TCLA Spring & Summer Vacation Scheme Thread 2026

[Jaysen]

Hey everyone,

For those of you with upcoming vacation schemes, whether in Spring or Summer, you can use this thread to discuss them. You can also ask any questions to help you convert your scheme.

@Abbie Whitlock and I will be around to help

 

[meredithgrey]

Hey, I don't even know where to begin with prep for my vac scheme starting next tuesday? I'd appreciate any advice pls!

 

[summersun]

Hey, I don't even know where to begin with prep for my vac scheme starting next tuesday? I'd appreciate any advice pls!

Hi
if you know which team you will be in, I would look at the basic vocabulary for that team. When I did a week in banking, I was really lost and regretted not taking the time to learn some to better understand what the team was doing

 

[Bah Bah Pink Sheep]

Does anyone know the best way to prepare for your VS whilst not knowing your allocated practice area? I've just put in my preferences, should I prep all 3 just in case? They won't reveal our allocated area until like a day or two before the scheme starts. What is the standard of knowledge firms expect candidates to have? Both coming in and going out? I know a firm told me that my knowledge levels were not up to the levels they were expecting at the AC, even though I swear I know quite a lot about the topic, thus I'm a bit unsure about how 'expert' they want me to be. To play it safe, should I try to know as much as possible?

 

[Wanda Maximoff]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any idea how to approach people for coffee's/chats? Also, is there any particular etiquette regarding things like this?

Thank you!

 

[M_m]

Hey, I don't even know where to begin with prep for my vac scheme starting next tuesday? I'd appreciate any advice pls!

Hi! Is this for the Charles Russell Speechlys placement scheme by any chance?

 

[LionHeart]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any idea how to approach people for coffee's/chats? Also, is there any particular etiquette regarding things like this?

Thank you!

Imo

*Go w/ a goal in mind. Ideally something to inform your motivations to train at the firm / better understanding of what a given role does
*Bring a notebook and pen (depends on context though)
*Speak to a range of people at different levels of seniority ideally
*Check their outlook calendar and send a polite and concise email to suggest a time convenient to meet
*Give a reason for them to talk to you I.e., you met before, you’re interested in a particular deal they did, university alumni etc. in the email
*Don’t feel obligated to teach an arbitrary no. of chats, just balance appropriately with your work. Further, don’t do coffee chats for the sake of it, you should be genuinely interested to speak to them specifically. It may be obvious if this is not the case.

Best of luck

 

[trainee1012]

How to actively prepare for the post VS interview?

 

[Joey green]

Hello everyone! Is anyone doing Debevoise/Baker McKenzie/Linklaters? I’d love to connect! Good luck to you all!

 

[Dill]

Hi everyone,

I did a two vac schemes last year at US law firms before accepting a direct TC offer at a MC firm. I used to use the forum a lot and thought it would be helpful to share some of the things I’ve learnt over the process in this thread.

Conversion

Conversion rates for vac schemes tend to be quite variable from firm to firm. Historically, US law firms conversion rates (often 30%-50%) have tended to be lower than MC, SC or international firms (often 80%+). However, this can vary quite a lot (one MC firm, for example, converted very few of their vac schemers last year).

Performance

One of the most common questions is “What can I do to prepare so I can convert my vacation scheme?” To be honest, my recommendation here would be to worry less about preparation and focus more on understanding what law firms are really looking for in a trainee.

I don’t think law firms are expecting you to arrive with legal knowledge or polished technical skills. What I think firms are really assessing is whether you have the raw ingredients to become a strong trainee. These are things like judgement, attention to detail, common sense, enthusiasm for the work and the ability to work well with other people.

In practice, that means being someone who is reliable, switched on, curious and pleasant to have around. A lot of it comes down to whether you seem like someone who understands how to behave professionally, takes the work seriously and makes life easier rather than harder for the people around them. That is hard to define precisely, but you will usually show it through small things done consistently well.

So that means if you’re given an administrative task (like proofreading etc.) you should approach it with a positive attitude and enthusiasm. Once you have done tasks like this well, you might be trusted to work on something which is a little bit more complex/interesting.

Interview

Most firms (although not all) will have some form of partner interview. I would say here that if you did an interview to get on the vac scheme, then it’ll be pretty similar in terms of format and the questions asked. But I do think the overall ‘bar’ is a little bit higher here – particularly in terms of commitment to law and that specific law firm.

