TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock thank you for your continued help!!

Would you say it would be a good idea to email my supervisors prior to the vacation scheme, introducing myself and asking whether there are any steps they'd like me to take to prepare for the week?

For reference, I have two associates as supervisors and one trainee buddy. If emailing is a good idea, do you recommend contacting all three individuals?

Thank you in advance for your insight.

Hey!

Of course, no problem at all!

I think there will be mixed opinions on this, and personally I think it is a nice idea in principle, but I'd be a bit measured about it.

In most cases, supervisors won't expect (or need) you to reach out in advance unless you have been explicitly told to contact them by graduate recruitment. They'll usually be busy, and the scheme is already structured with the assumption that you will be onboarded and introduced to supervisors on day one. If you do want to send something, I would keep it very simple and brief. A short introductory email to your trainee buddy is probably the safest option - they are much more likely to reply and give practical tips in advance, and they might appreciate the initiative!

For the associates, I would generally leave it unless you have a specific question that you would like to ask. If you do email them, I'd keep it brief and wouldn't necessarily ask about any preparation you can do in advance - something along the lines of a polite introduction and that you are looking forward to working with them should be fine.

I think the key part is striking the right balance between being proactive and not overdoing it - you'll have plenty of time to make a strong impression once the scheme actually starts, and there might not be much specific prep you can do for your supervisor anyway!

Best of luck with the vacation scheme, I hope it goes well!!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock and everyone. I have a first round interview for a paralegal position at an international law firm. Do you or anyone have any advice on how to best prepare/ what to expect. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Hey!

Congratulations on the interview invite!

For a first round interview, I'd say that the focus is likely to be less on technical legal knowledge and more on your motivation towards the firm/work and your ability to operate in a professional environment. However, I've found in past paralegal interviews that they can sometimes ask you some brief technical questions based on the area of law / practice area you are interviewing for - for example, I was asked about the difference between freehold and leasehold for a paralegal interview in a Real Estate team.

The key thing is to be very clear on your "why" for various questions - for example, why this firm specifically, why a paralegal role (rather than a training contract, at least at this moment in time), and what you are hoping to gain from the experience. I would try to reference things that have drawn you to the firm, such as its practice areas, clients, or anything distinctive about its work, and find a way to link this back to your skills and past experiences.

You will almost certainly get a few competency-style questions, so it is worth preparing a few strong examples that you can adapt to different questions. I always used to create a mini bank of my experiences, and I would make a note of the competencies and skills that I could discuss in each one - I found this was a useful reference point, and helped me ensure that I was talking about a wide range of experiences. In terms of what to prepare for, I'd think about times you've handled pressure, balanced multiple deadlines, worked in a team, or dealt with a challenging situation. It is important to keep your answers structured and focused, but not too rehearsed (which I appreciate is a tricky balance!).

It is also important to show that you understand what the role actually involves day-to-day, and why you are interested in it. It'll differ depending on what practice area you are interviewing for, but paralegal work will often include things such as document review, legal research, bundling, and general support for fee earners. I would therefore try to demonstrate that you are detailed-oriented, reliable, and organised, ideally with evidence from your past experiences.

In terms of commercial awareness, I don't think they'll expect anything too in-depth at this stage, but it is always helpful to have at least one recent legal or commercial story that you can talk about and, if possible, link it back to the firm's work or its clients.

Finally, I wouldn't underestimate how much they are assessing whether you would be pleasant and easy to work with. I conducted a few paralegal interviews during my placement year, and being personable and engaged can make such a big difference and leave a really strong impression!

Wishing you the best of luck - I'm sure you'll do great!

 

[TCComingSoon]

Anyone not heard from SH post VI.

 

[Hanzeeb]

Hey!

Congratulations on the interview invite!

