would then relate that to the role of a commercial solicitor/trainee. If you have discussed, for example, a skill in communication, I would discuss how this makes you well-suited for the role as a solicitor / trainee. This could be shown by discussing how you may be interacting with colleagues in the firm, senior members of staff, and clients. You can expand on this to state that you can utilise these communication skills to cater to the audience you are communicating with. This directly relates the skills you have demonstrated you have to what they are looking for, and shows that you have an understanding of the expectations of a commercial solicitor / trainee. An example of this could be:
“I believe that these communication skills make me well suited to the role of a commercial solicitor as I am able to tailor my communication style to whoever I am interacting with in my role, whether this is a supervisor, business support services, or the firm’s clients. This will allow me to develop strong professional relationships with clients and colleagues through adapting to their communication style, such as acknowledging their preference for emails or in-person meetings, and planning accordingly.”
3. How this relates to Dechert
Once you have established this picture of your skillset, it is then important to tie it into the firm itself. This is where you will want to look at the USP's of the firm and how your experiences and skills are best suited for it. For example, if you know that the firm has a unique system, such as a room sharing system, you can discuss how your skills in communication are best suited for this style of working, and how you feel that this system will allow you to make the most out of your training with your colleagues. Essentially, you are discussing 'Why do you want to work at Dechert' but linking it to the personal skills and attributes that you possess and how this makes you a good fit. An example of this could be:
"This makes X the right firm for me to train at due to its emphasis on partner approachability and the culture of support amongst trainees. By utilising the firm's room sharing system, I will be able to work collaboratively with those around me and gain meaningful experience early on. This will further develop my communication skills, as I will have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of individuals and learn directly from senior staff, strengthening the quality of my training and working relationships."
This can be a bit trickier with some skills than others, but try to think of why you want to work at Dechert, and then think about the skills you will need to do that and how you possess them. This could range from the high-level of responsibility you receive early on, the opportunity to complete an international secondment, or perhaps even their focus in a specific practice area / sector.
I hope that helps! I know that it looks like a lot to fit into one answer, especially if the word count is relatively small, but if you write a couple of sentences for each of the above, it should create a clear structure in your answer and flow together nicely whilst also addressing the whole question. Best of luck with your application
I think what Macfarlanes are doing is assessing all three alongside each other. I reckon the second OA was sent automatically, regardless of the first OA score, despite what it says on their website. Alternatively, they may use the scores from the OAs as a filter to determine which applications they read e.g. if you score above a certain benchmark, they will read your 300 word application and make a decision based on that. Also, this is for a Spring VS, no other firm is progressing people to the second stage this early in the cycle; some firms haven't even opened their springs yet! It's all happening too quickly and too randomly, that's why I think the 2nd OA is automatic.
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to those who completed the a&o shearman test, how many skills were listed in your assessment feedback report?
Has anyone received confirmation after completing the Ashurst Cappfinity test/had the feedback report?
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