Many firms won’t mind taking a punt on someone with a good application but an average interview for a vac scheme, but as a TC is a much bigger investment the expectations will be higher.

One of my friends did well on their VS, but did not convert the scheme due to the partner interview, as the partners were not convinced by their long-term commitment to law and their understanding of that specific law firm’s work.

With this in mind, I would recommend preparing in advance for the interview, and thinking about whether your answers to the typical questions (why law, why this firm etc.) could be improved from your VS interview.

Assessments

It’s worth noting that some firms will have assessments (e.g. a written exercise) if they have not already tested this for the application process to get on the vac scheme. While it is important to pass these, I do think that performance reviews + interviews are given slightly more weight.

Not converting

While you ideally shouldn’t go into the vac scheme thinking about not converting, it’s worth noting that having a vac scheme strongly improves your CV and will make you more competitive for future application cycles. So all is not lost if you do not convert.

In addition to this, I’ve also quoted below a couple of posts I remember reading last year. These tips were really helpful in preparing for my vac schemes!

Jessica Booker said:
General themes why I have seen people not convert their VS to TC:

Arrogance/over confidence - it’s important to be confident on schemes but there are some candidates who just seem to think they are better than the rest of their cohort and that they will convert.

Lack of interest in the work - not asking questions, doing the work to a basic level, not asking for feedback or follow up conversations.

Spending too much time networking - too many coffee catch ups at the expense of doing work for their department

Over committing - saying yes to everything and then realising they don’t have enough time to do the things they have said they would.

Bad mouthing/manipulation: either talking bad of others (even at other firms) or trying to use their other experiences as a bit of a power trip (for instance bringing their other schemes/offers into conversations when there is no need to).

Not asking for guidance on their work: leading to spending too much time or having too many mistakes in their work

Andrei Radu said:
Hi @Lalis, to list a few of my top VS conversion tips:

• Speak with people at the firm (particularly graduate recruitment, recruitment partners, and trainees) to find out what are the most important assessment criteria for conversion. Different firms have different policies - for instance, in my case conversion at Slaughter and May was 100% determined by the final TC interview and written task, at Willkie it was mostly determined by the quality of your work and your integration in the firm's culture, at Milbank it was a combination of the final assessment and the impression you left on people on your team. To maximize conversion chances, you should modify your approach to match the factors emphasized by each firm.
• Take notes: as you go through the vacation scheme, at the end of each day, write down a short summary of what you did: who did you meet and what did you learn from them, what tasks did you work on, what sessions did you attend etc. As you approach the final interview, this will help you with being reflecting about the experience and showing that you have taken all the opportunities the firm offered.
• Try to meet as many people as possible, particularly in your department, but do not overdo it. Of course, it is great to integrate yourself as much as you can and to make as many people as possible notice you. However, you should not be spending every second of the day inviting people for coffee chats. Firstly, there are many other things you should be doing, like getting involved in different workstreams, attending sessions, and deepening your relationship with people you have already met, such as your supervisor. Secondly, as you will know, lawyers are often very stressed and have very little free time on their hands. Most will accept coffee chat requests, but they will appreciate if you do not waste their time by asking to meet only with a view of getting them to potentially put in a good word for you. Thus, I would advise you to always have a genuine reason for meeting someone. That does not need to necessarily be work-related - you can simply ask for a coffee chat because you want to introduce yourself and get to know people in the firm - but you should be upfront about it. Furthermore, try to get an idea from your supervisor as to who is more and less busy at the moment and avoid targeting the former.
• Mirror the attitude of those around you, and know when to be more relaxed: a crucial element of succeeding in many vacation schemes is to be able to build rapport with a few important people - particularly your supervisor, one or two lawyers you will get to work more with, and the recruitment partners. Try to read the attitude and expectations of those people and do not always attempt to impress them. In my experience, the people who ended up not converting tended to be the slightly overbearing ones who wanted to be constantly seen. Sometimes, such as at an event over drinks or at a lunch, people will want to simply relax a bit and forget about work. Other times, they may be too busy and stressed to want to engage with you about something serious. They could and also many times do want to take a slightly more lighthearted approach when talking about their work, so try not to seem like you are taking yourself too seriously. From what I have seen, people more often fail in adapting to these circumstances rather that when adapting to more formal dynamics.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey, I don't even know where to begin with prep for my vac scheme starting next tuesday? I'd appreciate any advice pls!

