TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[DaemonBlackFyre]

Hi,

I just wanted to ask, when writing about your work experiences, if you have done multiple things of significance within the role, how do you fit this in within the wider structure of your answer i.e the skills you gained and how they are transferable to a career in Law.

Thanks.

 

[Dlakhs]

A*AC and vacation schemes: should I resit an A-level?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on how my A-level grades might affect my chances of getting vacation schemes at top UK/US commercial law firms.

I achieved:

• Maths: A*
• Economics: A
• Physics: C

I have no mitigating circumstances for the C.

I’m planning to study Economics at the University of Southampton, and my current plan is to pursue a law conversion afterwards. My long-term goal is commercial law, particularly top UK/US firms in London.

I’ve noticed that some firms have explicit A-level requirements, often AAB or equivalent, while others don't seem to have a published A-level requirement. I’m particularly concerned about firms that use A-level grades as an eligibility filter for vacation schemes.

My question is: How much would the C actually affect my applications? If I achieve a First at Southampton and then do well in my law conversion, would firms still care significantly about the A-level C?

I also have the option of resitting Physics. However, this would obviously involve another year and there is no guarantee I would improve the grade substantially.

Would you recommend that I resit Physics specifically to improve my prospects for commercial law vacation schemes, or would you just move on and focus on getting a First and strong legal work experience?

I’d particularly appreciate answers from current trainees, solicitors, or people who have been through vacation-scheme recruitment at City/US firms.

Thanks!

 

[anon78365222111]

How would I answer a question that asks, what sector do you see the most growth for our firm in the next 12 months and why/how? Thank you!

 

[lawstudent2]

Hey!

I definitely wouldn't turn down a good job purely out of fear that it will hurt your TC applications (as it is unlikely to!). If anything, a legal recruiting role could give you some useful insight into the legal profession, law firms and the recruitment processes, and you will also be developing transferable skills that you can talk about in applications or interviews.

I would also be wary of holding out indefinitely for a paralegal role when the market is so competitive right now. If the recruiting job is at your ideal location, pays well, and gives you the flexibility to continue applying, it sounds like a pretty good option! You could always keep applying for paralegal roles alongside it if something comes up.

Ultimately, firms care much more about what you have actually done and what you have learned from it than whether your job title is "paralegal". I'd just make sure you continue getting some legal exposure where possible (e.g. open days, insight events, etc.) and use your recruiting experience to demonstrate relevant skills and commercial awareness.

Generally, having a job while reapplying is probably preferable to sitting around waiting for the ideal paralegal role. I would take the job if you like it and let the TC applications remain the priority alongside it

Thank you so much for responding, that is very helpful!

 

[Winter]

Anyone in AS Aspire can you inbox me?

 

[e.jy336]

For anyone who's had interviews at firms specialising in PE, how technical are some of the questions? Wondering how in-depth they expect your knowledge of PE deals/structure to be

 

[174Tess9y3]

Hi everyone!

Does anyone know how to research McDermott Will & Schulte (or have applied in the past)? I can't find anything about them online besides their website and a bit in chambers

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi,

I just wanted to ask, when writing about your work experiences, if you have done multiple things of significance within the role, how do you fit this in within the wider structure of your answer i.e the skills you gained and how they are transferable to a career in Law.

Thanks.

Hey!

I think the key thing is to avoid trying to give equal weight to everything you did. I would focus on the 1-2 most significant/relevant things you did within the role, briefly explain what you did and the skills you developed, and then link those skills to how they would be relevant to a career in law.

You could also group similar tasks together rather than discussing each one separately, if that makes your entry more cohesive. For example, if several tasks demonstrate attention to detail or communication, you can mention them together and then use the remaining space to explain what you learnt from them and how that would transfer to working as a lawyer.

Ultimately, I would prioritise explaining: what you did (including a few specific examples, like you mentioned) -> what you learnt/gained -> why that is relevant to law

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

How would I answer a question that asks, what sector do you see the most growth for our firm in the next 12 months and why/how? Thank you!

Hey!

I would approach this by first identifying a sector where the firm already has a strong practice, rather than simply picking an industry that you think will grow generally. Then, I'd look at the firm's recent work, clients and any strategic announcements to identify where there could be opportunities for further growth.

