TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[applicant3000]

Cleary AC! I applied and did the test late October

 

[charlieefinch]

Is anyone still waiting to hear from ES?

 

[ojharrison]

Hi everyone - I’m Olivia, and I wanted to introduce myself. I’ve been through the law firm application process myself (including vacation schemes and interviews), and I know how intense and isolating it can feel at times.

I have completed the PGDL, SQE1, SQE2 and SQE+ and have a training contract with Ashurst starting in March 2026.

I’ll be around on the forum over the next hour to help where I can. Looking forward to chatting with you all.

 

[ojharrison]

sorry if people have already asked this, but does anyone know what time Mishcon's application is due? like would it be safe to submit it any time before 23:59 tomorrow night? thank you so much, and sorry to ask!!

Hi - no need to apologise for asking! It’s always better to double-check deadlines than to miss them.

From what I can see on Mishcon’s website, their vacation scheme application deadline is indeed tomorrow, and firms typically mean 11:59pm (23:59) on that date unless they’ve specified a particular time. So yes, submitting anytime before 23:59 tomorrow (UK time) would generally be considered on time.

Obviously for peace of mind it may be better to:

• Submit a little earlier if you can - even if your application is ready, hitting “send” a few hours ahead of the literal deadline helps avoid any last-minute upload or server issues.
• Double-check the application portal - sometimes firms mention a specific time zone or cut-off time, and it’s worth confirming so you’re 100% confident. No doubt you've already had a look in the portal to check so if there's nothing specific there then it's safe to assume the 23:59 cut off!

Hope that helps and best of luck with your application! Feel free to post back if you want a quick review of your answers or structure before submitting😊

 

[aspringlawyer25]

Anyone who did the Weil test around Dec 6 receive any PFO or AC yet?

 

[Icantstopeatingfood]

Anyone who did the Weil test around Dec 6 receive any PFO or AC yet?

i submitted my test 07/12 and have heard nothing.

 

[UP_25]

Hi everyone, just wanted to quickly introduce myself - I'm Umair, a third year Politics student at Warwick and a Future Trainee at Hogan Lovells. I also did vacation schemes at Latham & Watkins and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. I'll be on hand to answer any questions over the next hour or so!

 

[ojharrison]

hey everyone, I wanted to just get some life advice regarding next steps of my life. it's a bit of a weird space to do it but I think it will definitely relate to a lot of people here. I'm a non-law finalist and right now it feels like its go time for applications whether that's law or masters. in my heart of hearts I want to do a masters, but there's always been a piece of me that loves law and wants to try it out but law is not only competitive and time-consuming but also not something you can dip your toes in since its often times vac scheme- tc offer-law school which is like a 3 year process.

I know I don't have enough time to balance masters and law but I also do not want to risk potentially having regrets in the future. I've thought about doing just masters applications but again it's so hard because it just so happens that my potential course is only offered at the best unis in the uk/u.s. I also really like law but sometimes I find myself questioning if the applications, pfo's and 10 stages is even worth it. In an ideal world, I would get my dream masters but also have a tc offer which I would defer for post masters but we unfortunately do not live in such paradise. It's been scarier knowing in this one holiday I have 5 masters apps, diss work, coursework and potentially more law apps too.

I feel like I'm getting nowhere asking myself what it is that I want so I wanted to ask here to see if others have been through this, if anyone has any guidance and advice?

Hi - non-law grad/future trainee here!

What you’re describing is far more common than it might feel right now, especially among non-law finalists, and it makes complete sense that you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of decisions landing all at once.

I just wanted to share some perspective from my own experience. I only started applying to law when I was around 26/27, after working in a few different roles, and that taught me there really isn’t a “right” timeline. Coming to law later - or after doing something else first - is completely normal and increasingly common.

