• Hey Guest, Have an interview coming up? We’ve opened new mock interview slots this week. Book here
  • TCLA Premium: Now half price (£30/month). Applications, interviews, commercial awareness + 700+ examples.
    Join →

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

Hey guys I know this is quite late but I'm confused - I'm trying to figure out if the Autumn budget truly led to high tax rises? income tax didn't increase. there is fiscal drag but this affects individuals and high earners. from my understanding businesses are not affected significantly from the budget, with the only changes being to min wage, capital allowance relief and more compliance requirements. Would the dividends tax increase be problematic? I'm not sure what to make of this from a business POV. Would love some help!
You've definitely identified all the main points! One additional thing worth noting (although this might be what you mean by compliance requirements) is in the budget the rules which decide when a global company has to pay tax in the UK has changed.

The 'permanent establishment' rules which decide when a foreign company is regarded as doing business in the UK have changed, so that if a company based abroad has someone who habitually concludes contracts or plays a principal role in leading contract negotiations, HMRC can regard the company as really operating in the UK and so tax some of the company's profits.

Similarly, historically multinational groups have been able to shift their profits out of the UK, which the UK tried to combat in 2015 by introducing a piece of legislation called the Diverted Profits Tax , although this was widely regarded as too complex and procedurally messy. The budget has reformed the Diverted Profits Tax, so that HMRC can now re-characterise and tax those profits directly under normal corporation tax rules. This reduces compliance costs and administrative burdens for both businesses and HMRC.

Rather than focusing on the specifics of these policies though, I'd instead think about what broader shift they represent. Essentially they reduce practical loopholes which some companies were relying on to reduce their UK tax liability and suggest an area of focus for the government is ensuring companies can't rely on technicalities to pay less tax.

This creates an opportunity for law firms to shift the focus of their tax advice to clients: rather than advising clients on what technical loopholes might be available, tax teams might instead benefit from focusing on helping clients structure their business model (particularly where decision-making and key negotiators are based) to avoid falling within the scope of the permanent establishment rules.
 
I asked for my score back in early October and got 33/40 and placed in the 88th percentile but I recently heard that your percentile placement changes the more people do it so I'm not sure where I sit now.

I am also on hold. I don't think we will hear this end of Christmas. I applied for the Spring VS.

I asked for my report yesterday and I got 34/40 and 80th percentile 😭😭 I’m also on hold

i got 36/40 and 80 percentile so yes i assume it must have changed. i did get like 99 and 97 on assumptions and conclusions.
 
  • 🏆
Reactions: BealMcAlly
Are people like heavily practising for the WG? I've just been winging it after reading about how it works, there's no where near enough time to practice it extensively, apply and be prepared for my degree work!
Hi Madison,

Personally, I found the WG without preparation ok, but I was not close to the successful percentile score.

I didn't practice consistently for it, I initially looked at tips online and on YouTube and looked at some practice questions. I have always found that the practice questions online that mimic a WG can be really helpful, but others are not consistent with the actual WG.

I found it best to consolidate the approach at the start of the application cycle and then remind myself of the best tips and tricks quickly before each test so it was fresh in my mind.

Hope this helps!
 
Willkie rejection :( honestly not really sure where I'm going wrong with my applications at this point as I feel I've definitely gotten better at researching and writing them than before and I think they're also more tailored and specific compared to before. Sure I understand there's an element of luck involved but it's rough going without tangible results. My uni's careers service here also tells me that I write well and my answers are good so I'm not really sure what more I could change at this point
 
Hi guys please can I have some honest ideas of what you think is going wrong here because I’m getting constant rejections. I’m on my second application cycle, this time taking a far more tailored approach and only applying to firms I’ve interacted with and been to open days at. All of my applications are proofread by people that have secured TCs and I’ve read lots of successful cover letters so I know I’m along the right lines. I have top grades, study at Cambridge, hold society positions, have work experience law and non-law - please help 😓 I think I’m being filtered out by these assessments but I’ve been practising them loads :(
Hey! First of all, I just want to say that you really shouldn’t be disheartened by the rejections. I know it’s hard, and I don’t want to sound cliché by saying the LinkedIn favourite, “rejection is redirection,” but honestly, sometimes a rejection simply means going back to your application and reflecting on it with any feedback you’re able to get (when firms do provide it).

It also sounds like you’re already doing a lot of the right things. Having people around you who have secured TCs and are willing to proofread and advise you is genuinely half the battle, so that’s a real positive. I’m also a non-law student, and when I was applying, I remember feeling particularly anxious about the assessments. Looking back, I think I sometimes made them more intimidating than they needed to be because of that non-law background.

In terms of practical steps, continuing to practise mock assessments where you can is definitely helpful, as is spending time with each firm’s recruitment materials and website so you feel properly prepared going in. Consistently asking for feedback is also really important, you can only improve with feedback. When you receive a rejection, it’s always worth emailing to ask if they can share anything specific you could work on.

Most importantly, try not to get too in your own head about the assessments. You clearly have a strong profile, and you’ve already achieved a lot. You’ve got this! Keep reminding yourself of that.
 
Guys which firms don’t have an online test/VI? getting desperate now😭🥲
I think there are a handful of firms that are solely application and interviews (no test stages):

Covington & Burling
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Debevoise & Plimpton
Dechert
Goodwin
Jones Day
Kirkland & Ellis
Morrison Foerster
Paul Hastings
Sidley Austin
Skadden
Slaughter and May
Travers Smith
Vinson & Elkins
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

There might be others but these are the ones in mind that I believe don’t use tests.

Think most of these firms place emphasis on academics though (AAA/AAB and strong 2:1).​
I made this post a while ago about firms without any online tests so hopefully this will help :)
 

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Get Our 2026 Vacation Scheme Guide

Nail your vacation scheme applications this year with our latest guide, with sample answers to law firm questions.