For the "why/how" part, I would focus on 2-3 specific factors driving growth in that sector (e.g. regulatory changes, investment trends, technological developments, or increased client demand) and then explain how these could translate into opportunities for the firm (e.g. what work does this generate, what departments might get involved, is there a gap in the current market, etc.).

I would also make sure you bring it back to the particular firm - for example, why is this firm well placed to benefit from that growth? This could be its existing expertise, client base, international network, or recent investment in the sector.

Therefore, rather than just saying "I think energy will grow because of the transition to renewables", you could explain why the sector is likely to see increased activity, what legal work that will generate, and why the firm is particularly well positioned to capture that work

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

For anyone who's had interviews at firms specialising in PE, how technical are some of the questions? Wondering how in-depth they expect your knowledge of PE deals/structure to be

Hi!

I did a final-stage interview at a US firm specialising in PE, so whilst I can obviously only speak from my own experience, I'd say having a solid understanding of the basic stages of a PE deal and the overall structure is probably enough.

I found that they didn't necessarily just ask me random technical questions on PE. Instead, if I mentioned a commercial or PE term in one of my answers, they expected me to be able to explain what it meant and, importantly, why it was relevant in that particular context. For example, I mentioned indemnities and warranties, and was asked to explain what they meant and why a client would want them.

So I would focus on understanding the fundamentals rather than trying to memorise every technical detail. Other people might have different experiences that they can share, but I'd say as long as you can confidently explain the key concepts you mention and demonstrate that you understand how they fit into a PE transaction, I'm sure you'll be able to tackle whatever questions they throw at you!

 

[TortillaTC]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock, I hope you’ve been well and enjoy your summer!

I recently applied for the AS Commercial Awareness Competition 2026, as they extended entry to graduates this year (on this note: this is the first time as far as I know, so everyone who finished their studies and want to apply, go ahead!

Edit: you must be based in the UK on a valid visa still)

Not sure if you’ve ever participated, but I’d really appreciate some advice on how to best prepare. I did the first online test round back in 2024 and I remember how difficult I found it. You have to ace almost every question to progress and I could barely finish in time. I also remember that the test was very terminology-heavy and specific to finance/banking, PE and M&A, which I was not expecting based on the prep article they sent out. I knew the answer for some basic questions like “whats an IPO”, but I still struggled with the majority of questions, and felt totally unprepared.

What do you think would be the best way of preparing? I already read commercial news and follow TCLA materials, but the competition seems to have extremely high expectations, so I’d like to spend the next month mastering my knowledge.

Thanks in advance!

Xx

 

[FutureAntitrustLawyer]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock

Hope you had a great weekend!

I’m in the middle of preparing for VS applications and had a few questions.

1. I attended an online event last year which was hosted by Ashurst. I gained some valuable insight and would like to include it in this years application. Given the merger with Perkins Coie, how would I go about mentioning such information?

2. A firm I want to apply to has a winter VS which has a deadline before I start my new role. Would you suggest holding off on applying for the winter VS and rather wait until I start my new role and apply for the spring VS instead? I’m eager to include the experience but also I could just explain my experience during the AC (should I get it).

Thanks in advance

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock, I hope you’ve been well and enjoy your summer!

I recently applied for the AS Commercial Awareness Competition 2026, as they extended entry to graduates this year (on this note: this is the first time as far as I know, so everyone who finished their studies and want to apply, go ahead!

Edit: you must be based in the UK on a valid visa still)

Not sure if you’ve ever participated, but I’d really appreciate some advice on how to best prepare. I did the first online test round back in 2024 and I remember how difficult I found it. You have to ace almost every question to progress and I could barely finish in time. I also remember that the test was very terminology-heavy and specific to finance/banking, PE and M&A, which I was not expecting based on the prep article they sent out. I knew the answer for some basic questions like “whats an IPO”, but I still struggled with the majority of questions, and felt totally unprepared.

What do you think would be the best way of preparing? I already read commercial news and follow TCLA materials, but the competition seems to have extremely high expectations, so I’d like to spend the next month mastering my knowledge.

Thanks in advance!

Xx

Hi!

I have been well, thank you, and it's definitely been a scorcher so far, haha! I hope you have been enjoying your summer too

I haven't participated in the AS Commercial Awareness Competition myself, so I can't speak specifically to the format or difficulty of the competition. However, I was runner-up in the British and Irish University Commercial Awareness Competition (BIUCAC) a few years ago, so I can share how I approached preparing for that, as I imagine there will be some overlap!

