How many vacation schemes should I apply for?

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Aug 14, 2023

Written By Raphael Jucobin

As you look ahead to the final year of your law degree, applications for the all-important vacation schemes will undoubtedly be one of your priorities. Ideally, you should apply to firms that deal with your areas of interest in law, as you’ll be able to speak confidently about these subjects and will have a greater understanding and appreciation of their work.

Nevertheless, it’s important to get the balance right in terms of the number of applications you send off and the amount of research you carry out for each firm.

Is it possible to apply for more than one vacation scheme?

Applying for multiple placements is recommended, but be careful not to send out a big batch of the same application to all of the firms you’re interested in. You should pick out a handful of placements and tailor each application you put together to the individual firm, taking into account their specific practice areas and carrying out thorough research on each one to appeal to different aspects of it.

This is because firms will be investing money and time into training you, with a view towards taking you on as a trainee once you graduate - they’ll want to know that you’re committed to the firm and have a genuine interest in working for them.

Can I do more than one vacation scheme?

Yes - many students carry out multiple vacation schemes over their last two years of university. This can be a fantastic way of accumulating experience in different types of law firms and finding out which practice area suits you best. Vacation schemes are a great way of trialing different areas of law if you’re not sure which specialisation you’d like to go into later, as well as helping you to compare individual firms.

On the other hand, in some cases students might take on just the one vacation scheme but find themselves in the running for a training contract offer further down the line, or offered one at the end of their placement. There’s no limit on the number you can do, as it will depend on your personal circumstances as well as how well you perform and find yourself in each one.

How can I find vacation scheme opportunities?

If you’re looking for vacation schemes to apply to, check out the jobs section of our website with the latest opportunities!

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