TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[MZJxLadha]

Is 6766 with medium numerical and high verbal good for Reed Smith?

We got exact same haha

 

[user55998384]

bclp OD invite

 

[Topdog0073]

Are the Cleary interviews given so far for WVS?

 

[Connie2410]

Are the Cleary interviews given so far for WVS?

Mine is yes

 

[rose06]

Got the Linklaters feedback report, where they described my WGT score as 'above average'. I'm wondering - are the only two options above average and below? Cause genuinely it's so unhelpful, one could be in the 99th percentile or 51st and be 'above average'...

 

[itsfearless15]

I'm a campus ambassador! It's mainly an SJT, along with a written exercise.

Thank you!!

 

[Cooooooooompany]

Did anyone else get the Dechert phone interview - if so what date and how are you preparing?

Hey, congrats is this for wvs ?

 

[Minhee]

I’m a little confused as to the scope of this question:

‘Drawing on your experience outside of the legal profession, what inspired your interest in commercial law? (Max 250 words)’

When it refers to ‘outside of the legal profession’, does this mean outside of law-related experiences in general (including open days, virtual sector-focus talks etc)? Or just actual work roles in the legal profession (eg vac schemes)?

I would definitely recommend asking their Grad Rec, as they would know best!

I interpret this to be the prior (outside any law-related experiences in general, including open days, virtual sector-focused talks, etc.)

I think it should definitely be safe to discuss:

- Non-law jobs, internships, volunteering
- Extracurriculars (sport, music, society roles)
- Studies or interests (non law related)
- Personal experiences (living abroad, family business)

 

[Minhee]

Hi @Minhee, hope you're having a lovely weekend.

I'm in the middle of planning a commercial awareness answer for a VS application. I'm thinking about including information I heard from a podcast made by a completely different firm.

Do you think I should include this information and mention the source (i.e., the firm) or include the information and refrain from mentioning the other firm's podcast in my answer.

Thanks in advance

Hi! Thank you so much, I hope you had a great weekend too

I think it is definitely valid to include the information!

Personally, I would refrain from naming the other firm. If the question asks you for a source, I would try trace this back to a more neutral article / podcast, and cite that instead.

The reason for this is that:

1. Naming another firm can lead to the incorrect presumption that you copy pasted that answer from their application.
2. In general, when answering commercial awareness questions, I did not include sources unless requested. It is usually more important that you show you are able to understand + summarise the issue and form a view + analyse it. Citing sources can just lead to lower word count for your analysis.

I hope that is helpful and best of luck!!

 

[Minhee]

My cycle so far:

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP - PFO
Slaughter & May - PFO
Sidley Austin - Test 14/9
Dechert - submitted 1/9
Mayer Brown - auto test
Milbank - submitted
Hogan lovells Cadwalader - VI 21/9
Jones Day - PFO
Ashurst - auto test
Dentons - submitted
Eversheds sutherland - submitted
Paul weiss - submitted
Gibson Dunn - auto test
Allen & Overy Shearman - auto test
Reed Smith - auto test
DLA Piper -auto test
White & Case - auto test

we are approaching burn out lol

Completely agree with Prudentia! It's early days, so you really don't know which one will turn out to be successful you only need one match. Every stage is just more practice under your belt! I actually found this part of the cycle the most difficult, since my offers only came out later - the first months were a lot of waiting and rejections. But keep going! Rooting for you and good luck!

It is still really early on in the cycle. You’ve done a lot of applications already, so you should be really proud.

 

[Maria56]

Got the Linklaters feedback report, where they described my WGT score as 'above average'. I'm wondering - are the only two options above average and below? Cause genuinely it's so unhelpful, one could be in the 99th percentile or 51st and be 'above average'...

Hi, you can email grad recruitment to ask for your report. Takes some time, but you see how much you scored and how is it compared to others

 

[Minhee]

In my why commercial law answers, I'm using an internship I only just did 2 weeks ago as the thing that made me interested in a law career. Is it okay for my motivation to be this recent?

I don't think there is anything wrong in mentioning it! The focus should be on how strong and well-informed your motivations are, not in how long you have had them. Many successful applications discover law late, and an honest answer is much more meaningful than a manufactured childhood ambition.

With that said, there is the risk that a two-week-old motivation could appear sudden or shallow. For this reason, I do think it would be ideal if you referenced another earlier experience, then explained how this recent internship re-affirmed your ambitions / how you used it to test yourself (follow-up conversations / reading, how it compared to other non-law experiences).

If this is not possible, don't stress! I would focus on what you did and learned during the internship, and avoid drawing attention to the date (unless specifically requested). I might also prep answers to 'why law, and why now? what led you to go on that internship in the first place? what have you done to test your motivations since? how are you sure based on this one experience?' for interview.

 

[Minhee]

anyone have a list of firms that take a good portion of direct training contract apps?

Hi! I found this list from the 2024 / 2025 cycle: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy....eme-vs-direct-tc-applications-2024-2025.9147/. Unfortunately, it is quite outdated. Will keep you posted if I find anything more recent! It might also be helpful to ask Grad Rec, as they will know best!