Hey!

This is a very normal feeling before a vacation scheme! It can feel a bit overwhelming because you don't really know what to expect, and so it can feel hard to prepare for it! I've highlighted a few things that you could potentially do to prepare below, but don't worry if you don't have any of this information yet - on most of my schemes, I used an hour or so in the evening in the week to prepare for the next day once I had more information!

I would start by brushing up on your knowledge of the firm so that you feel comfortable talking about their key practice areas, clients, and what differentiates them (this last point being key!). If you happen to know what team you will be sitting in, it is worth doing a bit of light research into that area (e.g. typical work, recent deals that the firm has completed, and any key terminology). However, if you don't know the area that you will be in yet, that is completely fine too - just having a general understanding of the firm should be enough, as you won't be expected to understand the technical detail from day one anyway! A helpful tip that I was told is to make sure that you have your introduction down for your first day so you can make a good first impression - on nearly all of my schemes, my supervisors took me around the department and introduced me to everyone, so I repeated this a lot!

It is also helpful to make sure that you are familiar with some of the key terms used in commercial law and any of the firm's core sectors, just so nothing feels completely unfamiliar when you are hear it (things like warranties, indemnities, representations, etc.). Alongside that, I would try to get a clear idea of what assessments are involved in the scheme (if any!) and think about how you might approach them, so that you aren't going in completely blind! I was encouraged to speak to trainees at the firm who might have gone through the recruitment process recently to ask about how they prepared for the assessments - it might be worth reaching out, or asking your trainee buddy!

I would also make sure that you can clearly articulate your motivations as well, as this is bound to come up at some point, even in informal conversations. If you have a final TC interview at the end of the scheme, make sure that you incorporate insights and experiences from the scheme to show your motivations - they'll want to see that you have used the scheme to make an informed decision about why you want to train at this specific firm.

One thing that is also underrated that I was advised to do before my schemes is to have a bit of a system for reflecting as you go - for example, keeping a quick daily journal of what you did, who you spoke to, and any interesting insights. On my schemes, I would take 30 minutes or so when I got back to my accommodation to just write down anything that I learned that day or found interesting. This ended up being really helpful when it came to the final TC interview, as I could go over this the night before and have clear examples to refer to that backed up my points.

If they have shared a schedule of sessions in advance, I also found it really helpful to quickly brainstorm a few questions ahead of time for each session. Whilst you should ask any questions that pop up during the session, I found that it helped take the stress off in the moment and allowed me to make the most of the opportunities.

Finally, it is definitely worth having a few competency examples in the back of your mind (e.g. teamwork, leadership, handling pressure, etc.) as they might ask these kind of questions in an interview. I personally found it helpful to create a mini bank of my experiences so that I could briefly read over them before any interviews, but you don't need to script anything - I would just be prepared to speak about your past experiences and relate them to your motivations towards the firm or to a specific scenario.

Overall, the main thing is to go in prepared but not overwhelmed - you won't be able to prepare for every possible scenario, and they're not expecting you to know everything! They just want to see that you are engaged, thoughtful, and someone that they would enjoy working with.

You'll be absolutely fine, and I'm sure you'll smash it! Just shout if you have any final questions before your scheme - best of luck!!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Does anyone know the best way to prepare for your VS whilst not knowing your allocated practice area? I've just put in my preferences, should I prep all 3 just in case? They won't reveal our allocated area until like a day or two before the scheme starts. What is the standard of knowledge firms expect candidates to have? Both coming in and going out? I know a firm told me that my knowledge levels were not up to the levels they were expecting at the AC, even though I swear I know quite a lot about the topic, thus I'm a bit unsure about how 'expert' they want me to be. To play it safe, should I try to know as much as possible?

Hey!

Huge congratulations on the vacation scheme! I completely get why you are worrying about this (and I definitely did too!), but I wouldn't spend loads of time trying to prepare three practice areas in depth.

From my experience, whilst I'm sure it can vary between firms, I didn't do much detailed technical preparation for the specific practice areas I was placed in. For example, on my Stephenson Harwood vacation scheme I was told I would be in the Real Estate team, so I prepared on that basis - however, I actually ended up sitting in the Construction team within Real Estate, so a lot of what I had done beforehand wasn't really that applicable anyway! I found that I learnt a huge amount during the week I was actually in the team, and I don't think I would have been able to reach the same level of understanding just through researching it beforehand. It is highly unlikely that your supervisor will expect you to have an in-depth knowledge of the practice area from the outset. Instead, it is much more effective to build your understanding as you go, focusing on the areas that are relevant to the tasks you're given, rather than trying to cover everything in advance.

