TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[T. Rainee]

chat did anyone else find Freshfields Stage 2 absolutely brutal or just me lol

 

[Amgrad]

Hi guys, I was unfortunately rejected from Willkie at the first stage

I thought I wrote a pretty solid app, could anyone critique it and see what might have been the issue? Thank you.

Q1 - Please explain why you would like a career in commercial law.

Max 250 words


I am motivated by intellectually demanding environments where issues are complex and stakes are high. As a national-level debater, I thrived on analysing dense material under time pressure, anticipating counterarguments, and adapting strategy in real time. Alongside this, founding a small (redacted) business sparked a strong interest in commerce and how relationships shape business outcomes. Commercial law therefore appeals to me because it combines these interests, requiring lawyers to strategically analyse legal risks in achieving their clients’ commercial objectives.

My commitment to this career path has been consistent and long-standing. Before university, I interned in the corporate practice of (law firm), a leading (non-UK) full-service law firm. Despite having to relocate to another state, I seized this opportunity to gain practical experience and developed rapport with a partner by producing high-quality due diligence reports, ultimately securing a letter of recommendation. At university, a first-year scheme with (large US firm)–particularly a panel on cross-border project finance–highlighted how commercial judgement and contractual protections are essential to managing regulatory and investment risk. I later saw this in practice as a summer analyst at (Boutique PE fund), where reviewing investment covenants highlighted the importance of lawyers’ role in preserving investor confidence through the structuring of legal risk.

These experiences confirmed my interest in this field and motivate me to pursue a career at a leading global firm like Willkie, where I would be challenged to think creatively, navigate complex and interesting commercial contexts, and develop the judgment required of an effective commercial lawyer.


Q2 - Please explain why you are applying to Willkie.

Max 250 words

Firstly, I am drawn to Willkie’s dual strengths in transactional and contentious work, reflected in Chambers rankings for PE buyouts and investment funds, alongside Band-1 recognition in competition litigation and growing strength in arbitration and commercial disputes. Having topped my year in (finance module), I am attracted to Willkie’s integrated PE, finance and capital markets practices, which regularly work on innovative and impactful transactional mandates like Belfius Bank’s recent €500m sustainability-linked green notes issuance. Simultaneously, placing in the Top 8 of 120+ teams at the (University) Negotiation Competition–where success depended on distilling complex arguments and advocating persuasively under pressure–highlighted the appeal of contentious work. At Willkie, I could experience the top end of both areas, developing a holistic understanding of how lawyers structure, negotiate and contest deals and disputes.

Secondly, I am attracted to Willkie’s rapid growth and entrepreneurial culture. The London office has expanded at exceptional speed, doubling its lawyer headcount between 2017 and 2025 while delivering double-digit revenue growth year-on-year. As Hiral Jain noted at an Open Evening, this scale of expansion necessitates lean, high-leverage teams and an emphasis on junior responsibility. This environment suits how I work: at (Non MBB Consulting Firm), taking initiative and actively seeking feedback led to strong relationships and being entrusted to support a Director on a Third-Party Risk Management project. This reinforced the value of a self-starter mindset early in a career, and I am confident my proactive approach would allow me to thrive at Willkie.

My stats are: graduate, 2.1 from a target university (2.2 in first year, but mitigating circumstances related to physical health), various open days/1 first year scheme.

Also got rejected from Skadden at the first stage and HSFK at the app review stage
Would be really thankful on points to improve/change; am I missing anything?

Hi I think you could request one on one session with TCLA team if you're in doubt (I never done that yet) but I can give you some advice:

• Choose commercial topic or news to highlight your interest specifically, how you think it reflects your background, eg. copyright infringement, bribery, which relates to Litigation strong firms like this.