For a first round interview, I'd say that the focus is likely to be less on technical legal knowledge and more on your motivation towards the firm/work and your ability to operate in a professional environment. However, I've found in past paralegal interviews that they can sometimes ask you some brief technical questions based on the area of law / practice area you are interviewing for - for example, I was asked about the difference between freehold and leasehold for a paralegal interview in a Real Estate team.

The key thing is to be very clear on your "why" for various questions - for example, why this firm specifically, why a paralegal role (rather than a training contract, at least at this moment in time), and what you are hoping to gain from the experience. I would try to reference things that have drawn you to the firm, such as its practice areas, clients, or anything distinctive about its work, and find a way to link this back to your skills and past experiences.

You will almost certainly get a few competency-style questions, so it is worth preparing a few strong examples that you can adapt to different questions. I always used to create a mini bank of my experiences, and I would make a note of the competencies and skills that I could discuss in each one - I found this was a useful reference point, and helped me ensure that I was talking about a wide range of experiences. In terms of what to prepare for, I'd think about times you've handled pressure, balanced multiple deadlines, worked in a team, or dealt with a challenging situation. It is important to keep your answers structured and focused, but not too rehearsed (which I appreciate is a tricky balance!).

It is also important to show that you understand what the role actually involves day-to-day, and why you are interested in it. It'll differ depending on what practice area you are interviewing for, but paralegal work will often include things such as document review, legal research, bundling, and general support for fee earners. I would therefore try to demonstrate that you are detailed-oriented, reliable, and organised, ideally with evidence from your past experiences.

In terms of commercial awareness, I don't think they'll expect anything too in-depth at this stage, but it is always helpful to have at least one recent legal or commercial story that you can talk about and, if possible, link it back to the firm's work or its clients.

Finally, I wouldn't underestimate how much they are assessing whether you would be pleasant and easy to work with. I conducted a few paralegal interviews during my placement year, and being personable and engaged can make such a big difference and leave a really strong impression!

Wishing you the best of luck - I'm sure you'll do great!

Thank you so much!!

 

[nicoledm]

@Abbie Whitlock

Hi Abbie! Hope you're doing well!

I have an upcoming AC where we have to do an intray exercise. I've never done one of these before, and I'm not 100% certain about how to prepare for it and how to approach it in the AC, I was wondering if you have any tips?

Thank you!

 

[TCLAuser2002]

Hey! Is the Video Interview element automatic for Perkins Coie Vacation scheme?

 

[MZJxLadha]

Hey! Is the Video Interview element automatic for Perkins Coie Vacation scheme?

Yes, it’s new for this year. One question

 

[Leader of the Night Watch of the Contractless]

Hey!

Congratulations on the AC invite, that is fantastic news!! Totally understandable to be nervous, but I'm sure you'll do great

Whilst I don't have any specific Ward Hadaway AC insights, I have written a few previous posts on the tasks that you have outlined - I have quoted them below. If you have any follow-up questions, just shout - wishing you the best of luck!!

Giving you a dragon egg for Easter, in accordance with the gifting guidelines of Westeros!

 

[alanshore]

Has anyone done DLA Piper's Law Unlocked event before? Would you say it's worth it to attend?

 

[CupOfTea17]

BB VI done. Short but couple got me nervous I stumbled a bit rip

Hey! I hope it well! I am about to do mine but I was just wondering whether there were any commercial based questions. I.e. tell us a news story you think might impact the firm
Obviously no worries if you don't want to share!
I hope you hear good news )

 

[aliiiisonxooox]

Hi everyone and hi @Abbie Whitlock. Thanks for your help to my previous question, it was very insightful.

I have another Question: how old does a competency interview example can be. For example, tell me about a time you worked within a team. My example is very valuable from a moot competition, but it is about 4 years old. I only have worked 1 legal paralegal job- so I used this one for many competency wuestions, I’m trying to have varied examples as the feedback I got given before as that I keep using the same examples. Would 4 years old example be too old? ( they don’t know I’m not telling them I just say I participated in uni @ moot competition)

And also, how long would you recommend spending on a question? I always get told I’m not too concise. And I need to be more specific. So would 1 minute 30 seconds be good, or should I cut it to 1 minute?

