TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[jojo23]

Slightly random question but what times do firms generally back to people? I’m refreshing my emails like a madman these days but it just dawned on me that post 5pm they’re unlikely to send them since it’s out of office hours anyway lmao. Unless: has anyone received anything at random times from firms???

I mean... if youre simmons and simmons it might be after you develop grey hairs...

 

[Lawlawland]

I mean... if youre simmons and simmons it might be after you develop grey hairs...

Real.

Them: application is rolling
Me: still waiting for a rejection 2 months after my submission

 

[jojo23]

Real.

Them: application is rolling
Me: still waiting for a rejection 2 months after my submission

All im saying is, if simmons has no haters, it probably means we're dead.🤣🤣

 

[lolololol]

Briefly outline the story and link to the practice area it influences. Three points on how the story directly impacts the firm. If you can link to a firm value, then even better

thabk you!

 

[oliviabeijing]

How many questions are in the CMS VI?

 

[BM99]

6

How many questions are in the CMS VI?

 

[lawyersum]

any insights into the mills & reeve vi questions, e.g motivational, strengths based, scenario based? happy to share jones day ac/interview insights, simmons and reed smith test insights

 

[johnsmith]

Taylor Wessing test ia the worst experience of my entire fkn life!

Have you done OC? 🤣

 

[ashwright]

question for any A&O Shearman vac scheme applicants who got to AC:

Could you share how the firm communicated whether you were accepted/rejected? Email or phone call?

 

[I_hate_pickingusernames]

Anyone get no confirmation email after doing the Clyde & Co online test?

 

[I_hate_pickingusernames]

question for any A&O Shearman vac scheme applicants who got to AC:

Could you share how the firm communicated whether you were accepted/rejected? Email or phone call?

Hey! It's an email for rejections and phone calls for acceptance, usually Friday afternoon

 

[Madison Pinewall]

Anyone get no confirmation email after doing the Clyde & Co online test?

i got one

 

[ashwright]

Hey! It's an email for rejections and phone calls for acceptance, usually Friday afternoon

You’re the best, thank you so much! I’ll keep my email notifs on for today then 🫩🤣

 

[I_hate_pickingusernames]

i got one

That's slightly worrying lol

 

[Interested_In_Law]

Macfarlanes AC! Applied in early September

 

[pepsicola96]

Has anyone had a VI experience where they stuttered really badly throughout all the VI questions because of nerves, finished about 30 seconds early for each question, and still managed to get through? This just happened to me for Eversheds so I'm feeling kinda slumped about it - I somehow managed to get to their AC 2 cycles ago so that added some pressure onto me I feel

I think this is fine. They're not looking for you to fill the time necessarily, just to give a complete and structured answer. If you can do that with 30 seconds to spare, that is better than rambling for a further 30 seconds in a way that diminishes your answer.

 

[EfficientBag123]

Does anyone have any insight into Baker McKenzie VI?

 

[James Wakefield]

For those who applied to Mishcon, did it say you've applied to 'Talent Aquisition Portal' in your email, rather than the firm name? Thanks!

 

[sarg1234]

Macfarlanes PFO

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Tell me a interesting/ commercial story you have been keeping up with - how do i structure this question for a vi?

Hey!

For this question, they're essentially testing three main things:

• Whether you follow business / news generally
• How you explain concepts and updates clearly
• Whether you can link the story back to commercial awareness

Therefore, I would likely structure it in the following way:

1. Briefly explain the story - what happened and who's involved (keep this relatively brief!)
2. Why it's interesting commercially - discuss the impact on businesses, markets, consumers, etc. If you can discuss the impact it has on sectors that the firm's clients work in, that is a bonus!
3. Why you chose it - why is this particularly interesting to you and what caught your attention
4. (If you can) Link to the firm - for example, how the firm might respond to the factors discussed in the commercial story

This doesn't have to be anything super niche - it could be things such as AI adoption, retail restructuring, or major mergers (particularly in law recently!). These all work well as long as you can explain them clearly and discuss why it interested you.

I hope that helps, and best of luck with your VI