• Hey Guest, Have an interview coming up? We’ve opened new mock interview slots this week. Book here
  • TCLA Premium: Now half price (£30/month). Applications, interviews, commercial awareness + 700+ examples.
    Join →

TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

well it was 24 questions in 36 mins - but that is very deceptive once you actually look at the types of questions you’re being asked. multi-step maths calculations and deductive reasoning with lots of dates and sequence like structures. the questions get harder as you progress.
I can't say without seeing them, but probably there were some sneaky tricks to some of the questions without necessarily requiring you to complete calculations (rapid processes of elimination/data cancelling / mathematical improbabilities from the data given) - assuming it was a multiple choice question.

Of course, it could just be an insanely difficult test that very few people can complete in time/ with accuracy.
 
I can't say without seeing them, but probably there were some sneaky tricks to some of the questions without necessarily requiring you to complete calculations (rapid processes of elimination/data cancelling / mathematical improbabilities from the data given) - assuming it was a multiple choice question.

Of course, it could just be an insanely difficult test that very few people can complete in time/ with accuracy.
I feel with amberjack after doing it a couple of times you definitely spot shortcuts on the maths questions!
 
I can't say without seeing them, but probably there were some sneaky tricks to some of the questions without necessarily requiring you to complete calculations (rapid processes of elimination/data cancelling / mathematical improbabilities from the data given) - assuming it was a multiple choice question.

Of course, it could just be an insanely difficult test that very few people can complete in time/ with accuracy.
Believe me, I would love it if that were the case, but it was just an insanely difficult test. It was an SHL test.
I feel with amberjack after doing it a couple of times you definitely spot shortcuts on the maths questions!
I say that having done A Level maths and also having seen the questions for the admissions test for medical school in the UK (my sibling is applying to med school) and the questions in this test were on par if not harder than them.
 
Believe me, I would love it if that were the case, but it was just an insanely difficult test. It was an SHL test.

I say that having done A Level maths and also having seen the questions for the admissions test for medical school in the UK (my sibling is applying to med school) and the questions in this test were on par if not harder than them.
They have lots of practice tests on their website.
It's a tough test and time management is key - for example, you should just choose an answer and move on if you are short on time.
 
Believe me, I would love it if that were the case, but it was just an insanely difficult test. It was an SHL test.

I say that having done A Level maths and also having seen the questions for the admissions test for medical school in the UK (my sibling is applying to med school) and the questions in this test were on par if not harder than them.
Yes if it’s the SHL maths they were step up from other maths orientated questions I’ve seen.
 
Ok so I’m panicking before my DLA AC now. How does one prepare for the interview? Drill down on why law, why firm, why me?
I would suggest making a brief chart and bullet-point those!
I made a sheet before my ac about what I like about the firm, a shortened easier version of why law, area(s)/ sectors of the firm I am interested at + maybe a deal or a case you have been following
And since my last ac was strength-based, I just had a few of my personal stories in hand and labelled them (e.g. Story A - teamwork, time management) so I know what I would talk about if they ask :)
 
Anyone got any tips on how to approach this question for W&C? (the fact that it's rolling and I'm doing it the day before the deadline accurately represents my mental state right now 🤣)

'Discuss a deal that White & Case has advised on in the last two years. What do you think were the strategic considerations and complexities involved, and how did the firm navigate them? (Max 300 words)'

My commercial awareness is a bit rubbish so whilst I can identify a deal that interests me etc, I am finding it a bit harder to pull out any strategic considerations/complexities. Any tips or tricks greatly appreciated!
 
Hi guys! I'm currently filling in the Travers Smith application, and I'm a bit stuck figuring out how to deal with the cover letter. There's a couple of things I'm a bit confused about:

1. How long do you reckon the cover letter should be? The word limit on the application form is 1000 words, and there's a post a couple of years ago from @TCLA Community Assistant (who really knows her stuff!) saying that, generally speaking, successful Travers Smith cover letters are about 700-850 words long. However, Travers Smith's own website suggests that the cover letter should be "ideally no longer than one side of A4". Therefore, would it be wise instead to write a shorter cover letter, and if so, how short do you reckon it should be?

2. Ordinarily, when writing a cover letter, I write my address in the top right-hand corner of the letter. However, there's no way of doing this on the Travers Smith application form, as you just write your letter into a standard text box on Vantage (much the same way with any other application question on Vantage), instead of, say, writing your letter in Microsoft Word and uploading it to the application portal. Therefore, would I be right in assuming that candidates don't need to include their address (or the firm's address) in the cover letter?

If anyone has any feedback or advice (no matter how small), I'd be super grateful! :)
 
Anyone got any tips on how to approach this question for W&C? (the fact that it's rolling and I'm doing it the day before the deadline accurately represents my mental state right now 🤣)

'Discuss a deal that White & Case has advised on in the last two years. What do you think were the strategic considerations and complexities involved, and how did the firm navigate them? (Max 300 words)'

My commercial awareness is a bit rubbish so whilst I can identify a deal that interests me etc, I am finding it a bit harder to pull out any strategic considerations/complexities. Any tips or tricks greatly appreciated!
A lot of it is just figuring out what surrounds the area. For me, I have a slightly niche interest in green bonds, having worked in ESG realms quite a bit. That then meant my research pertained to questions such as: What part of the bond issuance were they involved with? Who are the parties they interact with? What are the mechanics of an issuance? What are the main issues they are likely to face?

Essentially, almost build a set of questions for yourself of "Well, how does this actually work?" and then conduct your research from there to figure out how this applies to a legal team (and their advice in particular) - often this is helped by them naming who worked on a deal, or which teams were involved.
 
  • 🤝
Reactions: whywhy88
Hi guys! I'm currently filling in the Travers Smith application, and I'm a bit stuck figuring out how to deal with the cover letter. There's a couple of things I'm a bit confused about:

1. How long do you reckon the cover letter should be? The word limit on the application form is 1000 words, and there's a post a couple of years ago from @TCLA Community Assistant (who really knows her stuff!) saying that, generally speaking, successful Travers Smith cover letters are about 700-850 words long. However, Travers Smith's own website suggests that the cover letter should be "ideally no longer than one side of A4". Therefore, would it be wise instead to write a shorter cover letter, and if so, how short do you reckon it should be?

2. Ordinarily, when writing a cover letter, I write my address in the top right-hand corner of the letter. However, there's no way of doing this on the Travers Smith application form, as you just write your letter into a standard text box on Vantage (much the same way with any other application question on Vantage), instead of, say, writing your letter in Microsoft Word and uploading it to the application portal. Therefore, would I be right in assuming that candidates don't need to include their address (or the firm's address) in the cover letter?

If anyone has any feedback or advice (no matter how small), I'd be super grateful! :)
Not that I have any experience in this but I did mine 1000 words. The word count is there might as well use it to sell myself the best I can. That’s how I see it.
 
Not sure what exactly I'm looking for lol but has anyone absolutely done awful horrible at an AC but been successful at getting a VS? I feel like I messed up a major part (like one exercise out of three but I think they value this exercise the most) and idk if they'll offer a VS after that. Good luck to everyone else with ACs - you've got this!! : )
 

About Us

The Corporate Law Academy (TCLA) was founded in 2018 because we wanted to improve the legal journey. We wanted more transparency and better training. We wanted to form a community of aspiring lawyers who care about becoming the best version of themselves.

Get Our 2026 Vacation Scheme Guide

Nail your vacation scheme applications this year with our latest guide, with sample answers to law firm questions.