On the masters vs law question, it might help to step away from seeing this as an all-or-nothing decision. Both routes are valid, and neither puts you on the back foot. If you did decide to focus on a masters, that wouldn’t mean closing the door on law entirely. You can continue to stay engaged by attending law firm events, reading around commercial law and doing short online courses. That's something I did myself and I found that I had more clarity and confidence when it came to applications. Law firms also value candidates with varied academic and professional backgrounds, as they bring different perspectives and experiences to the table.

Equally, prioritising law applications now can make sense if you want to test whether the process and the reality of commercial law genuinely appeal to you.

Questioning whether the applications and multiple stages are “worth it” is very normal, and it doesn’t mean you’re unsuited to law - it usually just means you’re thinking carefully about your future. There isn’t a single correct answer here, but whichever route you take, you won’t be behind or starting from scratch.

Let me know if you have any follow-up questions. I'd be happy to help!

 

[FutureTrainee213]

Hello! Would you have any insight into how many trainees does TS take through DTC v/s vac scheme? And what is the conversion rate like?

Hey, I’m not sure what the split is between the two BUT regarding the conversion from VS to TC, we were told repeatedly that there were TC’s available for everybody (I was on a VS) and that we were not competing with each other, which made the scheme a lot more easier to manage.

It was honestly the thing that solidified my interest for the firm. They seem to adopt a very holistic approach to the entire process - reading all applications that come in, refraining from any screening methods - they really don’t try catching you out and want you to succeed. Even going as far as asking you to retake a particular assessment if they felt you didn’t perform your best during the VS - which to me, signalled a genuine interest in wanting candidates to succeed.

So, the conversion can be 20%, 30%, 100% - it really does depend on the quality of your cohort. But for you, this means minimal stress of competing with others, and more time to focus on your own performance. Which I think is such a bonus.

 

[lolololol]

Hi everyone, just wanted to quickly introduce myself - I'm Umair, a third year Politics student at Warwick and a Future Trainee at Hogan Lovells. I also did vacation schemes at Latham & Watkins and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. I'll be on hand to answer any questions over the next hour or so!

Hi, I have a politics background as well, I would love to know how you would suggest leveraging studying politics for a tc app! it’s something i struggle with, thanks in advance!

 

[ojharrison]

I have a Clyde and Co telephone interview (instead of the VI) and would hugely appreciate any insights! Can offer insights to A&O AC in return

Hello - future trainee here!

I have not done the telephone interview myself, but I would imagine it will be quite competency- and motivation-focused, and a bit more conversational than a VI, but they’ll still be assessing structure and clarity in your answers. From my experience, it’s worth preparing for a mix of:

• Why commercial law / why Clyde & Co: make sure you can clearly articulate why their sector focus (insurance, transport, energy, aviation, etc.) genuinely appeals to you, rather than just listing practice areas. Link it to your own experience and interests to make your answers personal.
• Competency questions (teamwork, resilience, communication, problem-solving): have 2–3 strong examples ready and use a clear structure (STAR works well).
• Commercial awareness: often fairly light-touch in phone interviews, but be ready to discuss a recent issue affecting one of their core sectors and explain why it matters to the firm and why you were interested by that particular issue.

A few practical tips for telephone interviews specifically:

• It might be worth having a one-page prompt sheet in front of you (key points for motivation, examples, and one commercial topic) - so long as you don’t read from it and don't feel overly attached to it.
• Practise answering concisely; it’s easier to waffle on the phone without visual cues.
• Smile when you speak - it genuinely makes a difference to how engaged and confident you sound.
• Go beyond with your intonation, emotions etc. Things come across far less enthusiastic over the phone, even if the same speech would come across positively in person. You don't have body language and other sorts of cues to rely on. It might feel very strange, but try to be slightly more over-the-top with how you're speaking so that you're charisma comes across to the interviewer. (Needless to say there is a fine line with this though!).

They will likely also be testing whether you come across as someone clients and colleagues would be comfortable speaking to, so aim for calm, friendly and thoughtful rather than overly polished.

