TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Miles Edgeworth]

Just did my goodwin VI and I hope it went well??? I feel like it was good (Basically guessed 3/4 of the questions so if I don't make it then rip)

 

[Novaa]

Cooley must be gangsta then cos at the open day the partners and associates were firing shots at the administration at every opportunity they could find and made the point about representing Jenner & Block in fighting against the executive order and how they are still standing for DEI as a firm unlike others firms (names were mentioned as well haha).

Wait but I love when Firms throw shade at eachother! I be sat in the corner writing my notes like

 

[Eeeeeeeek]

Has anyone heard anything from hsfk for summer Vs? Passed benchmark for test in early Nov.

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

Cooley must be gangsta then cos at the open day the partners and associates were firing shots at the administration at every opportunity they could find. They brought up representing Jenner & Block in fighting against their executive order and how they are still standing for DEI as a firm unlike others firms (names were mentioned as well lmfao).

Not gangsta, but democrats! Cooley and Jenner are west coast based just like Perkins Coie, so they are literally against Trump.Only Ashurst and TW, the UK Law firms that merge with another donkey - Midwest (Winston & Strawn).

Yankee and Yeehaw law firms are likely republican, so it's better not to talk about em on app and interview. A&O, HSF, and Hogan merge with em sadly...

 

[lividowl03]

Am I tweaking or are Reed Smith reviewing applications not based on when theyre submitted (maybe alphabetically??)

Seen people who applied on deadline get progressed/rejected, and subsequently people that applied before the deadline get progressed/rejected. Super confused on their approach to reviewing…

I attended one of the application webinars they hosted and somebody asked something similar. Rik Palmer, one of the grad rec team bascially described it as they categorise people at each stage of the process. He didn't go into too much detail but essentially something like Exceptional, Very Good, Good, Average, Poor. etc.

E.g like this. Person A applied in September, Person B applied in November. Person A had a 'Good' written application' so they're put on hold for a bit. Person B has an 'Exceptional' so even though they applied two months later, they're progressed to test + VI straight away. But now Person B had a 'Poor' SJT + VI performance, so they are rejected/put on hold, and they'll now go back to Person A and progress them through etc.

He specifically mentioned plenty of people categorised lower at application stage, make it through the whole process and secure places on the scheme, because they perform well on the other components. It's generally a matter of waiting until higher scoring people progress/fail. Hence why some people have vac scheme offers, and some people have been waiting for months. Not a great feeling of course, but does not = PFO at all.

 

[BobThebIlly]

Just did Goodwin oh boy... I should've taken this one out to the lake district too lmfao

ahhhhhh I lit sounded like a frog crocking in half of them omds

Also, can someone reassure me please? I wasn’t able to finish the first question properly, so my third and final point ended up being only around two sentences long.

I also finished with around 20 seconds remaining on the timer for the other questions. Is that a bad sign?

 

[corporatebaddie1506]

Hi Jamie, yes I believe they do. This information is available on their website.

 

[spamelinazoid]

I attended one of the application webinars they hosted and somebody asked something similar. Rik Palmer, one of the grad rec team bascially described it as they categorise people at each stage of the process. He didn't go into too much detail but essentially something like Exceptional, Very Good, Good, Average, Poor. etc.

E.g like this. Person A applied in September, Person B applied in November. Person A had a 'Good' written application' so they're put on hold for a bit. Person B has an 'Exceptional' so even though they applied two months later, they're progressed to test + VI straight away. But now Person B had a 'Poor' SJT + VI performance, so they are rejected/put on hold, and they'll now go back to Person A and progress them through etc.

He specifically mentioned plenty of people categorised lower at application stage, make it through the whole process and secure places on the scheme, because they perform well on the other components. It's generally a matter of waiting until higher scoring people progress/fail. Hence why some people have vac scheme offers, and some people have been waiting for months. Not a great feeling of course, but does not = PFO at all.

Oh wow that’s so interesting, thanks for typing all that. Good to know!

 

[radssss]

Shepherd and Wedderburn (London) test invite! Does anyone have any tips?

Also they don’t mention about sponsorship of visa anywhere on their page, does anyone know?

 

[Afuturetrainee]

Latham, it's been 1 month since your deadline. I’m going to need you to start moving your bodies

 

[Novaa]

Just did Goodwin oh boy... I should've taken this one out to the lake district too lmfao

ahhhhhh I lit sounded like a frog crocking in half of them omds

Also, can someone reassure me please? I wasn’t able to finish the first question properly, so my third and final point ended up being only around two sentences long.

I also finished with around 20 seconds remaining on the timer for the other questions. Is that a bad sign?

You cutting down your response to fit the time should be okay, as they got the main idea of it.

Alsoo, I saw a TikTok of someone who assess VI’s saying that leaving time at the end is actually seen as a good thing. Because it shows you don’t waffle to fill in time, and can be calm under pressure.

 

[BobThebIlly]

You cutting down your response to fit the time should be okay, as they got the main idea of it.

Alsoo, I saw a TikTok of someone who assess VI’s saying that leaving time at the end is actually seen as a good thing. Because it shows you don’t waffle to fill in time, and can be calm under pressure.

YESSS THANKS FOR BRINGING MY SMILE BACK NOVAA

 

[marisachr]

Anyone heard post WFW VI and Kennedys VI?

 

[TheSaulGoodman]

Cleary WG invite, also did Goodwin VI today I have no idea how to feel about it

Same...completely ran out of time on the last q

 

[Novaa]

YESSS THANKS FOR BRINGING MY SMILE BACK NOVAA

I GOT YOU BOBTHEBILLY!!

 

[IWillGetATC]

is milbank stage 2 a WG or something else? did stage 1 on monday, got stage 2 invite tuesday. thank you!!!

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

I attended one of the application webinars they hosted and somebody asked something similar. Rik Palmer, one of the grad rec team bascially described it as they categorise people at each stage of the process. He didn't go into too much detail but essentially something like Exceptional, Very Good, Good, Average, Poor. etc.

E.g like this. Person A applied in September, Person B applied in November. Person A had a 'Good' written application' so they're put on hold for a bit. Person B has an 'Exceptional' so even though they applied two months later, they're progressed to test + VI straight away. But now Person B had a 'Poor' SJT + VI performance, so they are rejected/put on hold, and they'll now go back to Person A and progress them through etc.

He specifically mentioned plenty of people categorised lower at application stage, make it through the whole process and secure places on the scheme, because they perform well on the other components. It's generally a matter of waiting until higher scoring people progress/fail. Hence why some people have vac scheme offers, and some people have been waiting for months. Not a great feeling of course, but does not = PFO at all.

Got it, I've been thinking that way before that's why I wasn't horribly waiting for the test invite as I am probably fall in either good or average. This might applies to other firms too, take good side of it that we can practice longer than prior invites.