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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hi everyone!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
- Navigating the process with what some may consider less “desirable” academic grades and institution backing.
- Understanding what firms are looking for in an application, assessment centre and vacation scheme and general office etiquette.
- Understanding how the process really works – to place a humane touch on what appears to be a very robotic and mysterious process.
- Generally how to build on your work experience to bulk up your CV and skillset.
- How to be the best version of you in any interview.
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
Amen on the last sentenceHi everyone!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
If you have any questions, on the above or anything more generally that think I could help with, please let me know.
- Navigating the process with what some may consider less “desirable” academic grades and institution backing.
- Understanding what firms are looking for in an application, assessment centre and vacation scheme and general office etiquette.
- Understanding how the process really works – to place a humane touch on what appears to be a very robotic and mysterious process.
- Generally how to build on your work experience to bulk up your CV and skillset.
- How to be the best version of you in any interview.
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
(Welcome Afraz!!)
Slaughters Interview Invite! Been off the thread for a few days to try get it off my mind. Applied 23rd Nov.
Legit same. I didn’t refer to my work experience at all in any of the questions lmfao. I linked back to Weil and all my interactions with them but that’s about it. Now I’m refreshing my email inbox every 2 mins like a melon waiting for a PFO. This is gna be Weil to us after they watch our VIs:
Last edited:
- Feb 17, 2018
- 4,883
- 9,289
Great to have you here AfrazHi everyone!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
If you have any questions, on the above or anything more generally that think I could help with, please let me know.
- Navigating the process with what some may consider less “desirable” academic grades and institution backing.
- Understanding what firms are looking for in an application, assessment centre and vacation scheme and general office etiquette.
- Understanding how the process really works – to place a humane touch on what appears to be a very robotic and mysterious process.
- Generally how to build on your work experience to bulk up your CV and skillset.
- How to be the best version of you in any interview.
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
Welcome Afraz!!! Wohooooo😍Hi everyone!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
If you have any questions, on the above or anything more generally that think I could help with, please let me know.
- Navigating the process with what some may consider less “desirable” academic grades and institution backing.
- Understanding what firms are looking for in an application, assessment centre and vacation scheme and general office etiquette.
- Understanding how the process really works – to place a humane touch on what appears to be a very robotic and mysterious process.
- Generally how to build on your work experience to bulk up your CV and skillset.
- How to be the best version of you in any interview.
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
love hearing stories like yours, reminds me that there's another side to this process and we aren't simply shouting into an abyss that turns and makes fun of us with their abyss friendsHi everyone!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
If you have any questions, on the above or anything more generally that think I could help with, please let me know.
- Navigating the process with what some may consider less “desirable” academic grades and institution backing.
- Understanding what firms are looking for in an application, assessment centre and vacation scheme and general office etiquette.
- Understanding how the process really works – to place a humane touch on what appears to be a very robotic and mysterious process.
- Generally how to build on your work experience to bulk up your CV and skillset.
- How to be the best version of you in any interview.
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
big up afraz!
I did a placement year with them in my third year for the full year
Idk if this is gna make any sense but what’s the diff between applied intellect (verbal and numerical) in the amberjack compared to the applied intellect pillar in the SJT? They both have the exact same label and it’s super confusing to me. What does applied intellect mean in both cases?
Thanks, post test and interview last week. DLA PFO too, Merry Christmas! 🫠
I can relate a bit my experience is also my highlight but I think as you have so much you still have a slight advantage as you have a lot to choose from😅
Oh wait I didn’t mean to cause a panic 😂😂😂 if you linked it back to you in anyway that should probably still be fine, I didn’t explicitly say “ at this job I “ for half the questionsLegit same. I didn’t refer to my work experience at all in any of the questions lmfao. I linked back to Weil and all my interactions with them but that’s about it. Now I’m refreshing my email inbox every 2 mins like a melon waiting for a PFO. This is gna be Weil to us after they watch our VIs:
I'm very sorry to hear this, also PFO from DLA and yet to hear back from Fieldfisher. May I ask how you found the interview and if anything stood out?
ok this makes me feel slightly betterLegit same. I didn’t refer to my work experience at all in any of the questions lmfao. I linked back to Weil and all my interactions with them but that’s about it. Now I’m refreshing my email inbox every 2 mins like a melon waiting for a PFO. This is gna be Weil to us after they watch our VIs:
nah bro you never know, politely, I rebuke this energy🧙♀️🧙♀️🧙♀️
Hi trainees!
I’m working on the Farrer VS application, which asks: “In what ways have your academic studies, qualifications, and work experience equipped you for a legal career?”
I've already described my professional experiences in the work experiences section of the application (1. content redesign project at HuffPost, 2. product marketing role at a tech company, 3. communications coordinator at a literary non-profit) in standard CV point form that details my day-to-day tasks and results. For this application question, I’m unsure whether it would be better to:
- Expand on those same roles, focusing on specific instances where I demonstrate transferrable legal skills (have it drafted and ready to go) or
- Introduce different experiences not on my CV, such as:
- My PGDL studies, where I managed eight subjects over eight months and achieved distinction -- hoping to demonstrate time management / resilience here
- Founding a student start-up, EasyWaste, leading a team, developing an MVP, and pitching to investors -- this would demonstrate motivation and drive
- My freelance content design practice in San Francisco, where I redesigned small business websites and worked closely with clients -- this would demonstrate client-facing communication skills and analytical skills.
Thanks in advance for any guidance!
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I applied to Mishcon the day of the deadline and haven't received anything, it's so over
congratulations and welcome!!Hi everyone!
My name is Afraz, I’m a future trainee at Travers Smith and I’ll be supporting @Abbie Whitlock and @Andrei Radu as a Community Assistant over the festive period.
A little bit about me. I previously graduated with a Law degree from the University of Salford in 2020 with a 2:1 and although I loved my time there, it was unfortunately my clearance option after I received BCC at A Level (but hey, I got an A in general studies). As you can probably gather already, my legal journey was not as clear-cut as moving from one stage to the other. There were (as I’m sure has been the case for many of you) a lot of challenges, hurdles, and constant rejection – which for me, felt like it was made worse by what I had to offer academically.
However, resilience is truly a powerful thing. Following a break from the TC process, where I spent a year working in graduate recruitment with Clyde & Co, ending my tenure on delivering my own vacation scheme, I sought out new ways to enter the legal field and this started with Slaughter and May’s Innovation Competition. For me, this removed the need to “apply” for something and instead showcase my capabilities first-hand, and ultimately, I won (and the prize was £1,000 and a 1-2-1 week-long internship with various talent across the firm). I would say this achievement snowballed my success, as it has since led to my joining the University of Oxford for an AI research project, the role of an innovation specialist paralegal at Freshfields and most recently an in-house position with Blackstone.
As such, I wanted to join TCLA to help and give back to the community that I too once turned to for support when I began doubting myself. Your journey may look different from everyone else’s, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same destination.
Aside from your general queries, I would also say I am in a strong position to answer queries on:
If you have any questions, on the above or anything more generally that think I could help with, please let me know.
- Navigating the process with what some may consider less “desirable” academic grades and institution backing.
- Understanding what firms are looking for in an application, assessment centre and vacation scheme and general office etiquette.
- Understanding how the process really works – to place a humane touch on what appears to be a very robotic and mysterious process.
- Generally how to build on your work experience to bulk up your CV and skillset.
- How to be the best version of you in any interview.
LET’S GET YOU SOME TC’S!!!!
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