Therefore, I would focus much more on building your commercial awareness rather than trying to gain in-depth technical knowledge. Having a good understanding of the firm's key practice areas, the sectors they operate in, and any recent deals or developments is far more useful. It is also really important to be up to date on current topics and issues affecting those areas and to be able to explain, even at a high level, how those trends might impact the firm and its clients (e.g. new risks to mitigate, how this might create work for the firm, etc.). As long as you are familiar with the basic terminology in the practice areas you are in and have a general sense of what the team does, that is usually more than enough to get you started.

In terms of expectations, I'd say firms aren't looking for you to come in as an expert on the practice area. It is much more about showing that you can think things through, communicate clearly, and are willing to learn. Personally, I never found that I was expected to go into huge technical detail on any of the tasks I was set - they were much more interested in how I approached things and how I engaged with the work.

Overall, I really wouldn't worry about trying to know everything "just in case". It is definitely worth making sure that you have a solid baseline understanding of the areas you have put down as preferences, or using the few days before the scheme (once you find out where you'll be) to do some research. However, ensuring that you are curious and have a proactive attitude on the scheme is likely to matter far more than lots of technical detail.

Wishing you the best of luck with the scheme - I'm sure it'll go great!!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any idea how to approach people for coffee's/chats? Also, is there any particular etiquette regarding things like this?

Thank you!

Hey!

Congratulations on the vacation scheme!!

Funnily enough, coffee chats were one of the things I was most anxious about before my schemes. I think I was worried that (a) I wouldn't have enough questions to fill the conversation, and (b) that I'd be pestering already busy trainees / associates / partners and come across as annoying. However, neither of those things ended up being true at all, and I found the coffee chats some of the most enjoyable parts of the schemes I did.

I think it really helps to reframe them as an opportunity to learn more about the firm and the people, rather than a tick-box exercise. If you go in with that mindset, the conversations will feel much more natural and less forced. I'd also be realistic about how many coffee chats you schedule - there is absolutely no need to pack your diary, especially if you have work and assessments on the scheme. It is much more worthwhile to speak to people you are genuinely interested in hearing from, as those tend to be the most engaging and useful chats. I personally tried to arrange 1 or 2 with people in practice areas I was interested in, 1 or 2 with people that worked in the social mobility or LGBTQ+ business inclusion groups, and then another that was more firm specific (e.g. perhaps worked on a certain initiative). I found this meant that I could chat about the things that mattered most to me when deciding where I wanted to train, and made the conversations more meaningful.

In terms of etiquette, people approach it slightly differently. On my schemes, some vacation schemers would message trainees on Teams and email associates / partners. Personally, I found it easiest (and safest!) to just email everyone, as it felt a bit more professional and consistent. My trainee buddy also showed me how to check Outlook calendars to see when individuals were free, and send calendar invites once a time was agreed. It is definitely worth asking your trainee buddy about that if you don't already know how to do it, as it was really helpful in arranging chats!

When reaching out, I would keep it short and friendly - just mention that you are on a vacation scheme at the firm sitting in X team, briefly say why you're interested in speaking with them, and ask if they have any availability that week (or suggest a couple of time windows if your schedule is busy). This should be more than enough, and generally speaking, people will be expecting emails when they know the scheme is running! Across the three schemes that I did last cycle, everyone I reached out to was more than happy to chat and very generous with their time (and often bought the coffee!). If someone is busy, they'll let you know - so there is really no downside to asking.

Finally, I'd go in with a few questions you know you want to ask, but don't worry about scripting the whole conversation. I found it worked best to let the conversation flow naturally, and bring up any questions when it felt natural to ask them. Definitely bring a notebook with you (although you should carry one at all times on a VS!) to jot down any useful insights or information - these insights are genuinely one of the most valuable parts of the scheme, and will be really important if you have to do a TC interview towards the end of the scheme.

I hope that provides some insight - once you have done your first one, they becoming much less daunting! If in doubt at all on the scheme, I would just reach out to your trainee buddy - it is likely they'll have been in the same position as you not that long ago, and they're always happy to help with anything (even the silly questions!).

