TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Abbie Whitlock]

@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)

Hi @a1024 !!

From my understanding, Sidley Austin's question is about showing that you understanding what makes a successful lawyer, and demonstrating that you reflect those qualities in yourself. So, it is not purely theoretical - it's strongest when you link the qualities to your own experiences, even briefly.

A structure I might use could be:

1. Introduction - identify a few key qualities that you think are essential for a trainee / lawyer. These could be commercial awareness, attention to detail, resilience, teamwork, proactivity etc.
2. Explain why they matter - it's important to show that you understand how and why these qualities are important for a lawyer. For example, resilience is essential for managing high-pressure deadlines, or attention to detail matters because small errors can have big consequences in legal documents. This shows that you understand the skills in context, not just in theory.
3. Brief personal example - illustrate how you have demonstrated one or two of these qualities in your own experience (e.g. through work experience or a university project). This does not need to be a long story, just a clear and concise example that makes it credible.
4. Closing sentence - wrap up by linking the qualities together and showing that these traits are what make a lawyer effective and successful in practice.

So yes, it's definitely a combination: explain the skills / qualities and why they matter, and connect them with your own experience.

I hope that assists

 

[Sachin Chandra]

Hi all - I am filling out Linklater's winter vac scheme app - and they do not seem to allow me to list postgraduate studies? Is this how they operate or this is an oversight on my behalf?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SamiyaJ]

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

I didn’t receive it so I emailed them today (on [email protected]) and they sent me the link. The deadline is still the same (2 weeks from last Friday) which is a bit unfair

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

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!

That's a really good question!! Just to add to the fantastic answers above, I would say that being innovative and entrepreneurial at trainee level is also about proactivity and taking initiative, rather than running your own client portfolio. Trainees who spot ways to improve process or suggest practical solutions are actively contributing to the team's efficiency and success.

Even small ideas, such as streamlining process or offering fresh perspectives, can save time and improve outcomes. During my time as a paralegal, some of my main feedback was to be more proactive - thinking ahead about how I could support those supervising me, spotting potential issues early, or coming up with new ways to handle tasks more efficiently. This is especially true where some firms (including the one I was at) haven't updated processes in a while (particularly following COVID), so bringing in fresh ideas or suggesting improvements is something that is really valued!

Therefore, I'd say that whilst trainees aren't expected to drive business or lead projects, showing some initiative and suggesting creative improvements is how these entrepreneurial and innovative traits are shown

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi all - I am filling out Linklater's winter vac scheme app - and they do not seem to allow me to list postgraduate studies? Is this how they operate or this is an oversight on my behalf?

Thanks in advance!

Hello!

I've just had a look at the application form as well, and I can't see anywhere that you might include postgraduate studies. It might be worth emailing graduate recruitment to confirm, just to make sure you include it in the right section

 

[Amma Usman]

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?

Great question!

I believe it matters because innovation and entrepreneurial thinking go right to the heart of a law firm’s business model. Even though trainees aren’t bringing in clients yet, firms succeed by delivering high-value advice as efficiently as possible. Clients are pushing for faster, more effective service, so when a trainee spots a smarter way to structure a document, uses tech to streamline research, or suggests a process improvement, it directly supports profitability and client satisfaction.

Trainees also tend to be closest to the day-to-day work and new tools, which puts them in a good position to identify practical changes. And from the firm’s perspective, trainees are future associates and partners—the people who will eventually build and grow client relationships. Showing that you can think commercially and look for opportunities to add value, even in small ways, signals that you’re already thinking like a future business builder.

 

[ZNadeem]

@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)

Hi! I’d recommend keeping it really focused and structured since you’ve only got 250 words. The best way is to choose 2–3 personal qualities that you genuinely believe are key to being a successful lawyer (e.g. attention to detail, resilience, teamwork, commercial awareness). For each quality, you should do two things:

1. Explain why it matters in the context of law—e.g. why resilience is important when handling long matters, or why teamwork is crucial when working with different departments or international offices. This shows you understand what the profession demands.
2. Link it to your own experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). That could be from academic work, extracurriculars, employment, or pro bono. The key is to be specific: instead of saying “I am resilient,” give a short example where you proved it, and then tie it back to why that matters for lawyers.

This way, you’re not just describing qualities in the abstract, but actively demonstrating how you’ve already developed them and why they’ll make you effective at Sidley.

