TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Afraz Akhtar]

Can anyone give me some tips of commercial awareness topics to discuss?

@Kakaboo not sure if this has been answered yet, but you should base any commercial awareness topic around the firm you're applying to and it's specific departments/client base - just so you can link it back to the firm and highlight what this means for them as a service provider or for their clients more generally. Basing it off that, I would run a quick google search on the department e.g. competition law and see if the search engine can return a recent business article e.g. RyanAir getting fined £250M for market abuse and decide if it there is anything interest piquing or impactful (where you can link back to the firm/its department/its clients) e.g. Italian authorities seemed to approach the legal threshold of a 40% market share more flexibly BUT what was their rationale for doing so? Does this signal a wider threat to the airline market who attempt to stifle travel agents commission? And so on...

All I know is, I seem to feel a little better about RyanAir's hidden charges.

Good luck and if you're struggling to find resources, this post has some good tips: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/commercial-awareness-sources.7696/

 

[DavidJC]

I knew you would XD

But being real, I think it will help a lot of people to open up, seek comfort and get things off their chest, coz most people (like me) have nobody around to understand how excruciating or tiring this process is, and we could use a space where we don't have to put up a brave show about this and be real for once around people who truly understand how emotional it could be!

Definitely approve of the idea! I'm in a similar boat here but some very empathetic friends even though they don't really understand why or how it's so much more tedious and difficult in law so that at least helps a little!

Also just wanted to chime in on the "imma be honest" posts, they've been few and far between, and even then they've just been forced to swallow reality pills and get off their high horses so I wouldn't worry about them too much

 

[James Wakefield]

Hey everyone, quick question. I submitted Stage 1 for Hogan Lovells last Wednesday and still haven’t heard back. Usually I’d be worried, but six of my classmates who submitted a few days before me also haven’t received an invite to Stage 2. Nevertheless, I wanted to ask whether anyone who completed Stage 1 after 9 December has already received an invitation to Stage 2. Thank you, and best of luck to all of you!

I did stage 1 on 11th Dec and got the invite to stage 2 the next day.

 

[edwardtcjourney]

What sort of role does Amberjack scores play? I scored 34 with excel excel, but equally got 26 excel excel on the test before so assuming it's just more of a culture fit. Is it more of a pass/fail bar or do they actively take into account the score later on? Thinking of submitting a few more Amberjacks if the latter, but I also bombed the video interview lol

 

[sumsum]

hey has anyone heard from MDR about the new deadline for the chat interview after their email about having issues?

 

[Shaky_Pete]

Tried to do the Bakers VI 20 mins ago but unable to access it, despite an earlier email saying the deadline was 23:59 tonight. Did anyone else have this problem?

 

[IWillGetATC]

how did i get a 1 on creative force for MB....... i got a 7 yesterday for weil

 

[Novaa]

WAIT!! I JUST FINISHED MY MAYER BROWN AND GOT 7/9/7/7 - Got cut off for my last answer though…

That HSF PFO isn’t stopping me!!

 

[DavidJC]

White & Case work experience doesn't say anything about chronological or reverse chronological order
Should I gamble and just put stuff in without ordering them?

 

[ADhillon01]

Just finished the Mayer Brown Amberjack Assessment and VI.

My Amberjack scores were 7 for Grit; 9 for Applied Intellect; 9 for Creative Force; and 7 for Digital Mindset. Though, I feel like I was doing my best impression of the Joker from Dark Knight in my VI haha so I have no idea how this will end. But think I’ve figured out Amberjack just in time!!!

 

[BobThebIlly]

Definitely approve of the idea! I'm in a similar boat here but some very empathetic friends even though they don't really understand why or how it's so much more tedious and difficult in law so that at least helps a little!

Also just wanted to chime in on the "imma be honest" posts, they've been few and far between, and even then they've just been forced to swallow reality pills and get off their high horses so I wouldn't worry about them too much

Yh id love to have a space where we could be blunt and not focus on proper formatting lmao

 

[BobThebIlly]

WAIT!! I JUST FINISHED MY MAYER BROWN AND GOT 7/9/7/7 - Got cut off for my last answer though…

That HSF PFO isn’t stopping me!!

GIVE ME UR TIPS

 

[wqueens8]

How do people navigate having further vac schemes in a year, if they receive offers earlier? To be fair, I am not yet in this position and I may not be succeessful with any, but it is a possibility. I've secured two direct TC ACs in January, and a vac scheme in April. I like all the firms, would love to have the chance to experience the April firm to be able to make an informed decision, I just wish it wasn't so much later. There's a few considerations.

1) I believe April firm publicises their vac schemes, i.e there may be a photo of me on linkedin. If Jan firms see this after I've accepted one their TCs, they might be in their rights to rescind.

2) I'm not from London. The April firm pays london living wage, but no extra support for accomodation or anything. For a 2 week scheme, I will 100% be losing money on accom + trains + food/drink + entertainment etc, probably a few hundred pounds. Plus I need to take two weeks off work for it. A lot of money to lose when I (in this scenario) already have a good TC from a firm I like, and the scheme may not even convert to a TC.

3) I am final year. My dissertation is due 1st of May, and I have exams in may too. This scheme is 13th to 24th April, which are quite key weeks.

I am obviously getting way ahead of myself, and ultimately suppose it is really up to me and how much I want to train at each firm and how ready my dissertation is by then etc. Just wondering if anyone has found themselves in a similar situation, and how you navigated it.

 

[radssss]

I have a weird question...
Is there any thread in this forum where people just log/journal the situation/pressure they're in and others hear or offer comfort?

Something safe and secure and devoid of "i'mma be honest talks" and also that doesn't block the flow of knowledge sharing happening in the main VS/TC thread?

If there isn't one, would it be a good idea to have one, so people feel comfortable to open and seen enough to get hope and pick themselves up? @Jaysen

I loveee this idea

 

[DavidJC]

Does anyone know if the W&C VI is a later stage separate from the Cappfinity assessment or included in it?

 

[Donna Paulsen]

Has anyone heard from Stephenson Harwood? I think I saw someone getting an AC invite but haven’t seen anything else, ahhhh

 

[Leader of the Night Watch of the Contractless]

Just finished the Mayer Brown Amberjack Assessment and VI.

My Amberjack scores were 8 for Grit; 10 for Applied Intellect; 10 for Creative Force; and 8 for Digital Mindset. Though, I feel like I was doing my best impression of the Joker from Dark Knight in my VI haha so I have no idea how this will end. But think I’ve figured out Amberjack just in time!!!

The maximum for Amberjack is 9. Where is the 10 coming from?

 

[TCtoothfairy]

Guys I think christmas is here early for the crazy fairy pfp...
I got 9,6,7,7 on the weil amberjack and SOMEHOW got 6,9,9,9 on the mayer brown one?!?!?!?!??
Have I finally cracked amberjack wtaf?

 

[V5⛷️]

MB Amberjack 4/7/6/9.. but a good spot of exercise nonetheless as I'm joinining this cycle late. Bit confused as to what they base it on though :s don't remember anything in the SJT about technology.. unless they're using AI to scrape data from our VI responses

 

[ADhillon01]

The maximum for Amberjack is 9. Where is the 10 coming from?

Lmao you’re right LOL. And I got an excel for numerical intellect and can’t even count the pillars so burnt out from constant tests my bad