TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Mara]

Has anyone had mitigating circumstances taken into account with decent law firms?

I have A*A*B, went to a good RG, and graduated with a 2:1 but my second year grades are all 56-58 averages because my dad passed suddenly, and it was during the Covid pandemic so I couldn't go home until like 2 years later, after I graduated, because of border closures (international student). There is no way I could have done well and my third year grades went up but nothing drastic, just good enough for me to get a 2:1. I have so many prestigious and impressive extracurriculars (won competitions, president of societies, did work with international organisations) but I'm still getting automatic rejections from everything I apply to ):

I did have an interview with a US law firm last year but that's it. I'm just not sure if its my grades holding me back (which I'm certain it must be but then again I did get that one interview) but if that's the case then that means that my mitigating circumstances aren't enough? Has anyone dealt with anything similar?

 

[Amma Usman]

Has anyone had mitigating circumstances taken into account with decent law firms?

I have A*A*B, went to a good RG, and graduated with a 2:1 but my second year grades are all 56-58 averages because my dad passed suddenly, and it was during the Covid pandemic so I couldn't go home until like 2 years later, after I graduated, because of border closures (international student). There is no way I could have done well and my third year grades went up but nothing drastic, just good enough for me to get a 2:1. I have so many prestigious and impressive extracurriculars (won competitions, president of societies, did work with international organisations) but I'm still getting automatic rejections from everything I apply to ):

I did have an interview with a US law firm last year but that's it. I'm just not sure if its my grades holding me back (which I'm certain it must be but then again I did get that one interview) but if that's the case then that means that my mitigating circumstances aren't enough? Has anyone dealt with anything similar?

Thanks for your question. I totally get the concerns around mitigating circumstances, and I’m so sorry about your loss. I also lost my dad just before the application season opened, so I can relate to the pressures of balancing personal life struggles with university.

The first thing is that overall, you still have a 2:1 in your degree, which is very good, and on a basic level, you directly meet the criteria most law firms look for anyway. Often, law firms will look at this overall grade and not specific module grades, though I have heard of a couple of firms that do look at individual grades. Regardless, this should not put you down because (1) I know of many people who have gotten some 50s in individual modules but still secured training contracts at very prestigious firms, and (2) the mitigating circumstances section allows you to disclose the bereavement.

Next, your other achievements and extracurriculars heavily tip the scale away from grades, and I’m sure you know by now that law firms care about more than just grades. You have to ensure that the other parts of your candidacy are strong, and this starts with even the basic concept of writing good applications. Are your motivations clear and backed up by specific examples? Have you accurately shown your journey? Are you directly answering the application questions? Are you using clear language, because overly convoluted wording can put recruiters off?

By incorporating all of this, you are in a very strong position to succeed, despite those individual module grades, as you still have a 2:1 overall.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Has anyone had mitigating circumstances taken into account with decent law firms?

I have A*A*B, went to a good RG, and graduated with a 2:1 but my second year grades are all 56-58 averages because my dad passed suddenly, and it was during the Covid pandemic so I couldn't go home until like 2 years later, after I graduated, because of border closures (international student). There is no way I could have done well and my third year grades went up but nothing drastic, just good enough for me to get a 2:1. I have so many prestigious and impressive extracurriculars (won competitions, president of societies, did work with international organisations) but I'm still getting automatic rejections from everything I apply to ):

I did have an interview with a US law firm last year but that's it. I'm just not sure if its my grades holding me back (which I'm certain it must be but then again I did get that one interview) but if that's the case then that means that my mitigating circumstances aren't enough? Has anyone dealt with anything similar?

Hello @Mara

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss - that must have been incredibly hard, especially being stuck abroad during Covid. It makes complete sense that your grades dipped at that time, and it sounds like you've shown incredible resilience by still achieving a solid 2:1 and excelling in so many extracurriculars.

From what I know, most firms will take your mitigating circumstances seriously. If you haven't already, it might be worth reaching out to graduate recruitment teams directly to explain the context before submitting an application. Most firms allow you to flag mitigating circumstances in the application form, but if they don't, sending a short email to graduate recruitment explaining your situation could help make sure your application isn't filtered out unfairly. I think that as long as you let graduate recruitment know in some way, they will absolutely take them into account when reviewing your application.