 

[iklawapps]

Hey everyone, just wondering if for NRF, do you have to submit the app and complete the test by the deadline or like just the app and you can complete the test after? I was assuming the latter, but idk : )) thank you!!

 

[AS24]

Does anyone know if Cooley vs apps are open? I am not able to access their apps.

 

[iklawapps]

Also if anyone has tips for NRF's Arctic Shores, I'd really appreciate it :') I have horrid luck with online assessments, and tbh don't know what to even expect with this? Thank you again!!

 

[futuretraineeihope]

im doing an application which asks for a cover letter. Does anyone have any tips regarding: what to include/ a rough framework and a word count? thanks

 

[FutureTraineeMaybe]

Does anyone know if Cooley vs apps are open? I am not able to access their apps.

They mention they open on 19 September but I can't access their apps either

 

[Lawlife5]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock do you have any advice on talking about paralegal experience in the work experience section as I have only been there a few months and not sure how best to talk about it? thank you

 

[Maddy]

Paul, Weiss, like other US firms, has a small trainee intake. Can anyone tell me how the firm’s small intake is different from that of other US firms with small trainee intakes?

 

[xMontmorency]

Paul, Weiss, like other US firms, has a small trainee intake. Can anyone tell me how the firm’s small intake is different from that of other US firms with small trainee intakes?

They hire c10 trainees. In terms of numbers this is not unique at all.

The only difference is that they've never had trainees before (cf those with more established training contracts). That can be good or bad depending on how you spin it.

Positives
- Higher ceiling (i.e. lack of a fixed expectation of what a trainee should be doing or can do)
- Might be treated like a junior associate (more freedom)
- You probably get to decide yourself how the trainee system should work
- It's new?

Negatives
- Less structure
- Less support
- More likely to be in the spotlight
- Might be treated like a glorified paralegal
- Might be treated like a junior associate (higher expectations)

 

[xMontmorency]

im doing an application which asks for a cover letter. Does anyone have any tips regarding: what to include/ a rough framework and a word count? thanks

Most job applications expect circa one page (like S&M), but for TCs/VSs you can get away with 2 pages. I would say keep it less than 1000 words (that's plenty; though NB I think W&C used to allow for 1500).

Structure:
- 'Dear X'
- Introductory sentence ('I am X; I am applying for Y')
- Why commercial law
- Why this firm
- Why me (anything extra you want to highlight about yourself: work experience, extra-curriculars)
- 'Thank you for considering my application ...'
- 'Sincerely, X'

 

[londonlawyer]

For this question, "Detail your extra curricular activities and interests and positions of responsibility. Please state what you feel you have gained from them and how others have benefited from your involvement", should we focus on the skills we developed to answer the "what have you gained" part, or could I say that I developed a passion for mentoring others from my experience as a tutor?

 

[BobThebIlly]

For anyone who has completed Linklaters test, how did you prepare? I suck at SJT style questions so would be very appreciative of any guidance/links to resources!

 

[Andrei Radu]

For this question, "Detail your extra curricular activities and interests and positions of responsibility. Please state what you feel you have gained from them and how others have benefited from your involvement", should we focus on the skills we developed to answer the "what have you gained" part, or could I say that I developed a passion for mentoring others from my experience as a tutor?

I think you can include both and ideally should include both.

In general, when wring an answer for an extracurriculars application form question, you always want to link the experience to a skill that is relevant to the role of a trainee solicitor. Nonetheless, given the particular language chosen by the firm when formulating their question ("how others have benefited from your involvement"), I would interpret this as a clear suggestion that you can discuss the relevance of an experience in a wider and potentially more communitarian context - i.e. you can explain how you developed skills/interests/qualities that were good for you and other people more generally, rather than only focusing on skills you developed that benefited you in the narrow sense of being good for your career. Presumably, the firm chose this drafting because they consider this broader personal development to make for a better candidate to recruit.

However, as I said in the beginning, I would try to discuss both (i) this wider personal development and (ii) the development of more specialised skills relevant for a trainee. This is again as a result of closely following the logic of the language: "what you feel you have gained from them" seems to me to suggest this second and more you-focused perspective, and using "and" instead of "or" suggests that the firm would prefer it if you could write about both rather than only focusing on one.

 

[tcla02]

is the Linklaters open day the Immersive Workshop they have at various unis? idk where to find the link to their open day application