My preparation was split into a few different areas, and I generally prepared for each round as I got closer to it. However, I started by making sure I had a really solid grasp of the basics.

For the technical side, I made quite a lot of use of resources like Investopedia, TCLA, LittleLaw, and Youtube to get comfortablew ith concepts such as debt/equity finance, IPOs, indemnities and warranties, SPAs, private equity deals, M&A, etc. I found it much more useful to focus on actually understanding why things worked the way they did, rather than just memorising definitions and timelines. Once you understand the underlying concept, you are much more likely to be able to work out the answer to an unfamiliar question. The way that I structured this was to read an article, and look up any unfamiliar terms on Investopedia and read the explanation on it. If there were any other unfamiliar terms within this explanation, I'd then search that one up too and so on.

I would also make sure you are keeping up with what is happening in the market. Personally, I listened to the FT News Briefing and would read longer FT/BBC articles whenever there was a story that I found particularly interesting or relevant. You don't necessarily need to know every single news story in detail - I found it much more useful to identify major stories and themes and understand why something was happening and what the wider implications might be.

One thing I found particularly helpful was to always think about how a law firm would actually be involved in the commercial developments I was following. So, rather than just reading about a transaction, I would ask myself: what type of legal work might this development create? What might clients need advice on as a result? Which practice areas would be involved? And why might a particular firm be well equipped to assist?

For example, if you are reading about a PE acquisition, don't just focus on understanding what the transaction involves. I'd think about the legal work required to get the deal over the line, the issues that might arise for the buyer and seller, and what the relevant lawyers would actually be doing. I found that this helped me turn commercial news into something much more relevant from a legal perspective, rather than simply trying to remember what had happened.

Given what you have said about the time pressure, I would also practise answering questions quickly. One thing you could do is make a list of the topics and terminology you think you could reasonably be expected to know, and get a friend to test you with quick-fire questions where you have to answer or explain something on the spot. I think this is particularly useful as there is a big difference between recognising a term when you see it, and being able to explain it confidently under time pressure.

I have also previously written a few posts on preparing for commercial awareness competitions, so these might be useful as well - I have quoted them below.

I wouldn't worry too much about trying to know absolutely everything for the competition - it is likely impossible! If the competition is as terminology-heavy as you remember, I would prioritise building a really strong foundation across the core areas, keeping up with the major commercial stories, and then practising applying that knowledge under time pressure.

Best of luck with it!!

Hey!

I haven't previously competed in the Aspiring Solicitors competition, however, I did compete in BIUCAC last year so I have included some of my general tips for preparing for commercial awareness competitions below. Some of the advice relates to later stages in the competition, but I hope they assist! Best of luck with the quarter final interview

Know your content inside and out

Don’t just memorise terms or concepts - make sure you truly understand them and how they apply to law firms and businesses. Read the news daily in whatever format suits you best (for me, this was a mix of the Financial Times, LittleLaw, and BBC News). Highlight any sectors or topics you’re particularly unsure about and read about them in detail in advance. Before the competition, ensure you can confidently explain key concepts and how they would apply to a business setting, as they may ask you follow-up questions. It might be worth having your friends quiz you!

Master the basics

A strong grasp of the fundamentals is essential. I found it helpful to use Investopedia and the Finimize glossary to review terms I wasn’t confident in. Whenever I came across an unfamiliar word, I’d note it down and revisit it later to make sure it stuck. Focus on understanding core concepts such as bonds, equity, securitisation, and derivatives - and keep an eye on topical versions of these (for example, green bonds came up in BIUCAC!).

Understand law firms as businesses

Commercial awareness in the legal context isn’t just about knowing the news - it’s about understanding how law firms operate and how they bring value to clients. I’d make sure you understand:

• How law firms make money and attract clients, and
• The business climate and challenges faced by their clients

When reading a commercial news story, I always found it helpful to think about where a law firm might be instructed and which practice areas would be involved. This dual perspective shows that you understand both the legal and commercial dimensions.

Stay up to date

Make sure you are engaging with the news regularly - ideally daily. If reading articles isn’t your style, you could try podcasts such as FT News Briefing, BBC Business Daily, or Watson’s Daily for quick, accessible updates. You don’t need to know everything, but aim for a broad understanding across industries (unless you are told the focus in advance).

