TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Amma Usman]

What are law firms looking for when they ask you how you manage competing deadlines? Thanks!

In addition to a basic introduction relating to things like scheduling, putting the most urgent tasks on top of your desk, etc, firms want a real life example. What challenge did you face in relation to this? What specific tasks did you have to do, and how did that experience change you or make you a better candidate? Essentially, use STAR. Following that, did you receive any notable feedback for your ability to meet those competing deadlines?

 

[Amma Usman]

Is DLA still rolling? Last year it was plastered all over their website that apps are very rolling and will close as soon as there is capacity. Now, there's a clear deadline for apps (21 Nov). Does anyone know?

This is an excerpt from their website...


"Is there a deadline to apply?
Applications close for our 2026 Summer Internship as follows:
London - 21 November 2025
Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester - 12th December 2025 "


LINK HERE - https://careers.dlapiper.com/early-careers/europe/uk/summer-internship.html

 

[Amma Usman]

I've just been invited to the Jones Day AC which includes a group exercise and a case study interview. If anyone has any tips or insight into how best to prepare and succeed on the day I would really appreciate it!

Hey,

Here are my main tips for each:

Group Exercise:

• Work with your group. Don't be the odd person out that doesn't work in a team. Working together improves the quality of your response to your assessors - many is always better than one. You can bounce ideas off each other, and learn so much. Any employer would prefer to work with, and hire people that know how to work well as a team.
• If you know the subject matter of the exercise, then research well on it. If not, keep up on any general commercial trends, as I am very sure that one of them will pop out, or at least you could weave it in somewhere.

Case Study Interview:

• Practice common case study types - corporate, M&A, article discussions on trendy topics, etc. Know these concepts well. It's okay if you don't know everything - law firm's don't expect you to at this stage. Ask questions in your interview if you need to. Engage in a thoughtful discussion, like asking YOUR interviewers what THEY think about a particular topic. Obviously only do this once you've answered the question they asked you about to the best of your ability.

Best wishes, and congrats on the invite. Let us know if you have any more specific questions

 

[SamiyaJ]

Can anyone share any insights/advice for Taylor Wessing online test please?

I will be receiving the test tomorrow

 

[Amma Usman]

please tell me I'm not the only one who keeps getting emails from AOS about the feedback report, every time I open them I think it's the outcome of my application and I panic lol

Haha I totally get that feeling! You're doing amazing, please keep going! To help with that feeling, I typically went on regular walks, or took some time out to focus on strengthening other areas of my candidacy, like writing applications, test writing capabilities, interview composure, etc.

 

[berocca567]

Does the Linklaters test have a deadline? And does it include a video interview?

 

[Amma Usman]

Just got an invite for Sidley's HR interview! I applied on August 24

Ayyyy love to see it ... congrats! Let us know if you have any specific questions, such as what components the interview comprises of, so we could better advise

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi all! I hope you’re all having a wonderful week!

This is just a reminder to be kind to yourself and keep going! As we keep diving deeper into the application cycle, it’s important to remember to not let any setbacks get to you. You are on this journey for a reason and you are one application away from securing a VS/TC at your dream firm! So, don’t let any PFOs get to you - keep going, keep grinding, and the results will come. I always say this - every application and AC teaches you something new. These are things which only make you a better candidate, whether it’s refining your application technique, awareness of the industry, and so on!

Keep sending out those good quality applications and feel free to pop any questions in the forum.

Have a lovely rest of the week!

 

[TCchaser]

Ayyyy love to see it ... congrats! Let us know if you have any specific questions, such as what components the interview comprises of, so we could better advise

Yes please, any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ghost08]

How would you recommend we approach DLA Piper's questions:

1) Describe a specific personal experience that shaped your motivation to pursue a legal career. How has this influenced your career ambitions? (Max 200 words/1,500 Characters)
2) Select one article from DLA Piper Insights page on a client sector that interests you. How does it align with your personal and professional ambitions? (Max 200 words/1,500 Characters)

Thanks !

 

[emily3827]

for the nrf application, am I supposed to fill out the work experience section as well as uploading my cv or one or the other?

