TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[sooae]

Hi! For those who’ve completed the Milbank WG, did you receive any confirmation email after submitting it? Like similar to the first test?

 

[Unknowncabbage]

For anyone who has attended an OD at Latham this cycle, I am just curious to know, how many people were on it?

 

[e_turbo2]

Simmons OD 😀

Truly happy for you buddy!

 

[e_turbo2]

Latham 2nd test invite after completing the 1st test yesterday. Is this automatic?

Is this for VS or OD?

 

[p2bv]

DLA piper interview invite

 

[applicant457]

Jones Day AC! would appreciate any insights, pls dm!

 

[ellewoods26]

Anyone have insights on Stage 2 freshfields? Would really appreciate it. I can help with Dechert WE, Weil VI, also been to Kirkland & Ellis, HSF, Hogan Lovells Open days.

 

[Lawlawland]

Guys... Any tips on how to manage anticipation anxiety?

I've never made so many applications and awaited for so many results, worrying about their outcomes. Life in academia was so smooth and I always got into wherever I wanted to.

Dealing with rejections for the first time, in bulk is mildly shivering but I'm getting past it well. It's the anticipation and uncertainty of not knowing anything I'm struggling with. I'm on my email page once in 20 mns refreshing... And it just spikes up my heartbeat and makes me feel nauseating.

If any of you have been there, I would like to know what helps you!

Thanks in Advance.

 

[l789]

Does anyone know how strict Sidley Austin are with alevel grades , I’m a bit below ABB. Sidley require AAA.

However I have high firsts in all my modules from a RG law.

 

[applicant3000]

Cleary PFO. Lol, 6 PFOs already this cycle- Covington WVS, Willkie, Latham Open day, Ashurst WVS, A&OS WVS, Cleary

I'm so sorry to hear this
Was Cleary before or after the WG do you mind me asking?

 

[msclm]

Does anyone know how strict Sidley Austin are with alevel grades , I’m a bit below ABB. Sidley require AAA.

However I have high firsts in all my modules from a RG law.

I know people who got through to HR/partner interview with ABB

 

[l789]

I know people who got through to HR/partner interview with ABB

Thanks for this!

Do you think Sidley winter vac scheme is more competitive to get on to, or the summer and spring scheme

 

[yk1906]

Any news on the Sidley Austin spring/summer scheme? Any interviews?

 

[aspringlawyer25]

I'm so sorry to hear this
Was Cleary before or after the WG do you mind me asking?

Never got the WG

 

[msclm]

Thanks for this!

Do you think Sidley winter vac scheme is more competitive to get on to, or the summer and spring scheme

I have no idea (I got the winter vac scheme for Sidley this year) but from what I gather winter vac schemes in general typically attract applicants who have move experience (final years)/post grads/career changers. Sidley’s wvs is also only 1 week and has a smaller intake because its use to feed their tc for the coming year.

 

[p2bv]

Congratulations! If you don’t mind me asking, when did they email saying you’d passed the test? Best of luck 🙌🏼

13th October ! Thanks!

 

[Bbhu19]

Guys... Any tips on how to manage anticipation anxiety?

I've never made so many applications and awaited for so many results, worrying about their outcomes. Life in academia was so smooth and I always got into wherever I wanted to.

Dealing with rejections for the first time, in bulk is mildly shivering but I'm getting past it well. It's the anticipation and uncertainty of not knowing anything I'm struggling with. I'm on my email page once in 20 mns refreshing... And it just spikes up my heartbeat and makes me feel nauseating.

If any of you have been there, I would like to know what helps you!

Thanks in Advance.

Pick up a hobby or two to distract yourself, take a walk, listen to music, just do something unrelated

 

[l789]

I'm quite confident in my abilities, as I've also got a lot of experience under my belt and office experience too.

Idk if I would be at an advantage applying for the summer/spring scheme then, as a way to stand out more amongst general undergrads, with not so much experience. Not in a conceited way, but to just help increase my chances amongst what will be a very talented cohort of students/graduates and career changers.

 

[Sharkfin]

Guys... Any tips on how to manage anticipation anxiety?

I've never made so many applications and awaited for so many results, worrying about their outcomes. Life in academia was so smooth and I always got into wherever I wanted to.

Dealing with rejections for the first time, in bulk is mildly shivering but I'm getting past it well. It's the anticipation and uncertainty of not knowing anything I'm struggling with. I'm on my email page once in 20 mns refreshing... And it just spikes up my heartbeat and makes me feel nauseating.

If any of you have been there, I would like to know what helps you!

Thanks in Advance.

Idk how useful (or coherent) any of this is but hope it helps 1. Anticpation + uncertainty is an unavoidable pain, it just is a part of the process. However, It shows you give a f*** about what you're doing, your applications and this whole process - it shows ur putting in effort, care and time into ur applications so massive W for this. 2. The only way out this situ is through it, legit you just gotta keep ur head down and stay pushing - imagine urself as a rhino (me off 3 white monster cans at 2am) and just visualise you making ur way outta this process. 3. From my experience, the best advice I got is assuming the moment you hit send on an application, assume a rej. Then whatever may come is either what you expected, or a pleasant surprise. and 4. Remember to do other stuff apart from apps, even though apps are really important and everyone wants a job at the end of the day, keep doing ur hobbies, keep going outside and getting fresh air. - TDLR: its horrible process, your feelings are more than valid, and the only way out of it is through it, keep your focus, keep your hobbies, and keep having faith in yourself 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

 

[Andrei Radu]

Hi @Andrei Radu,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience and for your encouraging words. It genuinely means a lot to hear from someone who has been through something similar. I also appreciate the guide you shared — I’ll definitely take a closer look and try to apply the advice.

I’ve spent a lot of time refining my interview skills over the past year, but given that I haven’t even been invited to a single AC this cycle, I’m starting to worry that all that effort might have been for nothing. Recruitment also feels completely different this year — I was finally starting to feel like I understood the process last cycle, and now suddenly it’s a whole new landscape with constant tests and VIs. Do you have any advice for handling those?

So far I’ve submitted 5 applications, with 3 more planned for this week, and 16 more lined up over the next couple of months. Would that be enough? I’m trying to balance a job to pay my bills alongside all of this, and nothing seems to be progressing. With rolling deadlines, I also feel like I’m racing against time — it’s starting to feel really overwhelming.

I completely understand your worries around the changing applications landscape - SJTs and VIs used to be the part of applications I dreaded the most as well. The only thing I think makes a major difference for VIs is, unsurprisingly, hours and hours of practice in front of the camera. It can be a uniquely boring and awkward exercise to go through, but in truth it is the only way you can ever get comfortable with the format. Section A and B of the competency interview guide I linked bellow go more in-depth in terms of the particulars of how you should prepare for VIs as well, so maybe also take a look there.

As for the number of applications, I think a total of 24 is a solid goal and will definitely improve your chances significantly compared to last year. If you figure out you can actually do more in the later stages of this cycle (particularly as you may find that your researching and application writing speed increases drastically with time), I would of course advise you to go for it; but for now I think this is a very reasonable target.