TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey guys, I had a final interview for a firm last Tuesday, and I’m sure they said they said I would hear end of that week, so Friday just gone. I still haven’t heard back, so I’m really concerned. I’m not sure if perhaps I misheard and they said end of next week. Has anyone received good news later than the stipulated deadline? Trying not to panic too much aha

Hey!

I completely get why you are feeling anxious, but I would try not to read too much into it yet. Firms miss their own timelines more often than you'd think (usually from things outside of graduate recruitments control), and delays can happen for loads of reasons unrelated to the outcome.

Whilst I personally haven't, I've definitely seen people receive good news after the original date they were given, so being a few days late doesn't automatically mean it is bad news. If you still haven't heard by later this week, there is no harm in sending a polite follow-up email.

Fingers crossed for you - I appreciate the waiting is the hardest part!

 

[Futuretrainee002]

Hey

I am really sorry to hear this - I actually didn't convert any of my vacation schemes last cycle either, so I can really relate to that feeling of walking away thinking you did everything you could and still not getting the outcome you hoped for.

From what you have said though, it sounds like you have got a huge amount out of the scheme - pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, building relationships across teams, getting sought out for work, and feeling proud of the quality of what you produced are all really positive signs. Those are not small achievements and they don't disappear because of one decision, so I'd still be proud of how far you have come!

I know it is tough to hear right now (and I'll admit that people saying this to me last cycle sometimes annoyed me too!), but I do think everything happens for a reason and you do end up somewhere that is a better fit for you. Vacation scheme rejections are especially difficult because they can feel more personal after spending time at the firm and picturing yourself there, but they are also incredibly competitive (sometimes more than you might think beforehand!) and often come down to fit and things outside your control.

I really would try not to let this make you doubt your abilities. You have already shown that you can secure multiple vacation schemes and make a strong impression on those around you, which isn't easy to do! I appreciate that this wasn't the outcome you wanted, and it is completely valid to wallow in that for a little bit, but it has still moved you one step closer to the TC offer that is right for you.

Despite the fact that I failed to convert my vacation schemes last cycle, I was successful in the only DTC application I made and it feels like the best fit for me out of all the firms (despite how I might have felt post-VS!). I know that probably doesn't make the disappointment any easier right now, but I hope it's some reassurance that not converting a VS doesn't stop you ending up somewhere that you can thrive

Thank you for your kind words Abbie!

 

[Chriss]

Hey guys, I was wondering something. When they ask if you have any links with the firm, what links can that include?

 

[Annalise Keating]

Hey @Abbie Whitlock,

I am a long-time observer but first-time commenter on this forum. Thanks to everyone who comments, as it has been super helpful over the years!

Basically, I had two in-house internships lined up (one 10-week and one 12-month) after fighting tooth and nail for them. But both have fallen through this year due to reasons beyond my control. I am at a loss about what my next step should be.

I have applied for other positions (albeit sparingly because of being extremely bummed out), making sure they are tailored and that I am actually interested in the work. I have also been networking hard to see if there are any opportunities someone can refer me to. However, no luck yet

I am now a graduate, so some VSs and even open days in private practice exclude me at this stage. Any tips to land some sort of role this year would be appreciated. Further, is it even worthwhile mentioning these opportunities in future applications to explain the gap in my resume? If so, where?

Edit: I am currently volunteering and working retail.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey guys, I was wondering something. When they ask if you have any links with the firm, what links can that include?

Hey!

I think it depends on the firm, but my understanding is that this question is usually asking about personal or professional connections to the firm. That could include things like:

• Family members working at the firm
• Close friends or personal contacts at the firm
• Being referred by someone at the firm (less likely for TC/VS apps)
• Previous employment or a formal connection with the firm
• Involvement through mentoring schemes or university partnerships where there is an ongoing relationship

Generally, firms ask this for conflict checking or context rather than because having links is expected. If you are unsure whether something counts, I'd email the graduate recruitment team or lean towards disclosing it just in case

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey @Abbie Whitlock,

I am a long-time observer but first-time commenter on this forum. Thanks to everyone who comments, as it has been super helpful over the years!

Basically, I had two in-house internships lined up (one 10-week and one 12-month) after fighting tooth and nail for them. But both have fallen through this year due to reasons beyond my control. I am at a loss about what my next step should be.

I have applied for other positions (albeit sparingly because of being extremely bummed out), making sure they are tailored and that I am actually interested in the work. I have also been networking hard to see if there are any opportunities someone can refer me to. However, no luck yet

I am now a graduate, so some VSs and even open days in private practice exclude me at this stage. Any tips to land some sort of role this year would be appreciated. Further, is it even worthwhile mentioning these opportunities in future applications to explain the gap in my resume? If so, where?