Also, don't underestimate how impressive your extracurriculars and leadership experience are, and the fact that you've already has a US firm interview shows you're definitely competitive. Don't lose hope - you've achieved a lot despite really tough circumstances!! Wishing you all the best, and feel free to reach out if we can help at all

 

[Amma Usman]

Does anyone know if we need to include addresses in the cover letter for NRF?

Unless asked, I would usually just start with...

Dear Graduate Recruitment Team (or individual you were asked to address),

RE: APPLICATION FOR SUMMER VACATION SCHEME (for example) 2026
​

Start your cover letter with an intro. What you will cover. 1-2 sentences max.

Why commercial law. Show your journey, backed up with key examples.

Why NRF - practice areas, trainee size, training style, conversations with people working at the firm, etc.

Why you. Skills, achievements, extracurriculars.

Thank you for considering my application.

Yours sincerely, faithfully,
Name

This is, of course, a default cover letter template I use when specific instructions are not provided otherwise by the firm. Ensure to check this alongside the guidelines set by GR.

 

[Amma Usman]

Has anyone heard back from any firms yet and been progressed to ac or interview?

It's definitely possible to have heard back from some firms by now, especially those with rolling deadlines. However, I want to point out that it's still too early to get worried about this, as we're still in September. Even if other people have heard back, applications tend to be viewed in batches that do not always depend on when one submitted their application. I know how hard the wait can be, but some of the best things that helped me during this 'holding' phase was to (1) apply to other firms I was interested in, (2) perfect any next stages of the application process - commercial awareness, case study prep, interview prep, etc, (3) Work out/go on walks/ do things I genuinely enjoyed to keep my mind engaged with other things, (5) university/ extracurricular work to strengthen my candidacy.

 

[coolwizard22]

Did everyone else get an Ashurst holding email?

Yes! Got a serious jump-scare with the subject of the email - 'Application Update' 😅

 

[emily3827]

in terms of mitigating circumstances - if I have them for one set of exams, and have a letter from a doctor/ my tutor explaining it to examiners, etc.. at the time, should I explain that I have this evidence when mentioning it my form - how do firms tend to validate this sort of thing?

 

[emily3827]

Hi!

As there is a limited word count, I don't think you need to include any addresses in the cover letter

hi!! where are you seeing the word count for the cover letter?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

in terms of mitigating circumstances - if I have them for one set of exams, and have a letter from a doctor/ my tutor explaining it to examiners, etc.. at the time, should I explain that I have this evidence when mentioning it my form - how do firms tend to validate this sort of thing?

Hello!

That's a really great question. I haven't had to explain mitigating circumstances myself, but I have requested reasonable adjustments before, and I wasn't asked to provide evidence upfront for those.

I'd imagine it's similar with mitigating circumstances - most firms will take your statement on your application at face value, but it's worth mentioning that you have supporting evidence so they can request it if needed

 

[WiddyJ]

When a firm has an online assessment as its second stage, will it still take into account the written application when deciding to move a candidate to the next stage, or will this mostly be determined by performance in the assessment?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

hi!! where are you seeing the word count for the cover letter?

Apologies, I have realised that they have removed the word count for this year (so ignore me!). I would follow the amazing advice from @Amma Usman and use that structure if there isn't one provided for you

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

When a firm has an online assessment as its second stage, will it still take into account the written application when deciding to move a candidate to the next stage, or will this mostly be determined by performance in the assessment?

Hello @WiddyJ !

This is likely to vary from firm to firm! Some will put most of the weight on the online assessment when deciding who moves to the next stage, while others will still look back at your written application as part of the decision.

I'd say the safest approach is to make sure you give both stages your best effort. Even if the assessment feels like the main thing, your application could still help set you apart or give context to your performance.

If you're unsure, you could always contact the graduate recruitment team to check how they typically handle it - they're usually happy to clarify!

 

[Andrei Radu]

When a firm has an online assessment as its second stage, will it still take into account the written application when deciding to move a candidate to the next stage, or will this mostly be determined by performance in the assessment?

As @Abbie Whitlock mentioned, it can be both. If progression to the second stage is selective - ie they review your application before sending you the test, it is less likely your written application will be reviewed as thoroughly/weighed as heavily as in the case of automatic progression.