 

[Minhee]

anyone know how to approach a question like ‘what has been your proudest achievement to date’?

searched tcla but could only find one previous thread - time to do some digging!

Hi!

Achievement: For some of these questions, I wrote about community service projects, musical accomplishments, personal challenges, etc. I wouldn't restrict myself to legal achievements! These can be incorporated into other sections of your application (if there is a work experience part / a more law-related question). I thought of this as a great opportunity to bring in something you wouldn’t ordinarily get to include. Sometimes, non-law answers can also help in making your application more unique and personable! But it is completely your choice

I would approach this as follows:

- Context (1 - 2 sentences): What was your particular role?
- Challenge (2 - 3 sentences): What made this difficult? E.g. Tight timeline, gap in knowledge / skills, unprecedented circumstances, new environment / task?
- Actions (3 - 4 sentences): Specific actions you took that demonstrate the firm's key competencies. Try to be specific and detailed! E.g. How did you tackle the challenge / solve the problem? How did you take on additional responsibility / demonstrate proactivity? How did you stay organised? How did you respond to problems?
- Outcome (1 - 2 sentences): Try to be specific and quantify where possible.
- Why are you proud of this (3 - 4 sentences): What did you learn? Did you develop particular skills? Have you applied these skills / learning in other aspects of your life?

Example:

- I discussed working part-time as an assistant English teacher.
- I struggled to connect with a selectively mute student.
- I had a one-on-one conversation about her needs and how she felt nervous speaking in groups → I then incorporated non-verbal games like Scrabble and Pictionary into lessons, so she could take part without feeling pressured into doing something that made her uncomfortable
- As a result, she was able to participate more in class and saw an increase in grades
- I used to feel self-conscious when public speaking, so it was rewarding to see that I had made a positive impact on a student who also struggled with this → I learned to be considerate and empathetic of others’ needs, which were skills I then applied as leader of an orchestra, where I again had to tailor my communication style around different musicians with unique backgrounds and abilities.

I hope that is helpful and best of luck!

 

[Minhee]

What are some current commercial issues that would be good to talk about in an application?

@Minhee @AvocadoAtLaw @Antoni Trochimowicz @Abbie Whitlock

Hi! I found it easiest to discuss issues that genuinely interested me, so it is completely up to you - I would trust your judgement above all else

I would also cater this around the firm and think about SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). E.g. For a firm that focuses on Disputes, it might not make sense to talk about interest rates and how that affects borrowing or deal flow from a non-litigious point of view.

I have listed some ideas and resources below, just as a starting point, in no particular order! You will need to go deeper + do more firm-specific research yourself, and this is not an exclusive list!

Resources
- The firm's own insights and news pages
- FT Daily News Briefing + FT articles
- The Economist
- TCLA Newsletter
- Little Law Newsletter
- Non-Billable (news section)
- AllAboutLaw Commercial Awareness Compass

Stories
- New Autumn budget to be released 28 October. Consider possible proposals + how this could affect various sectors (e.g. banks).
- FCA opened a formal application gateway for crypto companies to get full financial licenses.
- CMA implemented revised merger assessment guidelines.
- The government intervened in BT's acquisition of TalkTalk. Regulators flagged competition concerns over broadband merger between nexfibre and Netomnia.
- The government introduced the Commercial Payments Bill. May impact B2B supplier contracts and subscription agreements.
- UK companies are required to verify 'right to work' status for contractors, agency workers, and gig-economy staff in addition to direct employees.
- Under the EU Cyber Resilience Act, manufacturers selling connected smart devices / software in Europe must report serious security bugs to authorities within 24 hrs.
- High global oil prices put financial pressure on UK energy-heavy factories and supply chain businesses.
- The government temporarily dropped VAT on household electricity to combat winter cost-of-living challenges.
- ASOS hack.
- Thames Water restructuring.

 

[Minhee]

Hi everyone! I'm currently completing my DLA Piper summer internship application and noticed that the initial application form doesn't appear to ask for a breakdown of individual GCSEs, A-levels or university module grades.

For those who have already applied, did you include all your individual grades and modules on your CV, or just your overall qualifications and classifications? I'm also wondering whether there's a separate stage where this information is requested.

I'd also be interested to know if anyone received any specific CV guidance from graduate recruitment, particularly regarding the level of detail expected.

Thanks in advance!

I didn’t personally apply to DLA Piper, but a Corporate Associate at DLA posted this on LinkedIn: ‘Do not list out grades for every individual module taken unless requested. Average mark per year / final grade is usually sufficient’ (https://lnkd.in/p/eafc6a6J)

This is dated (4 years ago) so I would recommend dropping an email to DLA Grad Rec to check if they have any preferences! But if you’re in a rush, this seems sound. If they want individual module results, I would assume they would ask you for that later when they’re verifying grades or through a separate app form.

Sorry I can't say anything more specific here, but I hope that helps and good luck!!