Edit: I am currently volunteering and working retail.

Hi!

Firstly, I'm really sorry to hear that happened as it sounds incredibly frustrating, especially after securing not one but two opportunities and then having both fall through for reasons outside your control.

From what you have written, I think you are doing a lot of the right things already - being selective with applications (+ making them tailored), continuing to network, volunteering, and working rather than waiting passively for something to appear.

In terms of next steps, I would perhaps widen the net slightly beyond just formal legal roles or internships. Depending on your longer-term goal, I'd have a look at:
- Legal assistant / paralegal roles (including fixed-term or temp positions)
- In-house legal operations / compliance / contracts roles
- Graduate schemes that have a legal or commercial element
- Smaller firms and off-cycle opportunities that recruit ad hoc, rather than in a set cycle

I would also add that it doesn't necessarily have to be a legal role in a big commercial firm to be worthwhile! Even an admin or assistant role, whether in a law firm or another professional environment, can still help you build a lot of the skills firms look for in trainees (such as attention to detail, organisation, and taking ownership of work). I was an admin paralegal at a boutique commercial property firm for my placement year, and the things I learnt in that year were so valuable when I was making applications last cycle.

I also wouldn't write off vacation schemes or open days completely, as there are still plenty that are open to graduates - it might be worth taking a look at direct TC applications too!

In relation to mentioning the opportunities later, I probably wouldn't frame it as explaining a gap in your CV as the volunteering and retail already mean there isn't really a gap. However, if relevant, you could mention briefly in an application's additional information section that you had secured those internships but they were cancelled/deferred externally. I'd just make sure that you keep it factual and short, as you are using it to provide context rather than as a justification.

Lastly, securing both a 10-week and a 12-month internship suggests your applications were already doing really well! I know it probably doesn't feel like it right now, but that is evidence that you are a competitive candidate, even if the timing has been rough.

Wishing you the best of luck - please do feel free to keep posting here, as I'm sure people will share any information that is useful!

 

[Annalise Keating]

Hi!

Firstly, I'm really sorry to hear that happened as it sounds incredibly frustrating, especially after securing not one but two opportunities and then having both fall through for reasons outside your control.

From what you have written, I think you are doing a lot of the right things already - being selective with applications (+ making them tailored), continuing to network, volunteering, and working rather than waiting passively for something to appear.

In terms of next steps, I would perhaps widen the net slightly beyond just formal legal roles or internships. Depending on your longer-term goal, I'd have a look at:
- Legal assistant / paralegal roles (including fixed-term or temp positions)
- In-house legal operations / compliance / contracts roles
- Graduate schemes that have a legal or commercial element
- Smaller firms and off-cycle opportunities that recruit ad hoc, rather than in a set cycle

I would also add that it doesn't necessarily have to be a legal role in a big commercial firm to be worthwhile! Even an admin or assistant role, whether in a law firm or another professional environment, can still help you build a lot of the skills firms look for in trainees (such as attention to detail, organisation, and taking ownership of work). I was an admin paralegal at a boutique commercial property firm for my placement year, and the things I learnt in that year were so valuable when I was making applications last cycle.

I also wouldn't write off vacation schemes or open days completely, as there are still plenty that are open to graduates - it might be worth taking a look at direct TC applications too!

In relation to mentioning the opportunities later, I probably wouldn't frame it as explaining a gap in your CV as the volunteering and retail already mean there isn't really a gap. However, if relevant, you could mention briefly in an application's additional information section that you had secured those internships but they were cancelled/deferred externally. I'd just make sure that you keep it factual and short, as you are using it to provide context rather than as a justification.

Lastly, securing both a 10-week and a 12-month internship suggests your applications were already doing really well! I know it probably doesn't feel like it right now, but that is evidence that you are a competitive candidate, even if the timing has been rough.

Wishing you the best of luck - please do feel free to keep posting here, as I'm sure people will share any information that is useful!

Thank you for all your advice and kind words, Abbie. I feel much more confident about the next steps to take.

 

[badmintonflyinginsect]

Hi - I'm a final-year Law student at Oxbridge with my current grades at 63% average (with MC, may or may not disclose). Did a previous VS with Weil. Does anyone have an idea of which firms would be good targets for me? I seem to get rejected post-application mostly, and reckon it might be a grade filter.

 

[billyonthespeeddial]

Hi - I'm a final-year Law student at Oxbridge with my current grades at 63% average (with MC, may or may not disclose). Did a previous VS with Weil. Does anyone have an idea of which firms would be good targets for me? I seem to get rejected post-application mostly, and reckon it might be a grade filter.