Wishing you the best of luck with the scheme - I'm sure you'll smash it!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

How to actively prepare for the post VS interview?

Hey!

Congratulations on the vacation scheme!!

Generally speaking, I'd say that the format is quite similar to a normal interview - you'll usually get a mix of motivational, competency, and some commercial questions. The main difference is that the bar is higher at this stage, particularly when it comes to your motivations.

You really want to show that you have used the scheme to properly get to know the firm and that you made the most of the opportunity. That means going beyond the more research-heavy reasons you may have given at application stage and instead grounding your answers in tangible experiences and insights from the scheme. For example, you can draw on specific pieces of work that you were involved in, conversations you had with trainees / associates / partners, talks or workshops that you attended, or even smaller conversations that gave you insights into the firm's culture and ways of working. Whilst you can still talk about aspects of the firm that you have researched and not necessarily experienced first-hand, I would always recommend referring to specific instances from the VS where you can - ultimately, the main difference between the pre-VS and post-VS interview is the experience of the scheme itself!

For motivational questions especially, it is important to clearly link these experiences back to why the firm appeals to you. Therefore, rather than just saying that you enjoyed the scheme, I'd try to articulate what you enjoyed, why it stood out to you, and how that aligns with what you are looking for in a training contract and your longer-term legal career. The more specific and reflective you can be, the better! This is why I'd recommend keeping a journal (of some sort!) during the scheme, so you can note down specific insights or information that you learn each day - it makes it a lot easier once it comes to preparing in the days before the post-VS interview!

For competency questions, you can still drawn on examples outside the scheme, but don't be afraid to use experiences from the vacation scheme where relevant - it can be a good way of showing how you operate in a legal environment. Again, this is something you could jot down in a journal so that you can quickly refer to skills and competencies that you have displayed during the scheme.

Overall, it is about demonstrating that the scheme has confirmed the firm is the right fit for you, while also reinforcing that you would be a good fit for them. Wishing you the best of luck - I'm sure you'll do great!!

 

[Wanda Maximoff]

Imo

*Go w/ a goal in mind. Ideally something to inform your motivations to train at the firm / better understanding of what a given role does
*Bring a notebook and pen (depends on context though)
*Speak to a range of people at different levels of seniority ideally
*Check their outlook calendar and send a polite and concise email to suggest a time convenient to meet
*Give a reason for them to talk to you I.e., you met before, you’re interested in a particular deal they did, university alumni etc. in the email
*Don’t feel obligated to teach an arbitrary no. of chats, just balance appropriately with your work. Further, don’t do coffee chats for the sake of it, you should be genuinely interested to speak to them specifically. It may be obvious if this is not the case.

Best of luck

Hey!

Congratulations on the vacation scheme!!

Funnily enough, coffee chats were one of the things I was most anxious about before my schemes. I think I was worried that (a) I wouldn't have enough questions to fill the conversation, and (b) that I'd be pestering already busy trainees / associates / partners and come across as annoying. However, neither of those things ended up being true at all, and I found the coffee chats some of the most enjoyable parts of the schemes I did.

I think it really helps to reframe them as an opportunity to learn more about the firm and the people, rather than a tick-box exercise. If you go in with that mindset, the conversations will feel much more natural and less forced. I'd also be realistic about how many coffee chats you schedule - there is absolutely no need to pack your diary, especially if you have work and assessments on the scheme. It is much more worthwhile to speak to people you are genuinely interested in hearing from, as those tend to be the most engaging and useful chats. I personally tried to arrange 1 or 2 with people in practice areas I was interested in, 1 or 2 with people that worked in the social mobility or LGBTQ+ business inclusion groups, and then another that was more firm specific (e.g. perhaps worked on a certain initiative). I found this meant that I could chat about the things that mattered most to me when deciding where I wanted to train, and made the conversations more meaningful.

In terms of etiquette, people approach it slightly differently. On my schemes, some vacation schemers would message trainees on Teams and email associates / partners. Personally, I found it easiest (and safest!) to just email everyone, as it felt a bit more professional and consistent. My trainee buddy also showed me how to check Outlook calendars to see when individuals were free, and send calendar invites once a time was agreed. It is definitely worth asking your trainee buddy about that if you don't already know how to do it, as it was really helpful in arranging chats!

