TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[jagath]

why are there a bunch of new people writing essays on the forum now??

 

[johnsmith]

Yep although someone said it’s because tcla are hiring maybe this is some sort of test?
I do agree many have been lengthy asf and also very generic and broad not much personality or experience so gets tiring to read. I do wonder if the task was to write the longest response

Searching Aarav brings up an AI tech company so assume it must be bot profiles.

 

[Trophy]

Searching Aarav brings up an AI tech company so assume it must be bot profiles.

I searched Aarav and “ it’s a popular Indian name Sanskrit origin, meaning "sound," "peaceful," or "calm noise," often associated with wisdom and music, and is also considered a name for Hindu deities like Lord Shiva” maybe we have two different internets aha

 

[AMullin]

Attended Paul, Weiss’s webinar on PE deals today. As much as I found it useful, I’m honestly feeling quite discouraged from applying. Their associate said that we should speak with many people from every firm we’re applying to and how spending a week on an application isn’t enough time (as apparently, the associate speaker spent a whole year on their K&E vac scheme app answers and seemed to be super focused on landing a US TC at a top M&A/PE firm). He basically portrayed the whole process as a multiple year strategy, implying that getting into a firm of this calibre starts in your first year (or at least undergrad), and that working just a week on an application is nothing.

I just don’t see the point of applying if some candidates are this connected to top firms from their first year onwards. I can imagine that a lot of them will have done first year schemes or vac schemes at other firms, while all my experiences are in completely different sectors. On top of that, I did my law degree outside the UK and only decided to go corporate after I graduated, so this whole application world is new to me compared to LLB students in the UK that did first year schemes or were ambassadors etc.

His whole speech, while coming from a place of trying to help, made me think that unless I can back my motivation with very strong PE-related experience or open day at the firm, I might as well not apply. I can very well explain what I know about PE, why I want to work at a transactional firm, etc but honestly can’t compete with the likes of candidates the associate seemed like, given how selective PW and similar firms are.

Basically, my whole profile is very different to the usual successful candidate at firms like PW, K&E etc. so I’m trying to figure out if applying is even worth it. Regarding today’s discussions, I personally think that tailoring application answers makes a huge difference but perhaps trying with firms that are actually paying attention to them and trying to hire diverse people is a better idea.

Any insights?

No insights to offer, but my career so far has been based around accept nothing, believe no one, challenge everything. So my two cents on this:

This is one person’s experience of their application route to this firm. That alone should be enough to apply on your own merits — your application could be just as strong even if it differs drastically.

While I’m yet to experience the end result of a TC, I also doubt that the individual fully knows exactly what it was that gained them a TC/VS in the first place. Yes, they may have put in countless hours, from the time they hit puberty, into the pursuit of a legal career, but it may well be the case that Graduate Recruitment thought: “Yep — checks academic requirements, answered application questions to a good standard, tested well, interviewed well and had no major dramas on the VS." The preparation for that does not require years of singular focus towards a specific firm (in my opinion).

The idea that spending a week writing an application is insufficient is ridiculous. Unless they are referring to the entire process of achieving the grades or work experience, this is both unrealistic and inefficient. Most firms have 2–4 application questions, probably with an average word count of about 300 words. It may well take multiple years to build the experiences behind those answers, but it certainly doesn’t take that long to craft responses good enough to get through the application sift — a week is more than enough time.

Sorry for the long post — I’m tired and rambling — but just wanted to say: don’t let this person discourage you from anything. You are more than good enough

 

[johnsmith]

I searched Aarav and “ it’s a popular Indian name Sanskrit origin, meaning "sound," "peaceful," or "calm noise," often associated with wisdom and music, and is also considered a name for Hindu deities like Lord Shiva” maybe we have two different internets aha

Oh did put in AI after the name apologies if they are a real person

 

[MusaMoses]

bro i swear kirkland are sending out invites on a reverse rolling order

sent my app in in october hoping to hear back earlier but it seems people who are receiving invites now submitted this week

Same position mate!

 

[DavidJC]

I do think this thread was just a testing ground for potential TCLA mods as some have pointed out. I confess that halfway through this afternoon that whilst I didn't think they were bots, I did start thinking "why are there so many people typing in a very similar tone to how Andrei normally types when explaining something"

Also ended up spending the day not really looking at any more apps, kinda just needed the break after this morning's disappointment lol, just gonna revisit my approach again and consider that Skadden was essentially one of my first few applications this cycle, so probably wasn't the absolute best I could've done

 

[TheSlapDotCom]

why are there a bunch of new people writing essays on the forum now??

litchmatter of fact where’s everyone from ahh

 

[aria_d]

Hi! I just did the Ashurst online test, do we get a confirmation as soon as we do it or will we be directly sent the report a few days later? Asking because I haven't recieved a confirmation :')

 

[Lord Sumption]

one scheme last year took 2/23

This is true actually. I know one person who did the scheme, and they said FF are very ruthless at the interview stage. It’s definitely easier to get onto the vac scheme than it is to convert it into a TC, and the conversion rates can be very low depending on the year.