Really unlikely to be a "filter" unless it's firms that are quite open about basically expecting a 67%+ as a minimum (like Slaughters and Jones Day). Weil VS will be impressive. Focus on improving your written answers and after that it's a numbers game.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi - I'm a final-year Law student at Oxbridge with my current grades at 63% average (with MC, may or may not disclose). Did a previous VS with Weil. Does anyone have an idea of which firms would be good targets for me? I seem to get rejected post-application mostly, and reckon it might be a grade filter.

Hey!

I'd definitely echo what @billyonthespeeddial has said and I personally wouldn't assume that grades are going to be an issue here.

Apart from the relatively small number of firms that place a certain heavy emphasis on academics, I think you would be competitive across a broad range of firms - especially give that you are studying law at Oxbridge and have a VS at Weil on your CV. Those are both strong signals of academic ability and experience, even if your average isn't where you would ideally like it to be.

If you are finding that rejections are mostly coming post-application, my instinct would actually be to look quite closely at the written applications themselves rather than narrowing your target list too much. I'd focus on:
1. Making sure each application has a really clear and specific "why this firm"
2. Reflecting deeply on your experiences rather than just listing them
3. Using the Weil experience as evidence of insight, rather than an achievement in itself (although it is!).

In particular, in relation to the Weil scheme, I would spend some time thinking about:
1. What surprised you during the scheme
2. What you learned about commercial law in practice
3. What skills you developed
4. What the experience confirmed (or challenged) about your interests
5. How you are carrying those insights forward into future applications

A previous VS can be incredibly valuable if you use it as a source of reflection and self-awareness, particularly if you show the steps you have taken to improve since.

There are still some firms where academics play a bigger role than others, but based on what you have written, I wouldn't rule yourself out of most firms at this stage

 

[CharlieandLola]

I just did the Macfarlanes stiumulate assessment. During the written task grammerly kept coming up even when I turned it off. Could that impact my ability to pass or could they see that as Using external tools?

 

[ridetolegal]

Hey Abbie, im struggling with commercial awareness for my VS, im not sure if its too late but I dont know what im expected to know before my scheme!

 

[Lawyer8]

I just did the Macfarlanes stiumulate assessment. During the written task grammerly kept coming up even when I turned it off. Could that impact my ability to pass or could they see that as Using external tools?

I don’t think they’ll be able to see that unless you have granted them access to your laptop? Not sure though! Was there a Video Interview part as well?

 

[FutureLawyer_]

Hey guys, just looking for some tips/motivation.


I’ve just had my second assessment centre this cycle, and unfortunately I didn’t get it. Overall, that makes it my fourth AC across two application cycles, and two of those ACs were with Magic Circle firms. I graduated recently, but only started applying properly in my final year and postgraduate year.


I’m struggling to understand why I can’t seem to get past the final stages of these schemes. I can give myself the benefit of the doubt for the first two, as I was very new to assessment centres and didn’t really know what to expect. However, the last two this cycle genuinely felt like they went well.


For the first one, the feedback felt quite vague. The interview started around 20 minutes late due to an error on their side, and after a 2.5-hour AC, I was told I could have given “one slightly better example” for one question and that, in the role-play exercise, I could have suggested emailing the pilot scheme out to the wider team.


For the most recent one, I haven’t received feedback yet. When I asked, they said they would check and let me know, which was disappointing considering it was the fourth and final round. I came away feeling positive because I thought the interview went well and that I had built a very good rapport.


I know it only takes one yes, and I am still motivated to keep going because my heart is set on law. But it is starting to feel frustrating. I feel like I’m in limbo after graduating, not really moving forward, and it’s hard not to wonder whether I’m doing something wrong or whether I’ll ever get there.


Has anyone been in a similar position, or does anyone have advice on how to improve at the final stage?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey Abbie, im struggling with commercial awareness for my VS, im not sure if its too late but I dont know what im expected to know before my scheme!

Hey!

I definitely don't think it's too late! Even getting a little bit of commercial awareness prep in before your VS can make a real difference

One thing I would say is that I think commercial awareness can feel more intimidating than it actually is, and it is definitely why I really struggled with it in the beginning. Before my schemes, I sometimes felt like I needed to know every major business story or understand lots of financial jargon, but that isn't the case at all. In reality, what helped much more was learning to think about commercial news stories in a more practical and lawyer-focused way, as that is how they'll be testing you on the scheme.

Something that always helped me was linking news stories back to firms and asking myself questions like:

• Which practice areas would be involved?
• What would the lawyers actually be doing?
• Why is this happening from the client's perspective?
• What risks and opportunities does this create?
• Which stakeholders would care about this?

For example, if you read about an acquisition, you could think: corporate lawyers might negotiate the SPA, finance lawyers might arrange funding, employment lawyers may advise on workforce issues, competition teams may deal with approvals, etc. You don't need perfect answers, and it is more about building the habit of thinking commercially.