Thanks in advance

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock

Hi Abbie! Hope you're doing well!

I have an upcoming AC where we have to do an intray exercise. I've never done one of these before, and I'm not 100% certain about how to prepare for it and how to approach it in the AC, I was wondering if you have any tips?

Thank you!

Hi!

I am doing well, thank you - hope you are too! Congratulations on the AC invite, that is amazing news!!

I haven't actually completed an in-tray exercise before either, but I've had a look online and I'll share how I would personally approach this sort of exercise!

For an in-tray exercise, the firm is essentially testing how you manage a busy inbox as a trainee - therefore, things like prioritisation, attention to detail, commercial awareness, and communication will all be key traits that you'll want to display.

In terms of preparation, I would try to practise by quickly reading and extracting key information from documents or emails, and then making decisions based on that. You don't necessarily need legal knowledge, but I do think it is important to be comfortable identifying what is urgent vs important, spotting risks, and thinking about logical next steps.

On the day, my approach would be to:

• Read everything once through fairly quickly to get the overall picture
• Then go back and prioritise tasks accordingly (for example, urgent / time-sensitive / client-facing first)
• Be clear and structured in any responses - even things like bullet points could work if they are concise and logical
• Always explain the reasoning briefly if the format of the assessment allows it (e.g. why something is prioritised or why a risk has been flagged).

I would also keep an eye out for small details, such as deadlines, attachments, or any inconsistencies - firms might use these to test your accuracy and attention to detail.

Ultimately, I think it is important to try not to overthink it, as they'll be looking for a sensible and structured approach, rather than perfection.

Good luck - I'm sure you'll smash it!!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Giving you a dragon egg for Easter, in accordance with the gifting guidelines of Westeros!

Is it bad that I had to Google what Westeros was....

I am honoured, thank you!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi everyone and hi @Abbie Whitlock. Thanks for your help to my previous question, it was very insightful.

I have another Question: how old does a competency interview example can be. For example, tell me about a time you worked within a team. My example is very valuable from a moot competition, but it is about 4 years old. I only have worked 1 legal paralegal job- so I used this one for many competency wuestions, I’m trying to have varied examples as the feedback I got given before as that I keep using the same examples. Would 4 years old example be too old? ( they don’t know I’m not telling them I just say I participated in uni @ moot competition)

And also, how long would you recommend spending on a question? I always get told I’m not too concise. And I need to be more specific. So would 1 minute 30 seconds be good, or should I cut it to 1 minute?

Thanks in advance

Hey!

I'm glad I could help!!

On your first question, I would say that an example from 4 years ago is absolutely fine. The main thing that the interviewer will care about is the quality and relevance of the example, particularly in relation to the question being asked, not when it happened. A moot competition is a great example for competencies such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, so definitely don't feel like you can't use it just because it is older!

The feedback that you have had about varying your examples is important (and I've received similar in the past), as even if one example is strong, using it repeatedly can limit how much your skillset is showing. I would try to build a small "bank" of 4-6 examples that you can rotate between - for example, your paralegal role, the moot, maybe something from university, extracurriculars, or any non-legal work. It is completely fine if not all of them are legal - most of my interview examples are from when I worked at Subway! Firms care more about the competency than the context, so I would focus on the reflections you can make from those experiences.

On timing, I'd say that 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds per answer is a good target. If you have been told to be more concise, I'd aim closer to 1 minute (as you might end up speaking a little longer anyway) and focus on being sharp and concise, rather than detailed. A structure that might help is:

• Brief context (a few sentences)
• What you specifically did (this should be the bulk of your answer)
• Clear result + what you learned (i.e. what reflections and insights did you gain)

Ultimately, the interviewer might ask follow up questions, which gives you a chance to go into more detail!

I hope that helps!!