• Pick a deal that resonate with your experience, as you won debate and negotiation competition you should connect with a deal with strong contentious work, rather than transactional. I think you should understand that this firm is not PE heavy and transactional focus like Kirkland, Paul, Weiss, etc

• Mention why London office! I think rather than focus on the culture, you should highlight more on this aspect

• Avoid emdash or contractions at American firm like Willkie, they are aware of AI usage and in fact not compromised any use of AI like other innovative firms like TW or Goodwin

• Paragraphs length, usually good writer writes 24-30 words (3 sentences in paragraph) to look it more aesthetic and readable to skim

 

[Madison Pinewall]

Hi guys, I was unfortunately rejected from Willkie at the first stage

I thought I wrote a pretty solid app, could anyone critique it and see what might have been the issue? Thank you.

Q1 - Please explain why you would like a career in commercial law.

Max 250 words


I am motivated by intellectually demanding environments where issues are complex and stakes are high. As a national-level debater, I thrived on analysing dense material under time pressure, anticipating counterarguments, and adapting strategy in real time. Alongside this, founding a small (redacted) business sparked a strong interest in commerce and how relationships shape business outcomes. Commercial law therefore appeals to me because it combines these interests, requiring lawyers to strategically analyse legal risks in achieving their clients’ commercial objectives.

My commitment to this career path has been consistent and long-standing. Before university, I interned in the corporate practice of (law firm), a leading (non-UK) full-service law firm. Despite having to relocate to another state, I seized this opportunity to gain practical experience and developed rapport with a partner by producing high-quality due diligence reports, ultimately securing a letter of recommendation. At university, a first-year scheme with (large US firm)–particularly a panel on cross-border project finance–highlighted how commercial judgement and contractual protections are essential to managing regulatory and investment risk. I later saw this in practice as a summer analyst at (Boutique PE fund), where reviewing investment covenants highlighted the importance of lawyers’ role in preserving investor confidence through the structuring of legal risk.

These experiences confirmed my interest in this field and motivate me to pursue a career at a leading global firm like Willkie, where I would be challenged to think creatively, navigate complex and interesting commercial contexts, and develop the judgment required of an effective commercial lawyer.


Q2 - Please explain why you are applying to Willkie.

Max 250 words

Firstly, I am drawn to Willkie’s dual strengths in transactional and contentious work, reflected in Chambers rankings for PE buyouts and investment funds, alongside Band-1 recognition in competition litigation and growing strength in arbitration and commercial disputes. Having topped my year in (finance module), I am attracted to Willkie’s integrated PE, finance and capital markets practices, which regularly work on innovative and impactful transactional mandates like Belfius Bank’s recent €500m sustainability-linked green notes issuance. Simultaneously, placing in the Top 8 of 120+ teams at the (University) Negotiation Competition–where success depended on distilling complex arguments and advocating persuasively under pressure–highlighted the appeal of contentious work. At Willkie, I could experience the top end of both areas, developing a holistic understanding of how lawyers structure, negotiate and contest deals and disputes.

Secondly, I am attracted to Willkie’s rapid growth and entrepreneurial culture. The London office has expanded at exceptional speed, doubling its lawyer headcount between 2017 and 2025 while delivering double-digit revenue growth year-on-year. As Hiral Jain noted at an Open Evening, this scale of expansion necessitates lean, high-leverage teams and an emphasis on junior responsibility. This environment suits how I work: at (Non MBB Consulting Firm), taking initiative and actively seeking feedback led to strong relationships and being entrusted to support a Director on a Third-Party Risk Management project. This reinforced the value of a self-starter mindset early in a career, and I am confident my proactive approach would allow me to thrive at Willkie.

My stats are: graduate, 2.1 from a target university (2.2 in first year, but mitigating circumstances related to physical health), various open days/1 first year scheme.

Also got rejected from Skadden at the first stage and HSFK at the app review stage
Would be really thankful on points to improve/change; am I missing anything?

I think your interest in commercial law might be a bit too broad? In the sense that, your reasoning is very much based in the stuff you've done rather than stuff you like about commercial areas. I tend to talk about commercial law specific things and link it back to why it interests me (not the other way around).