This was also why I found LittleLaw really helpful, as it often explains the legal and commercial side of news stories rather than just focusing on the technical financial language. I found it easier to understand why lawyers matter in these situations, rather than just reading market updates on their own.

I would also make sure you have a bit of foundational knowledge of common commercial terms. This includes things like:

• Warranties
• Indemnities
• Debt finance
• Equity finance
• Share purchase agreements
• Due diligence
• IPOs / private equity (at a high level)

You absolutely do not need to talk about these in loads of detail or know textbook definitions. However, having a rough understanding of what they are and how they appear in lawyers' day-to-day work can make conversations and assessments during the scheme feel much more approachable and manageable.

If I was trying to fit in as much as I could before a scheme, I would probably spend some time learning the foundational concepts and then spend 30-40 minutes a day reading a news story and trying to connect it back to legal work, rather than trying to consume lots of content.

I'd also remember that firms generally are not expectation vac schemers to arrive as commercial experts, and a lot of people will feel underprepared beforehand. Usually they are looking for curiosity, engagement, and signs that you are interested in understanding their clients and businesses.

You have definitely still got some time before your scheme, and you'll learn loads once you are actually there too! Best of luck with your final prep, and with the scheme too!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey guys, just looking for some tips/motivation.


I’ve just had my second assessment centre this cycle, and unfortunately I didn’t get it. Overall, that makes it my fourth AC across two application cycles, and two of those ACs were with Magic Circle firms. I graduated recently, but only started applying properly in my final year and postgraduate year.


I’m struggling to understand why I can’t seem to get past the final stages of these schemes. I can give myself the benefit of the doubt for the first two, as I was very new to assessment centres and didn’t really know what to expect. However, the last two this cycle genuinely felt like they went well.


For the first one, the feedback felt quite vague. The interview started around 20 minutes late due to an error on their side, and after a 2.5-hour AC, I was told I could have given “one slightly better example” for one question and that, in the role-play exercise, I could have suggested emailing the pilot scheme out to the wider team.


For the most recent one, I haven’t received feedback yet. When I asked, they said they would check and let me know, which was disappointing considering it was the fourth and final round. I came away feeling positive because I thought the interview went well and that I had built a very good rapport.


I know it only takes one yes, and I am still motivated to keep going because my heart is set on law. But it is starting to feel frustrating. I feel like I’m in limbo after graduating, not really moving forward, and it’s hard not to wonder whether I’m doing something wrong or whether I’ll ever get there.


Has anyone been in a similar position, or does anyone have advice on how to improve at the final stage?

Hey

Firstly, I am really sorry to hear this. I completely understand why you are feeling frustrated as this was actually something I really struggled with last cycle too - I felt like I had figured out the application stage, but was tripping at the final hurdle with the later stages.

Getting to four assessment centres (including two MC firms!) says a lot more positive things about your application than it probably feels like right now. You are clearly doing a lot of things well to consistently reach that point, and I'd try to keep that in mind.

I also really relate to what you said about feedback, as I often received feedback that felt either confusing to understand or didn't match how I had remembered the AC. One thing I found difficult with final-stage feedback is that sometimes (although not always!), it can feel vague because the margins are genuinely so small at that stage. Everyone there is often performing at a high level, and graduate recruitment understandably has to provide some explanation for the outcome, so feedback can end up focusing on one answer or one small moment (even if that wasn't necessarily the whole story, or didn't impact your overall performance that much).

I appreciate that doesn't make it any less frustrating, especially when you leave feeling positive and then don't get the result you hoped for. However, I do think assessment centres can sometimes come down to delivering your best performance in the circumstances on that particular day and whether there is an overall fit with what that firm is looking for in that intake. That is difficult as it can mean that outcomes are not always perfectly reflective of your ability. I often think back to my successful ACs vs my unsuccessful ones, and often there isn't much that I consciously changed about my approach. As long as you feel commercially aware, can explain your motivations well, and remain engaged and interested throughout the AC, I think sometimes there isn't much separating the outcomes.

Something I found helpful was moving away from focusing on what I might have done wrong (although definitely reflect on this where you can!), and instead ask:
1. What parts of my performance felt strongest?
2. Did I communicate my motivations clearly?
3. Did I show judgement and reflection, or just list examples?
4. Is there anything I would consciously tweak or change next time?

If you can get more detailed feedback from the most recent AC then I definitely would try to - however, I also would not assume that no detailed feedback means there is some major issue you are missing.

I know so many people who got their offers after multiple cycles and several ACs, and they've ended up at really amazing firms as a result of everything they have learnt. The fact that you keep reaching final stages suggests that this is much more likely to be about refinement and fit than needing to completely change approach.

Wishing you the best of luck - I'm sure you'll hear positive news soon!