One thing I’ve also heard (slightly more “inside baseball”) is that the firm deliberately keeps VS numbers high because they use the scheme as a very broad benchmarking exercise rather than a straight pipeline. They compare vac schemers not just against each other, but against future cohorts and even existing trainees, so being “good” on the scheme often isn’t enough - you have to clearly outperform an extremely high internal bar. That means plenty of strong candidates still don’t get TCs, not necessarily because they’re weak, but because the firm is very selective about long-term fit and timing.

 

[lawstudent2]

Hi! I just did the Ashurst online test, do we get a confirmation as soon as we do it or will we be directly sent the report a few days later? Asking because I haven't recieved a confirmation :')

It stated this in the test invitation email 'PLEASE NOTE YOU WILL RECEIVE THE REPORT WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF COMPLETING THE ASSESSMENT. THIS WILL NOT BE SENT IMMEDIATELY.'

Note the caps wasn't me haha, it was like that in the email

 

[aria_d]

It stated this in the test invitation email 'PLEASE NOTE YOU WILL RECEIVE THE REPORT WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF COMPLETING THE ASSESSMENT. THIS WILL NOT BE SENT IMMEDIATELY.'

Note the caps wasn't me haha, it was like that in the email

Oh haha, no I did see that, but I thought they'd send a confirmation like 'thank you for completing the test' like FF and other firms do but fair enough, thank you

 

[abc124]

For Linklaters, is it just me or we can’t access the submitted application form?

 

[jamsparkle]

1) what motivates you to pursue a career as a commercial solicitor, and why do you see Akin as the right place to begin that journey? (250 words)

2) Akin’s London office works across a range of practice areas. Which area(s) interest you most, and why? (250 words)

3) What are you looking for in your legal career, and how do you see a firm like Akin helping you achieve these goals? (250 words)

4) Please identify a commercial issue currently in the news and explain how it is likely to impact the clients that Akin represents and the type of work the firm undertakes. (250 words)

5) Tell us about an achievement you are most proud of and why. What skills did you develop? (250 words)

6) Please give details of any prizes, scholarships, positions of responsibility and any other noteworthy achievements that will support your application. (250 words)​

1500 words??? who has time for that???? why r they asking me for a tutorial essay???

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

1500 words??? who has time for that???? why r they asking me for a tutorial essay???

Wait till you see BCLPs app my friend. Their app asks for 4 x 500 words (2,000 total). Debevoise also ask for 1,500 (6 x 250 words). ​

 

[Lord Sumption]

Wait till you see BCLPs app my friend. Their app asks for 4 x 500 words (2,000 total). Debevoise also ask for 1,500 (6 x 250 words). ​

 

[DavidJC]

Not me deciding that I don't feel sufficiently excited about Akin's work to write 6 answers

 

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

Not me deciding that I don't feel sufficiently excited about Akin's work to write 6 answers

If I wasn’t such a fiend for restructuring I’d have never even bothered lmao. I like the international trade and competition stuff Akin does too, that’s probs it though tbh. Oh well. ​

 

[Amgrad]

Not me deciding that I don't feel sufficiently excited about Akin's work to write 6 answers

Didn't apply as I am ineligible, but I did apply for McDermott and see the same word count for 6 number of questions too.

 

[Amgrad]

I do think this thread was just a testing ground for potential TCLA mods as some have pointed out. I confess that halfway through this afternoon that whilst I didn't think they were bots, I did start thinking "why are there so many people typing in a very similar tone to how Andrei normally types when explaining something"

Also ended up spending the day not really looking at any more apps, kinda just needed the break after this morning's disappointment lol, just gonna revisit my approach again and consider that Skadden was essentially one of my first few applications this cycle, so probably wasn't the absolute best I could've done

IMO I don't like bot if they only share something that copy paste LLM and lack of EI which can't imitate trait human has. I do prefer bot that can detect people being mean, jerked, spammed, fraud, discriminate, racist, etc then flag or warn them immediately before eventually kicked out. That's needed in this forum. What do you guys think?