When reaching out, I would keep it short and friendly - just mention that you are on a vacation scheme at the firm sitting in X team, briefly say why you're interested in speaking with them, and ask if they have any availability that week (or suggest a couple of time windows if your schedule is busy). This should be more than enough, and generally speaking, people will be expecting emails when they know the scheme is running! Across the three schemes that I did last cycle, everyone I reached out to was more than happy to chat and very generous with their time (and often bought the coffee!). If someone is busy, they'll let you know - so there is really no downside to asking.

Finally, I'd go in with a few questions you know you want to ask, but don't worry about scripting the whole conversation. I found it worked best to let the conversation flow naturally, and bring up any questions when it felt natural to ask them. Definitely bring a notebook with you (although you should carry one at all times on a VS!) to jot down any useful insights or information - these insights are genuinely one of the most valuable parts of the scheme, and will be really important if you have to do a TC interview towards the end of the scheme.

I hope that provides some insight - once you have done your first one, they becoming much less daunting! If in doubt at all on the scheme, I would just reach out to your trainee buddy - it is likely they'll have been in the same position as you not that long ago, and they're always happy to help with anything (even the silly questions!).

Wishing you the best of luck with the scheme - I'm sure you'll smash it!

@Abbie Whitlock @LionHeart Thank you so much both, this has been incredibly insightful!

 

[Bah Bah Pink Sheep]

@Abbie Whitlock Hi Abbie - thanks for you answers above firstly!

I have another question I was hoping you might be able to answer: Having been on vac schemes before, are there any office etiquettes, good corporate habits, or things unique to the legal profession we should be aware of prior to our first day in the office? Maybe even certain preferred formatting styles etc.? I saw on Reels that it's always good practice to organise the email 'send to' list by order of seniority etc., are there any other small quirks we should be aware of to give the best impression?

Thank you!

 

[lucky2]

Hey!

This is a very normal feeling before a vacation scheme! It can feel a bit overwhelming because you don't really know what to expect, and so it can feel hard to prepare for it! I've highlighted a few things that you could potentially do to prepare below, but don't worry if you don't have any of this information yet - on most of my schemes, I used an hour or so in the evening in the week to prepare for the next day once I had more information!

I would start by brushing up on your knowledge of the firm so that you feel comfortable talking about their key practice areas, clients, and what differentiates them (this last point being key!). If you happen to know what team you will be sitting in, it is worth doing a bit of light research into that area (e.g. typical work, recent deals that the firm has completed, and any key terminology). However, if you don't know the area that you will be in yet, that is completely fine too - just having a general understanding of the firm should be enough, as you won't be expected to understand the technical detail from day one anyway! A helpful tip that I was told is to make sure that you have your introduction down for your first day so you can make a good first impression - on nearly all of my schemes, my supervisors took me around the department and introduced me to everyone, so I repeated this a lot!

It is also helpful to make sure that you are familiar with some of the key terms used in commercial law and any of the firm's core sectors, just so nothing feels completely unfamiliar when you are hear it (things like warranties, indemnities, representations, etc.). Alongside that, I would try to get a clear idea of what assessments are involved in the scheme (if any!) and think about how you might approach them, so that you aren't going in completely blind! I was encouraged to speak to trainees at the firm who might have gone through the recruitment process recently to ask about how they prepared for the assessments - it might be worth reaching out, or asking your trainee buddy!

I would also make sure that you can clearly articulate your motivations as well, as this is bound to come up at some point, even in informal conversations. If you have a final TC interview at the end of the scheme, make sure that you incorporate insights and experiences from the scheme to show your motivations - they'll want to see that you have used the scheme to make an informed decision about why you want to train at this specific firm.

One thing that is also underrated that I was advised to do before my schemes is to have a bit of a system for reflecting as you go - for example, keeping a quick daily journal of what you did, who you spoke to, and any interesting insights. On my schemes, I would take 30 minutes or so when I got back to my accommodation to just write down anything that I learned that day or found interesting. This ended up being really helpful when it came to the final TC interview, as I could go over this the night before and have clear examples to refer to that backed up my points.

If they have shared a schedule of sessions in advance, I also found it really helpful to quickly brainstorm a few questions ahead of time for each session. Whilst you should ask any questions that pop up during the session, I found that it helped take the stress off in the moment and allowed me to make the most of the opportunities.

Finally, it is definitely worth having a few competency examples in the back of your mind (e.g. teamwork, leadership, handling pressure, etc.) as they might ask these kind of questions in an interview. I personally found it helpful to create a mini bank of my experiences so that I could briefly read over them before any interviews, but you don't need to script anything - I would just be prepared to speak about your past experiences and relate them to your motivations towards the firm or to a specific scenario.

