Hi!Hi all, I have a vacation scheme next week that I am extremely excited and grateful for. However, I am pretty nervous as expected! I was wondering if anyone had any tips? And if there is anything that I can do to prepare?
It would be my first time in the corporate law environment, and obviously I want to come across as professional but of course natural too. Thank you all! And good luck for your schemes and applications
Firstly, huge congratulations on securing the vacation scheme - being excited and nervous at the same time is completely normal, but I found the nerves went away a bit when I actually entered the firm and got started!
I've previously written a few posts that touch on both preparing for a vacation scheme and some of the softer things that I learnt from being in a corporate law environment for the first time, so I'll quote those below in case they are useful!
Wishing you the best of luck next week - I'm sure you'll smash it, and I hope you enjoy it too!
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!!
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!!
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!
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:
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.
- 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.
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!
Hello!
I am having a good day, thank you - I hope you are too!!
In terms of preparing for the scheme, I would try not to worry too much about doing lots! The main things that I would focus on are:
You are not expected to come in with lots of technical legal knowledge, particularly as the scheme has to be accessible for non-law students. The scheme itself is designed for you to learn, so your approach matters far more! In terms of tasks, I would say that you are bang on and they are often things like:
- Having a solid understanding of the firm (e.g. their key practice areas, recent deals, commercial awareness of their specific sectors, etc.)
- If you know your seat, doing a bit of background reading so that you are familiar with key terms and concepts
- Thinking of a few questions that you'd like to ask / learn about during the scheme
The most important thing is often how you approach them, rather than whether you get everything right first time. A few things that helped me with tasks during my vacation schemes:
- Research tasks (e.g. looking into a legal issue or recent updates and summarising it)
- Drafting (emails, short notes, sometimes basic clauses in a contract)
- Proofreading or document review
- Sometimes more commercial-style / business development tasks (e.g. preparing an article that discusses a recent legal case)
On timing, I personally found vacation scheme tasks had less time pressure than AC written exercises. ACs are designed to test you under pressure, so they often give you lots of information in a short amount of time. However, on a vacation scheme, you'll usually have more time and supervisors are generally more flexible (i.e. depending on the nature of the task, you might have a few hours or a couple days to complete it). The most important part is that you confirm the deadline when you receive the task, and always communicate if anything comes up that means you might not be able to complete it in time. They are usually happy for you to check in if you are unsure about timing or expectations!
- Make sure that you fully understand the task, and if anything is unclear, it is completely fine (and often encouraged) to ask clarifying questions. Your supervisor would rather you ask a clarifying question, rather than not fully address what they were asking for.
- Do focused research - don't try to include everything, just what is most relevant. At the start, I was including things that weren't directly relevant as I worried that it might be useful for my supervisor to have that information anyway. However, I would ensure that you only include things relevant to the question being asked, and you can always (+ probably should) include a list of sources that you used, so your supervisor can find this information if needed.
- Structure your answer clearly (e.g. intro -> main point -> conclusion) and keep it concise and easy to read. At the end of the day, they are delegating the task to save themselves some time, so you want to ensure that they have easy access to the information they need.
A vacation scheme is a learning experience so, whilst you are being assessed and should produce the best work you can, it is much more about your thought process, effort, and how you take on feedback, rather than whether your work was "perfect". You aren't expected to know everything, and asking questions is a good thing and actively encouraged - try to learn as much as you can throughout the scheme to make the most of it!
You have already done incredibly well to receive the vacation scheme offer, and they definitely would not have picked you if they didn't think you were capable. It might feel overwhelming now, but once you get started, it becomes much more manageable. It is often the unknown that makes you nervous!
Wishing you the best of luck - I'm sure you'll do great!!
Hello!
On researching your practice area, I would say that whilst reading the firm's website is a good starting point (so I'd encourage you to start there), it helps to go a bit further and build a more rounded view of what the team actually does in practice. I would take a look at something such as this page from Chambers Student, which gives you various practice areas and outlines: (a) an overview of the area, (b) what lawyers in that team actually do in practice, and (c) the realities of the job. I found this was a really helpful overview, especially when I had been allocated an area I wasn't particularly familiar with.
A good next step could be to look at recent news, deals, or insights that the firm (or team specifically) has been involved in or published. You could look at things such as their Blog / Insights page, Legal Cheek, The Lawyer, or LittleLaw, as they can all be useful to found out more information about the type of work that the firm is actually doing. Even just picking a few recent matters and understanding what the issue was, who the client was, and why it mattered can give you something to talk about.
Another good way to prepare is to understand the commercial context of the practice area. For example:
Even having a basic grasp of these points can show tailored commercial awareness, and allows you to discuss the areas in more depth with those in the team. If you have time, it is also worth getting comfortable with some of the basics of the law in that area (nothing too technical!) - just enough so you can follow discussions and ask sensible follow-up questions.
- What are the key challenges clients in that area are facing right now?
- Are there any regulatory changes or market trends affecting the work?
- How does this practice area actually make money for the firm?
For the interview, I wouldn't assume that it'll be casual (though I wouldn't be able to say for certain) and I'd treat it like any professional interview. From my experience, the final interviews at the end of a vacation scheme are often a mix:
The tone might feel more relaxed and conversational, and I'd definitely try to match the 'vibe' of the interview (whilst still remaining professional), but they will still be assessing you quite closely - especially on things like how you have engaged during the scheme, your interest in the firm, and whether you would be a good fit. Therefore, I would definitely reflect properly on your experiences during the scheme (e.g. what you did and what you learned), and it might help to keep a journal of your time on the scheme so it is easier to prepare for the interview. Additionally, I'd be ready to talk about the practice area that you sat in and what you enjoyed about it, and always make sure that you have a few questions to ask the interviewers at the end.
- Emphasis on motivational questions (e.g. why this firm, why law, reflections on the scheme). Definitely incorporate insights and knowledge that you have gained from the scheme, as your answers should be grounded in those experiences.
- Some commercial awareness (e.g. discussing a news story or something relevant to the firm's work)
- Some competency-style questions (e.g. "Tell me about a time when...")
- Some strengths-based or situational questions (e.g. "What would you do in X scenario")
- Occasionally some technical questions, but I've found that this is quite rare and not overly in-depth (for example, I've been asked to explain warranties and indemnities before)
If you approach it as a conversation where you express genuine interest in the firm, and can show how the scheme has confirmed that for you, I'd say you'll be in a strong position. Best of luck with the scheme!!