 

[Goingtogetatc]

Hi everyone, I am very grateful to be in a position where I have two AC's. However, they are both next month and I am quite stressed about them. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with nerves? I believe my nerves are what ultimately get in the way. I need to stay calm somehow. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[elle woods]

Hi everyone, I am very grateful to be in a position where I have two AC's. However, they are both next month and I am quite stressed about them. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with nerves? I believe my nerves are what ultimately get in the way. I need to stay calm somehow. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Hey so the advice I got for my AC this year was to treat it like a mock interview rather than the real thing - this allows you to come across more authentic and at ease rather than blanking due to nerves. I know it’s easier said than done, but truly calming down helps a lot with performance (speaking from experience)

I also find just engaging with the other candidates there helps me forget about my stress a little haha

And congratulations on your two ACs that’s amazing!

 

[c.t.tc]

Hi everyone, I am very grateful to be in a position where I have two AC's. However, they are both next month and I am quite stressed about them. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with nerves? I believe my nerves are what ultimately get in the way. I need to stay calm somehow. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Heya! Obviously ways of dealing with nerves differ for everyone but I’ve found a great way for me to is to try and internalise that being invited to which ever stage it is means I genuinely am good enough, and that I should go into it thinking I’m right for the job/role rather than stressing about getting things wrong! Waaaay easier said than done but it’s all in your head at the end of the day

 

[lelezb1]

Hi everyone, I am very grateful to be in a position where I have two AC's. However, they are both next month and I am quite stressed about them. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with nerves? I believe my nerves are what ultimately get in the way. I need to stay calm somehow. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

congratulations and good luck for the ACs! I personally started doing the 5 minute guided meditations on yt and they're actually helping me with my nerves 😭

 

[c.t.tc]

On another note would love to know if Mishcon is expecting ppl to do an sjt over christmas and nye…the whole 2-4 weeks thing sort over expires basically on Christmas day…

 

[woof]

I think your interest in commercial law might be a bit too broad? In the sense that, your reasoning is very much based in the stuff you've done rather than stuff you like about commercial areas. I tend to talk about commercial law specific things and link it back to why it interests me (not the other way around).

Thanks for your reply. Could you share some examples of the commercial law specific things you mentioned and how you linked them back to your interests?

My approach to these questions is generally 1. As someone who has yet to join the industry I couldn't reasonably have experience with the more specific/technical things commercial lawyers do 2. Therefore it's better to focus on general transferable skills and broad strokes (interest in business, textual analysis, drafting, advocacy, etc.).

Would appreciate a different view on how to tackle these Q's.

 

[JBM]

In general, AC's are less about “trying to catch you out” and more about whether you can think clearly under time pressure, communicate in a measured, commercial way and work effectively with others in a professional setting.

From my knowledge, Links have a group exercise and a written exercise followed by a partner interview.

1. For the group exercise, focus on collaboration rather than domination. Linklaters places real value on calm, measured contributions, active listening, and building constructively on others’ points. You do not need to be the loudest voice to stand out.
2. For the Written / case exercise, this is primarily a test of structure, judgement, and commercial awareness. Clear issue-spotting, logical prioritisation, and concise recommendations matter far more than technical legal detail. Beyond high-level concepts (e.g. asset vs share sales, raising capital through debt or equity and the mechanisms for doing), no deep technical knowledge is expected.
3. For the Interview, preparing well-rehearsed but genuine answers to competency and motivation questions goes a long way. “Why law?”, “Why Linklaters?”, and “Why you?” are almost guaranteed to come up, so you should be able to answer these confidently and consistently with your application.
4. Linklaters-specific insight, they've made significant investments in legal tech and AI, including developing its own in-house GenAI chatbot (“Laila”) on Microsoft Azure and integrating external models such as Legora into day-to-day workflows. The firm also runs an AI sandbox and structured internal idea campaigns, encouraging lawyers at all levels to propose practical AI use cases. This reflects a systematic, firm-wide approach to innovation rather than isolated pilots, a useful point to reference when discussing culture, future-facing work, or commercial awareness (be sure to link it to your interests!).