Have a go

If you’re unsure about a question, don’t panic - give it a go! It’s better to say something like “I’m not entirely sure, but here’s how I’d approach it…” and then explain your reasoning and thought process. This shows confidence and analytical thinking, which is often valued quite highly.

Additionally, if an assessor challenges your opinion, don’t immediately change your mind. Talk them through your thought process and how you arrived at your conclusion, and if they do bring up a point you had not considered, be open to altering your answer then.

Analyse articles and sectors effectively

If you’re given an article or sector in advance, ask yourself:

• Why is this happening?
• Why does it matter?
• What does this mean for law firms and their clients?

Look into the key opportunities and challenges in the given sector, and consider how law firms might help clients navigate them. Think about how law firms add value - for instance, through advising on regulatory change, managing risk, or facilitating deals.

Group Tasks

If you are assigned a group task, I would remember that often they are not only assessing your legal knowledge, but also how you work with others. It can feel very tempting in such a high-pressure environment to speak as much as you can; however, I would aim to be neither the quietest nor the loudest in the room! Try to build on your teammates' ideas and encourage them to share their opinions on topics you have brought up. I would also try to summarise ideas as you go along, which shows that you are listening and can help track progress.

One thing that especially helped when I was competing was to play to each team member's strengths. For example, we had to complete a negotiation, and this involved drafting the heads of terms and negotiating them with another team. As a team, we divided this up to our strengths - for example, I led the drafting, one team member led the research, and the other team member had experience negotiating, so he gave us advice on best practices. This was the best use of our time, and it meant that every team member was contributing in some way.

Hello!

Congratulations on the AC invite!!

For commercial awareness, I would focus less on trying to know everything and more on building a structured way of thinking. Pick one or two reliable sources that you find particularly useful (e.g. FT, BBC Business, etc.) and read them consistently. When you are reading a commercial story, don't just memorise the facts - ask yourself what the consequences of the story are. For example, who is affected, why it matters commercially, how it might impact a company / client, and how a law firm might get involved. This is how commercial awareness is tested in ACs and interviews, rather than asking you to recite news stories.

As for current topics to follow, I definitely need to brush up on my commercial awareness (so I'm sure there's many other topics!) but I'd keep an eye on:

• Geopolitical instability: conflicts affecting energy prices and shipping routes, US + China trade tensions, shifting regulations, etc.
• AI and regulation: compliance risk, data protection, IP ownership (+ there are a few cases recently on this topic), liability issues, etc.
• Higher interest rates: companies managing debt maturities and restructuring risk, and the impact that has on deal activity
• Shareholder activism and ESG scrutiny: increased pressure in public companies around governance and sustainability

You aren't necessarily expected to have an in-depth understanding of technical commercial events and terms for an AC. More importantly, you need to show that you can logically think about current events and connect them to the wider business consequences.

Best of luck with the AC!

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!

Hey!

In terms of applications, what made the biggest difference for me was being much more reflective about my experiences rather than trying to add loads more to my CV. Instead of just listing what I had done, I spent more time thinking about what I had actually learnt, how those experiences had developed skills relevant to commercial law, and using specific examples to evidence that. I also made sure that every application was actually tailored to the firm, even if that meant submitting fewer applications overall. It really helps to try and link one of your experiences and skills to any motivational points you make - for example, if you are stating you are applying to a firm based on one of their practice areas, I'd always back it up with something like a university module I studied or previous work experience.

For commercial awareness, I found that trying to follow everything was overwhelming too (+ it made me feel a bit helpless before I'd event started!). What worked much better for me was picking a few stories a week and really digging into them (i.e. their impact and wider consequences), rather than just memorising the headline facts. I would ask myself questions like: Why does this matter? Who benefits and who loses? How might it affect this firm's clients or the legal work they do? What practice areas might get involved in this type of work? What legal or commercial help might clients need following this?

I also found it really helpful to discuss stories with other applicants or friends, as explaining it out loud made it much easier to memorise and analyse them. This was also why BIUCAC was a really instrumental part of my commercial awareness journey, as it gave me real-life circumstances to test and challenge myself.

