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 January 2020

29 January 2020

• Summer vacation scheme – PwC

31 January 2020

• Insight workshops – Bristows
• Summer programme – Cooley (UK) LLP
• Work placement – K&L Gates LLP
• Vacation scheme – Mayer Brown International LLP
• Summer vacation scheme – Morgan Lewis & Bockius
• Summer vacation scheme – Norton Rose Fulbright
• First Step vacation scheme (first-year programme) – Norton Rose Fulbright
• Vacation scheme – Penningtons Manches Cooper
• First-year open days 2020 – Slaughter and May
• Summer vacation scheme – Trowers & Hamlins LLP

Deadlines in February 2020

1 February 2020

• Summer vacation scheme – Browne Jacobson LLP

10 February 2020

• Summer vacation placement – Gateley Legal
• Spring workshop (first-year programme) – RPC

11 February 2020

• Summer vacation scheme – Gateley Plc

15 February 2020

• Placement year – Simmons & Simmons
• Summer vacation scheme (Bristol) – Simmons & Simmons

28 February 2020

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

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.