Overall, the main thing is to go in prepared but not overwhelmed - you won't be able to prepare for every possible scenario, and they're not expecting you to know everything! They just want to see that you are engaged, thoughtful, and someone that they would enjoy working with.

You'll be absolutely fine, and I'm sure you'll smash it! Just shout if you have any final questions before your scheme - best of luck!!

Hi Abbie, would you be able to clarify what you mean by having your introduction down? Would it come across poorly if I just say my name and say that I am seating in X seat for my vac scheme? Are they expecting some sort of in-depth explanation of your background? I am worried that it may come across awkwardly if I start telling them about my background.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

@Abbie Whitlock Hi Abbie - thanks for you answers above firstly!

I have another question I was hoping you might be able to answer: Having been on vac schemes before, are there any office etiquettes, good corporate habits, or things unique to the legal profession we should be aware of prior to our first day in the office? Maybe even certain preferred formatting styles etc.? I saw on Reels that it's always good practice to organise the email 'send to' list by order of seniority etc., are there any other small quirks we should be aware of to give the best impression?

Thank you!

Hello!

No worries at all!! This is a great question, and something that I was particularly concerned about when I started my placement year (as it was my first time working in an office). There are a few things that come to mind, which I'll discuss below!

In terms of general office etiquette, a lot of it comes down to being proactive but polite. Simple things like saying good morning, introducing yourself to the team, and being friendly with absolutely everyone (e.g. secretaries, paralegals, support staff, etc.) go a long way. People do notice how you treat everyone, and this isn't just how you interact with senior lawyers.

On the email point - I haven't actually seen that advice before, and therefore it wasn't something I was ever told about or consciously did on my scheme (or my placement year). I personally wouldn't stress too much about it, but it might be worth getting into the habit of it if it is good practice! I would focus more on matching the tone of whoever you are replying to - for example, a reply to your trainee buddy might be slightly less formal than a reply to a partner. If you are not sure, you can't really go wrong with something like "Kind Regards" or "Best Wishes" as they tend to strike the right balance between professional and friendly. I would also make sure that you double check names / spellings and avoid anything too casual unless they have set that tone first, and ensure that your emails are concise and cover all of the key points.

In relation to formatting, I would say that clarity is really key! Use short paragraphs, bullet points where helpful, and make sure that any attachments are clearly labelled. If you are asked to draft something, don't worry about being absolutely perfect - just focus on making it easy to read and logically structured so that it is easy for the person who assigned the task to see what is missing. If you are doing a research task, I always included a short summary at the beginning of my email that essentially showed the answers to any specific questions I had been asked to cover in my research - this was always praised by my supervisors, so I think it's worth including!

A couple of other things that come to mind:

• Always acknowledge any tasks that you are sent, even if you aren't able to work on them right away (e.g. a simple "Thank you for sending this across, I'll make a start on this at X time").
• If you are unsure about a deadline, definitely ask rather than assume.
• Keep people updated if something might take longer than expected, or if a scheduled session overruns slightly. Communication is key!
• Bring a notebook and write things down, as people appreciate not having to repeat instructions multiple times. It also shows that you are listening and actively engaging in the tasks you are given.
• If you finish something early, let someone know that you are available for more work. However, I'd try to strike the right balance between asking for more work and 'badgering' your supervisor (if that makes sense?) as they might be busy. If your supervisor doesn't have any quick tasks to give you, it might be worth asking around in the wider team.

One thing that is slightly related to the final point is to be mindful of people's time - if someone is busy, I'd try to keep any questions concise and try to group them together rather than asking lots of separate things throughout the day.

Lastly, don't stress too much about getting every tiny detail perfect. People aren't expecting you to know all the "unwritten rules", and they're much more interested in whether you are engaged, willing to learn, and pleasant to work with. If it helps, on my first day working in an office, I didn't go for lunch until the late afternoon as I didn't realise you could just go whenever (as someone who had only previously worked in hospitality, haha!).

I found that I actually worried more about these small things on my first day, rather than the work or assessments themselves - these 'silly' questions are the types of questions that you can ask here (before the scheme) or ask your trainee buddy (during the scheme) without any judgment.

I hope that helps, and feel free to ask anything else before you start (even if it seems silly) - I'm happy to help!

