Don’t miss vacation scheme deadlines

Vacation schemes are a significant (and sometimes essential) part of the recruitment process for most large law firms. The best way to obtain inside knowledge about a firm's culture and the sort of legal work it does is to spend between one and three weeks on its vacation scheme (also known as a vacation placement but rarely, in this sector, as an internship).

Deadlines in February 2020

28 February 2020

• First-year insight day – Macfarlanes LLP
• First-year insight scheme – Osborne Clarke LLP
• Summer vacation scheme – PwC
• Summer vacation scheme – Shoosmiths
• Fast track scheme (first-year programme) – Weil, Gotshal & Manges
• Summer vacation scheme (Scotland) – Womble Bond Dickinson

29 February 2020

• Open day – Bristows

Deadlines in March 2020

31 March 2020

• First-year insight scheme – White & Case LLP

Deadlines in April 2020

30 April 2020

• Summer vacation scheme – Ashfords LLP

Open/ongoing deadlines

• Insight Days – Clyde & Co LLP
• Summer vacation scheme – Deloitte
• Vacation scheme – Latham & Watkins
• Winter vacation scheme – Travers Smith LLP

When do applications for vacation schemes open?

Applications for winter vacation schemes typically open in the Autumn and applications for summer vacation schemes tend to open in the Winter, from around December to March. Please check back then to find an up-to-date list of vacations scheme opportunities advertised on TARGETjobs.

Most law firms offer these structured work experience programmes to second- or final-year law and non-law students, and tend to pay a subsidy of £250–£500 per week. Typically, firms offer winter vacation schemes to finalists and graduates, and summer vacation schemes to penultimate-year students, but it’s worth checking individual firms’ requirements by clicking on the links below. Common deadlines for summer vacation placements fall in November, December and January.