Hiya, I submitted mine on 31st, like an hour before the deadlineđź’€ and just got their test invite so incase you ended up applying and are worried, there is hope! Good luck xx
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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
- Feb 17, 2018
- 4,893
- 9,314
Will see what we can do
HSFK PFO, spring, benchmark passed 29 Sept.
Hi! @Abbie Whitlock Hope you are doing well! I will be doing the Reed Smith AC in a couple of weeks and wanted to know if you have any general, as well as Reed Smith specific tips? As far as I am aware, it has a case study + motivational interview and proof reading exercise. Please let me know if there will be certain types of documents, or other situation based questions that one can expect in this. Thank you!
Hi @legal18 this should automatically apply when you enter in your email address for the request. If there are any issues with this, please email [email protected] and a member of the team will be in touch. Thanks!
Update (have consolidated previous updates into quoted message):
- HSF Kramer (Spring VS): applied 1st Dec
- Received assessment: 1st Dec
- Took assessment: 5th Dec - scored 'balanced' for technical expertise and 'moderate fit' for the rest lol
- Report came immediately after completing the assessment
- Reached benchmark: 8th Dec
- PFO: 2nd Jan ❌
- Cooley(Summer VS): applied 31st Dec
- No further communication as of 2nd Jan
- Bird & Bird: applied 10th Dec
- PFO: 22nd Dec ❌
- Deffo applied too late lol! Will get it in early if I have to apply to firms again next cycle.
- DLA Piper (London): applied 19th Nov
- Received WG invite: 26th Nov
- Took WG: 29th Nov - scored 'Strength to leverage' for assumptions and arguments, 'Further exploration' for Critical thinking, and 'Opportunity for development' for conclusions. My worst performance on any WG! Don't take these tests when exhausted. đź’€
- Report came immediately after completing the assessment
- Received what vaguely resembles a passed benchmark email: 1st Dec
- Portal updated to (paraphrase) "We're enjoying getting to know you": 4th Dec
- Portal updated to "Thank you for your interest in DLA Piper. We are fully considering the information provided": 9th Dec
- No further communication as of 2nd Jan
- Linklaters: applied 1st Dec
- Received assessment: 1st Dec
- Took assessment: 3rd Dec - scored highest in 'Resilience' and 'Motivation,' lowest in 'Resource and Work Management'
- Report came one day after completing the assessment
- Received WG invite: 3rd Dec
- Application under review email: 4th Dec
- Second holding email from recruiters: 15th Dec (everyone received this)
- No further communication as of 2nd Jan
- Reed Smith: applied 14th Dec
- No further communication as of 2nd Jan
- Simmons & Simmons: applied 14th Dec (last-minute app, also probs too late 🤪)
- Received assessment: 14th Dec
- Took assessment: 15th Dec - scored high verbal/numerical expertise, 8 (Self) / 8 (Commercial) / 4 (People) loool
- Report came immediately after completing the assessment
- No further communication as of 2nd Jan
- White & Case: applied 21st Dec
- Probably applied too late, but decided to switch from DTC to VS at the last minute.
- No further communication as of 2nd Jan
- Willkie: applied 10th Dec
- PFO 17th Dec ❌
I've also applied to the following firms DTC: CC, CMS, Freshfields, Lewis Silkin, Slaughter and May (pending: Ashurst). Will continue to update these apps in the DTC thread.
Best of luck to everyone 🍀
Just got Milbanks test
Heyy, congrats on your AC! If you don't mind me asking, when did they get the AC invite and when did you do your VI?
hey, can someone please explain Milbank’s first test? I’ve seen someone mention timed written questions commercial and motivational? I’m really confused, I can’t find anything on this and I don’t know how to prepare
winter! but shouldnt be too different as far as i knowwas Sidley AC summer or winter VS?
Look at TCLA's application database and prep for the three questions from last year. I heard there's two - it's likely they will be very similar to last year's app questions.
Any Insights for Norton VI? Can share insights for Hogan Lovells stage 2, Milbank SJT written questions, Bakers VI, reed smith VI, Akin TI and many more!
Hi there! I'm sure there will be loads of people with Reed Smith specific advice, but for ACs generally speaking, practice is the name of the game. I would suggest coming up with a rigorous practice schedule (about six hours of prep every day between now and the AC if you can) which outlines clearly the work you are doing to be doing towards practicing the specific aspects of the AC (such as Case Study Interviews, Competency Interviews, Scenario Interviews, Written Exercises etc.), as well as the work you will do to study commercial trends and concepts, and firm specific knowledge such as their areas of expertise, recent work and other USPs.
It perhaps goes without saying, but the more preparation you do, the more confident you will feel on the day. Hope this is helpful!
Any insight into Milbank's stage 1? Nothing specific needed, just a broad idea of what to be prepared for!
Has anyone applied to Clyde & Co during Christmas and not yet received their auto assessment?
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