TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[i-want-a-tc]

Has anyone heard back for the reed smith open day that's next week?

My friend got an invite yesterday but I'm still waiting. They have a waiting list so maybe they are waiting for final confirmations before sending the rejection emails.

 

[noahsmiit01]

For the Slaughters app, it says that a cover letter should be no longer than one side of A4. How many words is it roughly then, and what font size?

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Has anybody received the mayer brown test yet?

 

[aspringlawyer25]

Has anyone received the Ashurst report yet? Did the OA over the past weekend, wondering how long it takes to get the report.

 

[BuddyingLawyer744]

Any tips for preparing for interviews. I have one next week but I'm blank - not sure what to do, what to prepare.

 

[Chriss]

Did anyone receive a feedback report from gibsonn dunn?

 

[TCLA0322]

Did anyone receive a feedback report from gibsonn dunn?

I received it, but send after the next day of doing the feedback.

 

[zainabouragueli]

- 650 word cover letter
- Online situational judgement and strength assessment - Cappfinity test with some elements of SJT and SPAG/Proofreading exercises. No WG
- 1st stage interview with Graduate Recruitment
- 2x 2nd stage interviews with partners and associates (competency based interview and a case study)

Does anyone have any further insight on the cappfinity test?

 

[rosedunn]

any tips on gibson dunn test? is it automatic?

 

[Jennifer2003]

Has anybody heard back from A&O yet?

 

[whywhy88]

For the Paul, Weiss 'How do your extra-curricular activities align with a career at Paul, Weiss?' question, does it matter if we only have one activity to talk about? I only have one main hobby/extra-curricular but am worried that this may put me at a disadvantage

 

[TCSeeker999]

I took the Arctic Shores for the NRF vacation scheme last cycle. Does anyone know if previous scores from the past 12 months are still accepted this year?

I did the same, and am on the AS NRF-BP mentoring scheme this year so have had to take it 'twice' in 12 months.

In essence, if you apply to NRF twice within twelve months, you have 2 options. 1 - re-use your previous scores. 2 - take the test again.

If you didn't pass to the HR interview last year for NRF recruitment, maybe retake the test. If you did pass to the HR interview stage, I'd keep the same scores as they were clearly good enough.

 

[aspringlawyer25]

Has anybody heard back from A&O yet?

Got an email asking me to re-record my VI cause of tech issues. Other than that, nothing. When did you apply?

 

[TCSeeker999]

Has anybody heard back from A&O yet?

i think if you applied for their winter vac, They said expect to hear from us from 29 Sept onwards, which would be for their AC rollout.

AC is the next stage after online app (just the work experience section really) + SJT/VI.

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Can my volunteering experience be in the work experience section? - it was giving advice to clients and guiding them through forms

 

[Shahenshah]

Can my volunteering experience be in the work experience section? - it was giving advice to clients and guiding them through forms

I perhaps wouldn't call it giving legal advice, usually with legal volunteering you're advised not to describe it in such a way, but otherwise I always include my pro bono legal volunteering in the work experience section!

 

[Jennifer2003]

i think if you applied for their winter vac, They said expect to hear from us from 29 Sept onwards, which would be for their AC rollout.

AC is the next stage after online app (just the work experience section really) + SJT/VI.

Great thank you!

 

[nonlawstudent98]

Congratulations! When did u apply!

@aspiringlawyer25 I applied on 05/09 and got the interview on 08/09 (just didn't post about it until now)

 

[ZNadeem]

For the Slaughters app, it says that a cover letter should be no longer than one side of A4. How many words is it roughly then, and what font size?

Hi! I wouldn’t go under font size 11 (Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri all work fine). That usually gives you around 800–850 words on one side of A4 if margins are adjusted.

 

[ZNadeem]

Any tips for preparing for interviews. I have one next week but I'm blank - not sure what to do, what to prepare.

Hi! Do you know if it’s CV-blind or competency-based? That will shape your prep.

In any case, I’d suggest:

• Focus on competency and strength-based questions — use STAR to structure your answers clearly. Look at key competencies firms usually value (teamwork, resilience, communication, leadership, attention to detail).
• Refine your answers to the basic motivational questions: “Why commercial law?”, “Why this firm?”, and “Why you?”. These often set the tone.
• Prepare for commercial awareness questions — have one recent deal the firm has worked on and one broader news story (ideally with business implications) that you can discuss.

That should give you a strong base of confidence going in.