I hope this helps and good luck!

I got the offer last year. i think they have changed it this year but i would say:
1. Have your motivations very clear and lots of examples of competencies- they really value a breadth of experiences. Be sure to really understand the role of a trainee in terms of the challenges, tasks, opportunities etc.
2. For the case study make sure you know the mna process inside out as well as understand key provisions in a term sheet/SPA agreeement and how to negotiate them
3. Stay calm under pressure and try and get the interviewers to prompt you- if unsure say ' this is what i think am i along the right tracks'
4. We didnt have a written task last year it was a email which was then used in your interview but didnt really matter it was more about what you said in the interview.
5. they sell themselves on their organic growth in the us, focus on developing of in house legal tech tools, mna capabilities, capacity to carry out non commoditised work and being towards the lockstep side of the pay structure which naturally incentivises cross border and cross team collaboration

 

[woof]

milbank ac !
relatedly- when vac schemes clash what are firms’ general response for moving to a scheme later in the year? I know this will vary firm to firm but does anyone have any idea?

Congratulations! I was under the impression that Milbank is non-rolling, is that still the case?

 

[Icantstopeatingfood]

hi,
how long does milbank take to go back after the first test?

 

[JBM]

Hi everyone, I am very grateful to be in a position where I have two AC's. However, they are both next month and I am quite stressed about them. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with nerves? I believe my nerves are what ultimately get in the way. I need to stay calm somehow. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

see if AS does mock interviews for that firm

 

[yk1906]

LSE sending me an offer again this year… please give me the scholarship and I’ll come 😁

 

[Goingtogetatc]

Hey so the advice I got for my AC this year was to treat it like a mock interview rather than the real thing - this allows you to come across more authentic and at ease rather than blanking due to nerves. I know it’s easier said than done, but truly calming down helps a lot with performance (speaking from experience)

I also find just engaging with the other candidates there helps me forget about my stress a little haha

And congratulations on your two ACs that’s amazing!

Thanks so much that’s really useful advice

 

[boots pharmacy]

Hi guys, I'd really appreciate tips from anyone who's sat an AC with Bird & Bird. The email says it will include a timed WE and an interview. Some primers on what to expect/how to prepare would be really great

 

[Amgrad]

Got an email from Candid in my dinnertime, expect it was PFO from Weil, but turns out invite details from Stephenson Harwood! What a day full of jumpscare 🤣

 

[Madison Pinewall]

On another note would love to know if Mishcon is expecting ppl to do an sjt over christmas and nye…the whole 2-4 weeks thing sort over expires basically on Christmas day…

has Mishcon sent the SJT out? I'm still waiting after the AI thing

 

[LawAspirer]

Hi @LawAspirer

I definitely do not think that the work experiences you have listed is off putting to law firms.

During my vacation scheme, I met candidates with experiences ranging from simple retail roles (like myself) to work experiences in tech start-ups, banks and other large corporations. Therefore, I believe it is very unlikely that your work experiences itself is preventing you from getting a vacation scheme.

Instead, I would reflect upon how you are potentially framing your experiences throughout your applications and interviews. Are you properly tailoring your experiences to your interest for each firm and commercial law more widely? Are you correctly using your experiences to demonstrate alignment with the skills required of a trainee solicitor at a particular firm?

A simple shift in the way you sell your experience can genuinely take you from receiving rejections to receiving a yes.

Feel free to reach out via DM - hope the above helps!

I see - thank you!
I suppose part of my issue is that I am not clearly linking it to the specific law firm, and instead, I'm simply stating my roles and responsibilities within that role... Tough it's something to realize after I've already sent out most of the applications

 

[SBD total 1000lbs (and an applicant)]

seeing HSF PFOs go out is terrifying, opening my email feels like an explosion waiting to engulf me... "Unfortunately..."