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi Abbie, would you be able to clarify what you mean by having your introduction down? Would it come across poorly if I just say my name and say that I am seating in X seat for my vac scheme? Are they expecting some sort of in-depth explanation of your background? I am worried that it may come across awkwardly if I start telling them about my background.

Hi!

Of course - apologies, I should've been slightly clearer! I don't think that would come across poorly at all, and is generally what I would include in an introduction. It is sort of your 'elevator pitch' and should cover your name, the seat you are sitting in, and perhaps where you are right now in your legal career (e.g. a second-year at X university, a graduate from Y university, a graduate working in Z, etc.).

I would definitely avoid going into lots of detail about your background, as it should be a short and sweet introduction that gives a high level overview of your journey so far. I would agree that it might be a bit awkward if you spend too long going into detail on your background, especially as the person might be busy.

For example, my introduction during most of my vacation schemes was along the lines of: "Hello, my name is Abbie and I'm a vacation scheme student sat in X department. I am currently a final year Law student at the University of Portsmouth, and I am particularly interested in Y area of law".

 

[Bah Bah Pink Sheep]

Hello!

No worries at all!! This is a great question, and something that I was particularly concerned about when I started my placement year (as it was my first time working in an office). There are a few things that come to mind, which I'll discuss below!

In terms of general office etiquette, a lot of it comes down to being proactive but polite. Simple things like saying good morning, introducing yourself to the team, and being friendly with absolutely everyone (e.g. secretaries, paralegals, support staff, etc.) go a long way. People do notice how you treat everyone, and this isn't just how you interact with senior lawyers.

On the email point - I haven't actually seen that advice before, and therefore it wasn't something I was ever told about or consciously did on my scheme (or my placement year). I personally wouldn't stress too much about it, but it might be worth getting into the habit of it if it is good practice! I would focus more on matching the tone of whoever you are replying to - for example, a reply to your trainee buddy might be slightly less formal than a reply to a partner. If you are not sure, you can't really go wrong with something like "Kind Regards" or "Best Wishes" as they tend to strike the right balance between professional and friendly. I would also make sure that you double check names / spellings and avoid anything too casual unless they have set that tone first, and ensure that your emails are concise and cover all of the key points.

In relation to formatting, I would say that clarity is really key! Use short paragraphs, bullet points where helpful, and make sure that any attachments are clearly labelled. If you are asked to draft something, don't worry about being absolutely perfect - just focus on making it easy to read and logically structured so that it is easy for the person who assigned the task to see what is missing. If you are doing a research task, I always included a short summary at the beginning of my email that essentially showed the answers to any specific questions I had been asked to cover in my research - this was always praised by my supervisors, so I think it's worth including!

A couple of other things that come to mind:

• Always acknowledge any tasks that you are sent, even if you aren't able to work on them right away (e.g. a simple "Thank you for sending this across, I'll make a start on this at X time").
• If you are unsure about a deadline, definitely ask rather than assume.
• Keep people updated if something might take longer than expected, or if a scheduled session overruns slightly. Communication is key!
• Bring a notebook and write things down, as people appreciate not having to repeat instructions multiple times. It also shows that you are listening and actively engaging in the tasks you are given.
• If you finish something early, let someone know that you are available for more work. However, I'd try to strike the right balance between asking for more work and 'badgering' your supervisor (if that makes sense?) as they might be busy. If your supervisor doesn't have any quick tasks to give you, it might be worth asking around in the wider team.

One thing that is slightly related to the final point is to be mindful of people's time - if someone is busy, I'd try to keep any questions concise and try to group them together rather than asking lots of separate things throughout the day.

Lastly, don't stress too much about getting every tiny detail perfect. People aren't expecting you to know all the "unwritten rules", and they're much more interested in whether you are engaged, willing to learn, and pleasant to work with. If it helps, on my first day working in an office, I didn't go for lunch until the late afternoon as I didn't realise you could just go whenever (as someone who had only previously worked in hospitality, haha!).

I found that I actually worried more about these small things on my first day, rather than the work or assessments themselves - these 'silly' questions are the types of questions that you can ask here (before the scheme) or ask your trainee buddy (during the scheme) without any judgment.

I hope that helps, and feel free to ask anything else before you start (even if it seems silly) - I'm happy to help!

you're an angel Abbie - thank you for this! super helpful and definitely very reassuring!