TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[tc2026]

what type of test does Clyde & Co use please? is it amberjack?

 

[tc2026]

CMS are taking soooo long to reply, sigh

 

[user123987]

CMS are taking soooo long to reply, sigh

We will probably hear back next week, slightly annoying since basically everyone has heard back from them.

 

[ggbj]

is milbank stage 2 test rolling or have I been given the finger? hahaha
I knew I fucked up one of the writing responses but I saw someone on this forum had said milbank don't look at the written responses until after stage 2... so if I didn't get stage 2 I must have failed the SJT which actually #feelsbadman.

I applied on the deadline though.

 

[elle woods]

would grad rec find it weird if I submit my application at 4am

 

[Laurel Lance - Black Canary]

would grad rec find it weird if I submit my application at 4am

No. I submitted some of my OD apps in early morning between 3-5am when I was outside of the UK

 

[elle woods]

No. I submitted some of my OD apps in early morning between 3-5am when I was outside of the UK

oh righttt forgot other time zones exist 😂

 

[ellamai0]

I think there are some fair points here. From the vac schemers perspective it's pretty disheartening to go through the whole process and then not get the TC even if you're good enough. It's happened to me.

But I think these statements are quite entitled. You don't deserve a TC just because you got onto the Vac Scheme. If that were the case, the Vac Scheme would serve no purpose.

Vac schemes are meant to be internships. Real experience. You sit in a department and do work on live deals and cases. You have free reign to bombard associates and partners with coffee chat requests. It looks really good on your CV. Sure, they're also job interviews, but if you want to be a commercial lawyer then you should be more than happy with that opportunity.

Second, vac schemes are another stage in the recruitment process that (are supposed to) test how you fit with the firm, how well you can organise and manage a diary and a chance to prove yourself with actual work. There's a lot you could learn from your mistakes on a vac scheme. To say that "most feedback [post VS] is arbitrary" is a very fixed mindset approach.

Depending on the firm, the pre-vac interview process is not always so rigorous that firms shouldn't be allowed to be selective on a vac scheme - application questions can be ghostwritten or ChatGPT'd, you can easily cheat watson glasers, interviews can go well or badly based on luck. Milbank, for example, only has a 30min 1-to-1 partner interview to get onto the vac scheme. The recruiters get to know you more properly on a vac scheme, and some firms tend to be a bit more picky about 'culture fit' (though I agree that's mostly bullshit).

Finally, what's the alternative? If firms upped the conversion rates then that would just mean that fewer people get on the vac scheme and have the chance to prove themselves, and there would just be more competition to begin with. Ask youself this: if you had no city law work experience and were offered a vac scheme at a top law firm, but were told you're not going to get the return offer, would you not take it?

I think you’ve misunderstood. My point was that a TC offer should be available to every candidate that ‘performs well’, not just every candidate.

What you’ve failed to acknowledge in your argument is that candidates who go through the DTC route go through the same ‘not always so rigorous’ process you have mentioned (dependent on the firm) and receive TC offers off the back of that. They do not have to prove themselves to the firm during work experience. Does that make them lesser than a VS scheme applicant who has? Food for thought.

Vacation schemes with low conversion rates can be off putting to candidates because they could go through the exact same vetting process as a DTC candidate and not receive a training contract. That’s not to say the DTC bar may or may not be higher, but the point being you may have a better chance of converting a DTC interview than a VS because of a numbers game rather than your performance, which in my opinion does not make sense.

Although you do make a good point, the experience is definitely valuable and I wouldn’t turn it down. But what I would do is apply for the direct TC route if the conversion rate was evidently higher. But everyone’s situation is different. I am fortunate enough to have a plethora of work experience at different city firms, so I speak from a different place to a candidate with a shorter CV.

 

[ellamai0]

I think grad rec lied to you. They took around 40-50 in 2024, and 60-70 in 2023.

Freshfields overhired in previous years, lots of people deferred their TCs, and then legal AI came along and they predicted they wouldn't need as many trainees. That's why they did the King LLM thingy.

On a side note, I have very negative things to say about Freshfields grad rec. But I'm gonna hold myself back.

Interesting, if that statement was fabricated, I wonder why🤔

 

[zonnonomo]

lowkenuinely how this forum gets me before i recall im jobless 😭

 

[zonnonomo]

Does anybody have any AC advice, i don't feel like I'm good or competent enough to do it at all

I've been crashing out all week..

one last run jojo!!!!! TRUST and lock in dont let the scaries tell you these lies❌❌ i'll be rooting for u from out here 🤜

 

[abc124]

what type of test does Clyde & Co use please? is it amberjack?

it’s a standard cappfinity sjt + critical reasoning

 

[Bread]

Any guidance on the V&E CV length? Cover letter says no more than two sides of A4, should the same apply for CV or should it be on one page? I'm wondering bc there is no work experience section and I would like to include open days etc

 

[msclm]

Does anyone know if Sidley has an online test at all? Can’t find much info about the process post-application online!

It’s an online application, then shortlisted for HR interview, then shortlisted again for the partner interview

 

[shays]

anyone has any insight into WFW VI? How many questions/types/prep time? thanks

 

[nbjani]

anyone has any insight into WFW VI? How many questions/types/prep time? thanks

I'm yet to do mine but earlier responses to this question say that it's minimal prep time (like 20-30 seconds I think), plus like 4 questions?

 

[Gottagetthroughthis101]

Just wanted to ask for a bit of advice if possible. I want to apply to W&C for their vs and I know their deadline for apps closes on Monday. I could also apply for their DTC but I only have one previous vac scheme and it’s not at a US firm or MC firm. I have loads of non-legal experience however. Does anyone know how w&c recruit (i.e are they more vs) and if they do take a decent DTC intake, would only having one vac scheme disadvantage me? Thanks for your help all.

 

[Novaa]

Just wanted to ask for a bit of advice if possible. I want to apply to W&C for their vs and I know their deadline for apps closes on Monday. I could also apply for their DTC but I only have one previous vac scheme and it’s not at a US firm or MC firm. I have loads of non-legal experience however. Does anyone know how w&c recruit (i.e are they more vs) and if they do take a decent DTC intake, would only having one vac scheme disadvantage me? Thanks for your help all.

Would also like to know this!!

Currently sick and idk if I can push through for that application lol.

 

[plsgivemetc]

Just wanted to ask for a bit of advice if possible. I want to apply to W&C for their vs and I know their deadline for apps closes on Monday. I could also apply for their DTC but I only have one previous vac scheme and it’s not at a US firm or MC firm. I have loads of non-legal experience however. Does anyone know how w&c recruit (i.e are they more vs) and if they do take a decent DTC intake, would only having one vac scheme disadvantage me? Thanks for your help all.

Would also like to know this!!

Currently sick and idk if I can push through for that application lol.

on their website it says they recruit approx 80% of trainees from vac schemes

 

[Novaa]

on their website it says they recruit approx 80% of trainees from vac schemes

Welp, let me go get some paracetamol.

Thank you for confirming!!