TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[FutureAntitrustLawyer]

Hi everyone, for those who applied to CC last year and passed the WG, when applying again this year did you have to redo the WG?

 

[waddly duck]

Hi everyone, for those who applied to CC last year and passed the WG, when applying again this year did you have to redo the WG?

Iirc the pass lasts for 2 years. So you won't have to do it again this year. They still send all the normal emails to you, asking you to complete the WG, but they will send on another email to you saying you already passed.

 

[Futuretrainee002]

Currently sick with the plague going around London but got my OAs in. D: Hopefully they went well.

 

[yellowbirds008]

Has anybody gotten Milbank stage 2, and if so how long do they take to send it after stage 1?

 

[legallyrdg]

Iirc the pass lasts for 2 years. So you won't have to do it again this year. They still send all the normal emails to you, asking you to complete the WG, but they will send on another email to you saying you already passed.

Dont they have a new sjt this year though?

 

[Hopeful applicant]

In the work experience section is there any rule of thumb as to how many work experiences to put? Also, what is the best practice for the descriptions. Allhires usually allows 250 words - should we use it for CV-like bullet points, or is that an indication that the firms are looking for a mini-essay?

 

[waddly duck]

Dont they have a new sjt this year though?

I'm not sure about this since I applied last year and have no experience this year with them. From a quick google search, it does seem like they introduced an immersive assessment, but from the wording, it seems like it is the stage before the WG. I don't see why a candidate can't bypass the WG part of the process similar to what happened previously.

But since they've changed their process, I would probably recommend checking in with Grad Rec for the most accurate answer!

 

[sarg1234]

Does Cleary give confirmation after you complete the watson glaser?

 

[Antoni Trochimowicz]

This might be a slightly silly question, but I’m genuinely trying to get some clarity on how we’re supposed to research firms effectively. Is there essentially a “hit list” of things we should be looking for?

I asked a similar question at a Pinsent Masons event, and one of the things that came up was that, ultimately, firms often do very similar types of work. For example, if you’re interested in disputes, there are certain fundamental things you’ll be doing regardless of which firm you join.

So, in that case, how do we actually identify the nuance between firms? What should we be looking for that goes beyond practice areas and headline deals, that one thing that makes you think, “Ah-ha, this is why I specifically want to work here.

@Antoni Trochimowicz and @all

Hi! That is absolutely not a silly question! I always found it quite difficult differentiating between firms that otherwise felt quite similar.

What I will say about practices, firms may do the same sort of disputes work, but the combinations is where uniqueness may arise. One firm may have a strong International Commercial Arbitration practice while simultaneously being a leader in PE & Leveraged Finance, whereas another firm might have a leading Arbitration practice but instead has leading IP teams without the same specialty in PE etc.

Furthermore, what was usually my 'aha' was some form of clear uniqueness: whether that be multispecialism, non-rotational structure of the TC or anything clearly 'different'.

Hopefully that helps!

 

[jamsparkle]

Does Cleary give confirmation after you complete the watson glaser?

I didn't get anything sent to me but if you click on the link again it should say that you've already completed the survey or something like that

 

[insomnia]

Hi, I have a Slaughter and May interview in a couple of weeks for DTC. Does anyone know how many people make it to this stage?

hi, congrats on the interview invite can i ask when you applied, i also applied for a DTC and haven’t heard back yet

 

[Kakaboo]

Has anyone heard back from Kennedy’s coffee morning?

 

[Amelia.05]

DLA Piper test invite finally!

 

[ZK23]

Cleary WG (applied last Friday)

 

[Gregglt]

Applied to HLC WVS last Friday but still waiting for the test, anyone else in this situation?

 

[TCLA Bot]

Any general advice on written exercises (online)? Or any examples or practice ones people found useful, thank you!

If helpful, Jacob Miller's case study guide has a full mock M&A exercise with a 60-minute brief, followed by his worked explanation and a section on structuring the written response. It's a general practice example from 2021.

 

[wooliewoo]

Ashurst written exercise invite! Does anyone have any tips? This is my first written exercise and I would really appreciate it!

 

[legalbanana]

Why can't I seem to find the application form link for Addleshaw Goddard? It was supposed to open yesterday but I literally can't find it anywhere

 

[wooliewoo]

Why can't I seem to find the application form link for Addleshaw Goddard? It was supposed to open yesterday but I literally can't find it anywhere

I also had this issue last night! Hopefully they upload it soon.

 

[Legal12345]

Ashurst written exercise invite! Does anyone have any tips? This is my first written exercise and I would really appreciate it!

congrats! when did you receive this?