TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[BealMcAlly]

Not 100% on this, but i think each stage is selective - so SJT is selective post written, and VI is selective post SJT

Excellent, thank you for clarifying! Appreciate you 🙏

 

[WillKitchen]

Ram is not on this forum anymore, he's off to greener pastures doing his TC now.

I met Ram at an open day a few weeks ago. We had a great chat about how to approach changing careers after doing a PhD. He's a great inspiration, and by all accounts doing a fantastic job at Cooley!

 

[confusedbird]

Sidley tc offer 😭😭😭😭😭

This is huge! Massive congratulations and i hope you celebrate well!!

 

[EfficientBag123]

Not 100% on this, but i think each stage is selective - so SJT is selective post written, and VI is selective post SJT

My friend went to the open day, the grad rec confirmed that it is selective at every stage. Or they review everything at each stage. I feel as though that makes more sense as they collect more data points to make their decisions.

 

[Trophy]

That's an astute observation! There are multiple reasons why new TCLA accounts might appear to be providing generic AI responses. But this doesn't necessarily mean these accounts aren't genuine. The amount of time you've spent on this forum definitely could have made you more cynical towards others' submissions – this is a totally normal response!

I’m sure they’re genuine just wondered what was going on as I was reading essays all of a sudden😭

Dw I just checked your account I think you’re real and not an AI bot 🤣

 

[_hashirm1]

I completed stage 2 on the 22nd of November, hopefully you hear back soon.

Hopefully. How did you find their AC and what does it include? I've heard it's a written task, an analytical/commercial interview and a motivational/competency interview?

 

[rr1809]

Anyone else here able to get top-notch work experiences outside all these vac schemes? I managed to basically get in everywhere else like in house in bigtech/fintechs etc but I haven't been able to get a single vac scheme... wondering if that's something that's maybe off putting to law firms?

This shouldn't be offputting at all, and can actually be well leveraged for your applications. Since you've got in house experience you technically make a perfect trainee- in house roles expose you to the client side of work that you'll be doing when you're a trainee. So, you can leverage this and say that these experiences have given you deep industry knowledge and have prepared you to be a better rounded future trainee.

After securing my TC in the gap year before my SQE starts, I was looking for an in house roles specifically because of this reason- direct client exposure and a wide breadth of training (as you kind of have to have all the answers).

 

[Hakbar_04]

Thank you! It was my first AC so taking it as a learning experience.

Honestly, this is the best attitude to have and, in my experience (having done HSFK, Linklaters, and Freshfields), the first AC is always the most daunting and therefore the hardest.
I'd recommend following up to see if they'd be willing to offer any feedback regarding your performance on the individual elements of the AC, as this can be helpful when approaching other ACs.

 

[BealMcAlly]

I met Ram at an open day a few weeks ago. We had a great chat about how to approach changing careers after doing a PhD. He's a great inspiration, and by all accounts doing a fantastic job at Cooley!

I know! I heard he was lurking at LCN live, gutted I missed him. By any chance, were you in the RPC workshop?

 

[manifestingthetc]

Does anyone have insights into Weil VI element? pls n thank u

 

[Hakbar_04]

hey everyone, is hogan lovells first assessment with a VI? I'm not sure if it the first or second stage, they named it the 'Online Immersive Assessment'

Hey - the first assessment is not a VI, it's an assessment with Watson Glaser style and CAPP style questions, with a Hogan Lovells skin on top. To prepare, I'd recommend doing some Watson Glaser preparation via practice tests you can find online.
The second stage after the initial assessment is essentially a VI with four questions.

 

[rr1809]

I don't want to sound like a doomer, but I've recently come to the realisation that the content of our application answers doesn't matter. These answers often just act as a filter for the other parts of your candidate profile.

Obviously I can't share these but, I have an old friend's successful applications from his second year of university. Trust me when I tell you that he essentially copy/pasted the exact same application for every firm he applied to – even down to using the same adjective for each of these firm's cultures. They were absolutely indistinguishable. However, this guy was on track to getting a first, he held multiple executive (society) positions, and he had also secured a large number of first-year schemes. If anybody else had written those applications, they would have been binned. But, his candidate profile was genuinely so impressive that (in my opinion) firms were willing to look past the lack of substance in his application answers.

This is not true!! Don't let the doom and gloom get to you.

Firms take holistic approaches to applications, sure there may be some firms who put a stronger emphasis on grades but many firms do not. I secured a TC at a top US firm without ever even getting a first in any module and only one vac scheme before . One example doesn't exemplify the whole industry, I know the application cycle can feel rough but quality applications are worth it- at the firm I got my TC I spent ages researching them and was truly interested by the work they were doing, and it shone through and made a difference.

Quality applications and a genuine interest in the firm do actually make a difference, despite how hard that might be to believe because of how alienating the process feels.

 

[blipken]

Thank you @missfuturetraineemaybe, @elle woods and @rr1809 for your responses! Very helpful and lots to think about. Wishing you all the best with your applications!

 

[rr1809]

Does anybody have any tips on how to write about a different firm's vacation scheme that you have completed in the work experience section of job apps?

I usually keep it brief, focus on the main tasks I was given and describe what I did. If there were any achievements on the scheme I also try and include them. Make sure to mention the team you sat in as well!

 

[Hakbar_04]

Slowly freaking out over eversheds...

It's okay! Whatever the outcome, it'll be a good learning experience nonetheless. If you don't get it this time, there are always other opportunities (and other firms!) where you might have an equally good - perhaps better - time.

 

[rr1809]

People applying to Kirkland, could you please tell me if you're answering the open question at the end? "Is there anything else you would like to add in support of your application?"

I've just noticed this and not sure whether they are expecting an answer

Your application should cover enough about yourself that you can leave this blank. The only time I ever filled one in was for a firm that required a really brief written application, so I mentioned that I balanced my Uni studies alongside part time work and working on a uni committee.

 

[Hakbar_04]

weird question but does anyone know if grad rec watches the part of amberjack recording when you’re just doing the sjt and other non-vi questions? i just realised i looked like an actual homeless person while doing those questions with all my weird expressions coming out…also today was not a good hair day if my frizzy hair girlies can relate!!!

I don't believe Graduate Recruitment spend their time watching back entire recordings of candidates completing the SJT (there's simply too many candidates and not enough time to do so!) and it's more likely that the recording is passed through a piece of software to look for any indicators of cheating (e.g. whether or not you've got a phone out and started to take pictures of the questions to send to your friends). So don't worry about the hair!

 

[Hakbar_04]

I only have 4 firms left to do but I kinda saved the ones with the scary questions till last ((

Don't worry! The advantage of your approach is you've got all the experience from having applied to the other firms, so you're now wiser and more able to apply your skills to the tougher questions. You've got this!

 

[BobThebIlly]

Would anyone be kind enough to review my app answer for "Why Commercial law? via PM

Ive realised I have been using basically the same response for firms that ask this question, and I have been getting rejected at application stage, so I am starting to think the issue might be how I am answering it rather than my interest in commercial law itself.

I know it is a bit cheeky to ask, but I would really appreciate any feedback, especially from people who have progressed at firms that ask this question, on what firms are actually looking for here and what made your answer work

 

[Hakbar_04]

Also, does anybody know how firms that use vantage title emails with updates? Is it obvious from the subject what the result is? Im thinking HL and HSFK particularly!

I believe it's something along the lines of 'Application Update: ...' which can be quite annoying because the subject doesn't reveal anything about the outcome (sometimes it will - e.g. 'Application Update: Invitation to Interview', but if you're on mobile and you receive a notification the subject title is too long for you to see the later part of the title, so it isn't very helpful!)