Hope that helps, and best of luck - feel free to post back if you want any further help with preparation.

 

[nbjani]

Hey guys do we know if the first stage milbank assessment is selective and includes any VI/motivational questions?

 

[aria_d]

Hey guys do we know if the first stage milbank assessment is selective and includes any VI/motivational questions?

It has SJT + 2 WE

 

[RJ Ruban]

Loool, why is this giving "who are you" by the Kazoo kid? Not rude at all, we love a concerned citizen. I'm a future trainee at Travers Smith just hopping back on here for a while to see if I can help anyone out.

TS is a firm I’m thinking to apply to!
The application this year is just a cover letter- would I be able to PM to get more insight on how to write this?

 

[RJ Ruban]

Do you guys think there will be more CMS AC offers coming out? Or am I cooked?

 

[ojharrison]

Really rogue question, but when you start the PGDL or SQE, how do people afford to live in London? I’m coming from Leeds and having to move down with my partner and for the life of us cannot see how we will manage it. Those who’ve done the SQE or going to, how do you make it work? Most firms I’m looking at give a 10-15k bursary but I’ve no idea how to make that work :/
- sorry if this is a really daft question, but I’ve tried to do some research and thought maybe this could be a good place to discuss since we will all (or majority) need to move down to London at some point?

Not a daft question at all - it’s something a lot of people worry about quietly, so I'm sure there will be many people glad that you’ve raised it here.

The honest answer is that most people don’t make it work through a single source of funding. It’s usually a combination of things. The bursary many firms offer is intended to contribute rather than fully cover London living costs, and people tend to top this up in a few common ways:

• Savings or family support, where that’s possible
• Part-time work alongside the PGDL or SQE (this is very common, especially on the SQE)
• Living arrangements that reduce costs - house shares, living slightly further out and commuting or (where people are lucky enough) living at home still.

From my experience, very few people find the finances comfortable. It’s often tight but it is doable with planning and by being realistic about lifestyle for that period. Some firms may offer additional support for future trainees such as interest-free loans that are deducted from your eventual first pay cheque, so these things are worth checking.

The majority of people that worked alongside the PGDL/SQE that I know of were providing academic assistance in some way. So checking/editing CVs and personal statements or tutoring (school, university and masters students). This can be done in person in London but also online; it's certainly manageable alongside the courses.

You’re absolutely right that this is something most people here will face at some point, and you’re not alone in feeling anxious about it. Hopefully, you'll have a good amount of time now to plan for moving to London rather than panic later on.

Hope that helps - happy to talk through options or hear what others have done as well.

 

[UP_25]

Hi, I have a politics background as well, I would love to know how you would suggest leveraging studying politics for a tc app! it’s something i struggle with, thanks in advance!

Hey! Nice to see non-law faces here! This is a great question, and oftentimes I think candidates overestimate how much they need to use their degree as leverage in their applications so I wouldn't shoehorn a link in if it's proving difficult.

That said, studying a non-law degree does make your application slightly more unique. The way I would go about it is thinking about what similarities there are between law and politics, and I think there's two ways.

Commercial law and politics are of course intertwined, politics creates legislation, politics affects the economy, markets etc. You can use this to explain both your interest in law, but also to demonstrate your commercial and political awareness and how this would benefit you as a trainee.

Alternatively, you could focus more on the hard skills gained. Politics teaches you research skills, written skills and how to construct an argument. These are all skills that you would use in law. I hope that helps!

 

[FutureTrainee213]

TS is a firm I’m thinking to apply to!
The application this year is just a cover letter- would I be able to PM to get more insight on how to write

Of course! I’ll try helping as best I can. May not be able to respond back to back instantly though, so if I take a few hours here and there please bare with

 

[TCtoothfairy]

Is it worth me applying to Reed Smith today or am I cooked? xoxo

 

[tm2000]

Would people say it's too late to apply to Dechert/Baker McKenzie as they're rolling even though deadlines are in a couple weeks?