One thing I would also add is not to underestimate podcasts or newsletters that explain the why behind a story rather than just reporting the facts - I used the FT News Briefing podcast and LittleLaw loads during my application cycles. It is much easier to build commercial thinking that way than by trying to memorise headlines, as that doesn't showcase your way of thinking.

Wishing you the best of luck this cycle - you've got this!!

No problem - I'm glad to hear it!

I actually started with the FT News Briefing podcast most mornings during my commute, as I found it was a really manageable way to keep up with the main stories without feeling overwhelmed. If there was a story that I found particularly interesting or thought might be relevant to law firms, I'd then go away and read a bit more about it on websites like BBC News, the FT, or other news sources. I also regularly checked on LittleLaw, as this tended to involve stories that were relevant to law firms (but the articles come out less regularly, so it was less of a daily thing).

I didn't tend to follow one specific sector every day, unless I was researching a specific area ahead of a law firm's AC or interview. Instead, I would dig deeper into the ones that had interesting commercial or legal implications. I found that much more engaging than trying to read everything, and because I was genuinely interested in the stories I chose, it was much easier to remember them and discuss them in applications or interviews.

Over time, you'll start to notice recurring themes (e.g. AI, tariffs, energy transition, M&A activity, regulation, etc.) which makes it much easier to connect different stories together and build your commercial awareness naturally

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi @Abbie Whitlock

Hope you had a great weekend!

I’m in the middle of preparing for VS applications and had a few questions.

1. I attended an online event last year which was hosted by Ashurst. I gained some valuable insight and would like to include it in this years application. Given the merger with Perkins Coie, how would I go about mentioning such information?

2. A firm I want to apply to has a winter VS which has a deadline before I start my new role. Would you suggest holding off on applying for the winter VS and rather wait until I start my new role and apply for the spring VS instead? I’m eager to include the experience but also I could just explain my experience during the AC (should I get it).

Thanks in advance

Hey!

I hope you had a great weekend too!

For the first question, I don't think there is any issue with using the insight you gained from the Ashurst event. I would just be mindful of how you frame it given the merger with Perkins Coie. Rather than presenting it as though nothing has changed, you could explain that you attended an Ashurst event last year and that the experience gave you a particular insight into X, which is something that continues to attract you to the firm/combined firm today. I would then link it to something current about the firm so that it is clear your interest isn't based solely on an event from last year.

For the second question, I think either is fine, but if you wish to participate in the winter VS, I would apply for that one (assuming you are eligible and can put together a strong application). I wouldn't necessarily hold off on applying just so that you can include experience from a role you haven't started yet - as you mentioned, you can always talk about this at a later stage. I had a very similar situation when I made my Reed Smith DTC application, as there were some experiences that I hadn't done yet when I submitted my application (such as VS'). I ended up discussing them in the interview instead, so I wouldn't worry about feeling like you are 'missing out' by not being able to include the new role in the application itself.

Ultimately, I would prioritise submitting the strongest application you can, rather than delaying it for one experience that you haven't had yet. Best of luck with the applications!

 

[FutureAntitrustLawyer]

Hey!

I hope you had a great weekend too!

For the first question, I don't think there is any issue with using the insight you gained from the Ashurst event. I would just be mindful of how you frame it given the merger with Perkins Coie. Rather than presenting it as though nothing has changed, you could explain that you attended an Ashurst event last year and that the experience gave you a particular insight into X, which is something that continues to attract you to the firm/combined firm today. I would then link it to something current about the firm so that it is clear your interest isn't based solely on an event from last year.

For the second question, I think either is fine, but if you wish to participate in the winter VS, I would apply for that one (assuming you are eligible and can put together a strong application). I wouldn't necessarily hold off on applying just so that you can include experience from a role you haven't started yet - as you mentioned, you can always talk about this at a later stage. I had a very similar situation when I made my Reed Smith DTC application, as there were some experiences that I hadn't done yet when I submitted my application (such as VS'). I ended up discussing them in the interview instead, so I wouldn't worry about feeling like you are 'missing out' by not being able to include the new role in the application itself.

Ultimately, I would prioritise submitting the strongest application you can, rather than delaying it for one experience that you haven't had yet. Best of luck with the applications!

This makes perfect sense. Thanks so much Abbie

 

[AryanAgg]

Hey @Abbie Whitlock

I have sent a DM requesting for some advice.

Thank you for your time.