More likely, in the situation in which your application is initially screened and is one of the few to be progressed, the firm will only look at it again after you complete the test to take into account high-level information when making a decision, rather than repeating the first stage in their review.

That said, some firms operate a "benchmark" approach, which means they use the online tests simply to the percentage of candidates who meet it to be considered for progression, while the others are automatically rejected. Those that meet the threshold will then be more throughly reviewed and compared based on their written application. As Abbie suggested, you can sometimes glance whether a firm has this type of assessment method by looking in their FAQs section.

 

[sooae]

Does anyone know if the cappfinity test of Gibson dunn is automatic post app? Has anyone taken it and can provide any insights? Thank you!

 

[dannyp123]

Hey guys, random question: why do you think being innovative or entrepreneurial is important for trainees at law firms? I get why it matters for senior lawyers, since they’re more directly involved in creating client solutions and driving business development. But I’m struggling to see the link at trainee level -- how does it actually connect to a firm’s business model?

 

[TCSeeker999]

hey, i've just submitted an app for dentons spring VS.

is their legal high potential test automatic, or do you have to pass some sort of initial screening to be given it to sit?

if so, is this screening lengthy? or, is it just a grade/A-Level benchmark sort of thing?

 

[Donuttime]

Hey guys, random question: why do you think being innovative or entrepreneurial is important for trainees at law firms? I get why it matters for senior lawyers, since they’re more directly involved in creating client solutions and driving business development. But I’m struggling to see the link at trainee level -- how does it actually connect to a firm’s business model?

Law firms aren’t just hiring trainees to be trainees forever. They are hoping these trainees will eventually become associates etc. a trainee with an entrepreneurial mindset are more proactive, May challenge inefficiencies everyone is used to doing at the firm or find quicker and better ways of doing certain things

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hey guys, random question: why do you think being innovative or entrepreneurial is important for trainees at law firms? I get why it matters for senior lawyers, since they’re more directly involved in creating client solutions and driving business development. But I’m struggling to see the link at trainee level -- how does it actually connect to a firm’s business model?

Hi @dannyp123 that is a great question! I agree with you that being entrepreneurial is a quality that increases in importance as a lawyer progresses in seniority. As a partner, clients will rely on you to be at times a general strategic advisor and to understand their business like the back of their hands. As a trainee, you will instead be tasked with more standardised tasks which generally do not require a very significant degree of innovative commercial thinking.

That said, an entrepreneurial mindset is still a desirable trait in a trainee. Firstly, as @Donuttime mentioned, being entrepreneurial means having a more innovative and critical attitude in the way you approach your work, which can be valuable even for the standardised tasks trainees normally work on. Standard procedures and ways of working often need to be adapted to the particularities of a client's situation and their specific requests - particularly when clients have very tight deadlines and always expect legal work to be perfect and delivered yesterday. Even at the UK firms which operate a more organised and classroom-style training programme, you will not have exact step by step instructions as to how top perform every task in every situation. In this context, being entrepreneurial would mean you are capable of figuring out a commercially-efficient solution without being hand-held by your supervisor.

Secondly, it could be argued that a degree of entrepreneurial thinking is involved in the performance of the standardised tasks themselves. For instance, in an M&A context, as a trainee/junior associate you will at times have the opportunity to draft ancillary documents and clauses. Of course, you will seek to use language which makes the terms as favourable to your client as possible, while the lawyers on the other side will be seeking the same thing. As you go back and forth and redline each other's proposals, you should try to be creative and find solutions/make compromises in a way that is most advantageous to the client. This is an exercise in innovative thinking and problem solving in a business context, which is what an entrepreneurial attitude is all about.

 

[a1024]

@ZNadeem @Abbie Whitlock @vera.mekhonoshina @Andrei Radu
Hi, How would you recommend structuring this answer for the Sidley Austin Summer VS application? Is this purely about explaining the skills important for a successful lawyer and how they are important using examples or do we also need to compare it to our experiences?

In your view, which personal qualities make a successful lawyer? (250 words max)

 

[norothrow324]

has anyone still not received the test for Taylor Wessing meant to be sent on Friday