 

[e_turbo2]

Has anyone done the second stage test for Macfarlanes? Any insights pls? Thanks!

 

[TCSeeker999]

for DLA Q2, Select one article from DLA Piper Insights page on a client sector that interests you. How does it align with your personal and professional ambitions? (Max 200 words/1,500 Characters), i want to discuss an energy/aviation deal that they advised on about a year ago.

for the professional ambitions part of the q, i was thinking of highlighting the broader range of work DLA conducts in the aviation sphere. I know NRF CC conduct a lot of aviation finance mandates, whilst DLA offer insurance, regulatory, structuring and finance as well.

Is it ok to say something like 'this would provide broader exposure than finance-focused competitors such as NRF and CC, allowing me to explore my interest in this sector holistically'?

or is not a good idea to name drop competitors and keep it general.

would appreciate any advice from @Amma Usman or anyone else, thank you in advance!!

 

[lawlol420]

Do firms care if you overall have a 2:1 but have also have one or two 2:2s and a few firsts?

 

[lawlol420]

Paul , Weiss open day rej

Hi, I'm sorry about the rejection I havent heard back yet, can I ask which one you applied for?

 

[user24710026]

A&O Shearman Application - In the "Higher Education" section, it allows a maximum of 20 grades/modules to be input. I've done 24. Does anyone know what to do about this? It seems a strange quirk to have in their system (besides needing to put GCSEs in twice, etc.).

 

[user24710026]

Does the Linklaters test have a deadline? And does it include a video interview?

If you're talking about the tests you do immediately after applying, not sure about deadline as did straight away. No VI though.

 

[Amz2006]

Has anyone done the taylor wessing test and how was it. And if anyone has also done the Pinsent Masons test too

 

[kn]

does davis polk look at grades very strictly? does anyone know of someone with a 2.1 that managed to secure a vac scheme with them?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

How would you recommend we approach DLA Piper's questions:

1) Describe a specific personal experience that shaped your motivation to pursue a legal career. How has this influenced your career ambitions? (Max 200 words/1,500 Characters)
2) Select one article from DLA Piper Insights page on a client sector that interests you. How does it align with your personal and professional ambitions? (Max 200 words/1,500 Characters)

Thanks !

Hey! I think the best way to approach these questions is to treat them like mini personal statements. I would keep them personal and tailored to DLA Piper, and reflective of your own experiences when you can.

Here is how I’d break it down:

Personal Experience and Motivation for Law

This question is asking you to go beyond generic motivations (like problem-solving or liking to debate) and focus on something that genuinely developed your interest. This is ideally something that you personally experienced or were actively involved in.

The typical structure I would follow is:

1. Briefly explain the context - what was the experience, and why was it relevant?
2. Reflect on what you realised from this experience - did it change your perspective? Did it spark an interest in a distinct area, such as regulation?
3. Link this to your long-term career ambitions - how did it lead you to pursue a career in law? Why does DLA Piper align with that?

This doesn’t have to be a legal experience! It could be something like helping someone navigate complex systems, a moment that taught you analytical thinking, or a personal situation with a legal element. The main thing is that you have to clearly link it back to your motivation for law!

DLA Piper Insights Article

This is your opportunity to showcase your commercial awareness and understanding of the firm’s work, and how your interests align.

I would structure my response using the following:

1. Choose an article on a client sector that you find interesting - this should ideally be something that overlaps with your genuine interests and your background (e.g. emerging tech, ESG, healthcare etc.)
2. Summarise the main points of the article in your own words - this should be brief, but show that you understand the commercial and legal implications
3. Explain why this topic resonates with you - what does it tell you about the evolution of the legal industry? What part of it excites you? Does it relate to something you have studied or explored in another setting?
4. Link to DLA Piper - think about the firm’s international reach, sector focus, innovation, or work with leading clients. How does this article show the kind of work that you’d be interested in working in?

I would avoid picking a random article - choose something that you have a genuine interest in, and clearly explain why that is and how it links to your future career.

I know that there aren’t a lot of words available due to the word limit, so you should aim to be as concise as possible. Hope this helps!