Getting a Vacation Scheme

Generally, it is recommended that law students in their second and non-law students in their final year must attend these programmes if they’re interested in becoming a solicitor and wish to get an idea of the work and lifestyle involved in working for a law firm.

On the other hand, these programmes are also beneficial to the law firms, since they allow firms to make a preliminary evaluation of the students’ capabilities and aptitude for law, and act as a precursor to offering training contracts to potential trainees.

Choosing the right programme

The first step obviously, is to do your homework and do it well. Prepare a wish-list or blueprint for your reasons to become a solicitor, the areas of practice you would prefer and the size and location of the law firm you’d eventually want to work in. 

The next step is to gather as much information as possible on the different kinds of law firms and practice areas. Surf through the internet to collect your information, check for feedback from your peers, friends, family and current professionals who will have plenty of advice to give you. 

All of the major law firms are profiled in our ‘Solicitors’ section, so have a browse, find a few you like and get going! Once you’ve finished gathering information, go through it carefully and work out what will be the best option for you in terms of proximity to your location, areas of practice – whether full-service or niche boutique firms, size & category of firms - large, medium, small; City, national or regional firms, etc. 

There are also several other avenues where you can accumulate relevant experience and supplement your CV with extracurricular activities and other kinds of projects can also help you in securing a training contract in the near future.

What can you expect?

A typical vacation scheme runs for a period of 1-2 weeks, during which students will be rotated amongst the various departments in the law firm. You will spend some time with practising lawyers, assist them in carrying out tasks such as research or reading through relevant case law, attend court proceedings and sit in on client meetings. 

Some firms also put their trainees through prepared exercises, or may require a written assignment to be completed. Your personality and talent will be on display during the programme; your interaction with other employees and partners in the firm, participation levels in various activities during the scheme including after-hours gatherings will all be scrutinised to gauge whether you will fit in at the firm.

In turn, this is also the time for you to check out the firm’s work-culture, areas of expertise and whether these fit in with your expectations and ambitions. Be prepared to work hard at making a good impact such that your chances of securing a full training contract are almost guaranteed. 

At the same time find out if you have the temperament and stamina to work in an area which is both exciting as well as gruelling.

Eligibility

It is essential that aspiring candidates who want to pursue a career in law have a strong and excellent academic background. Consistent high grades through school and a minimum expectation of a 2:1 degree if not better are basic requirements. They will take into consideration your first year marks - so 40% really is no where near good enough.

Good references, including those from the academic domain and potential in developing technical and practical skills are the other requirements. It is crucial to remember that vacation schemes are testing ground for your future career progression. 

Success at this stage will definitely increase your chances of securing a good training contract from among the best law firms in the country and a guaranteed bright future, if you’re prepared to step up and take the challenge.

Application Guidelines

Vacation placement programmes are conducted at different times during the year, primarily during vacation terms in summer, Easter and Christmas breaks. The number of programmes available and the number of positions open in each session will depend on the size and practice of the firm. 

Generally, large and medium sized City firms will conduct multiple programmes during the year with 20-30 places available in each programme. Sometimes the programmes will be specifically directed towards one particular group – like separate sessions for law and non-law students, and within each category, sessions for students from different years – second year or final year, for example. 

The ideal time to begin looking at vacation schemes is in the second year for law students and final year for non-law students with places on the Legal Practice Course (LPC) & Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) respectively confirmed, or applications for admission have been submitted.