The Official Vacation Scheme Thread 2016

May as well introduce myself as I'm sure I'll be an active participant in this thread once the fun starts.

Averaged a 67% average in first year at York, with 2.1s in every module. I've attended 3 open days in the City, I'm part of the Pathways Plus programme and have a couple of week placements sorted for the summer, one at a local firm and one at Links. My extra-curricular activities are fairly strong, if not exceptional and I work part-time at university which hopefully will help me.

Unlike a lot of people on here though I'm not fully convinced that I want to live in London, so the firms I apply to will be quite varied as I want to experience a few different working cultures, but to offset this I hope I can complete 15 or so applications which will be a challenge but oh well. I'll apply for a couple of the MC circle, a couple US firms, the majority of the SC and then firms such as Addleshaws and DLA in their regional offices, and probably even a few more local firms.

Ideally I'd be successful with a couple of firms in the City and successful with an application to a firms' regional office so I can make an educated decision should I get any TC offers this year, but I feel I'm being somewhat overly optimistic!

Thinking about the Magic Circle firms, along with 4-5 US firms and Clyde & Co's Dubai vac scheme.
Got a lowish mid 2.1 from Bristol, have some extracurriculars and did two first year spring schemes so hoping that it goes okay.

Ideally, how many vacation schemes is everyone thinking of doing?

Hey guys,

Law at Cambridge, got a mid 2.1, I do loads of extra-curric stuff. Thinking of applying to about 7-10 firms. At the moment thinking about Freshfields, A+O, Links, White&Case, Latham, Skadden and Weil. Might do Hsf or HL but not both.

Hey

What college are you at?

I'm thinking of applying to one or two magics but I'm unsure whether one of my modules will pull me back. I got 58% in a public law module but averaged a solid 2.1 overall (67%) from a RG uni. I have pretty good extra-curriculars and two in-house legal experience weeks this summer! I'm applying to other firms too but wondered if its worth me applying to any magics. What do you guys think?

Hey, I wouldn't rule out MC firms; apart from maybe Slaughters. My friend literally scraped a 2.1 and got a vac scheme at a MC firm so you should be fine as long as your app is strong.

Hey everyone! Got a 59 in my first year at an RG! Very disappointed :/ Got good ECs though (I think) and also have legal experience sorted with a barrister and a law firm at home (Im an international student), but pretty sure Im going to be applying to firms like Irwin Mitchell/Wragge, etc which don't have a minimum academic requirement, as there's little to no chance I'd get into any of the MCs/SCs with a high 2.2 in my first year. I could however do with some advice on firms I should be looking at for VCs! Cheers!

Does anyone know which firms recruit on a rolling basis?

Just as a head ups, you guys might want to make note of the firms who will not allow you to apply for a TC if rejected at the VS stage.(in the same cycle).

From my research, they were HSF, BLP, Simmons & Simmons, Travers, Cleary, Weil, Latham. (Some are for obvious reasons, such as recruiting most trainees from the vac schemes.

Hey everyone! Got a 59 in my first year at an RG! Very disappointed :/ Got good ECs though (I think) and also have legal experience sorted with a barrister and a law firm at home (Im an international student), but pretty sure Im going to be applying to firms like Irwin Mitchell/Wragge, etc which don't have a minimum academic requirement, as there's little to no chance I'd get into any of the MCs/SCs with a high 2.2 in my first year. I could however do with some advice on firms I should be looking at for VCs! Cheers!

Does anyone know which firms recruit on a rolling basis?

Haven't seen a post like this yet so going to post.

My results were very bad, scored a mid 2.2 (54%). I have EXTENSIVE legal experience and very unique extra curricular's. But honestly I know the top firms won't take me serious no matter what my experience with those grades. So I will begin applying for vac schemes in third year I reckon?

What do you guys think I should do?? I am really hoping to end up at a top law firm.

Thanks

Thanks for your honest reply, I completely agree with what you've said!

Work experience with M/C, S/C, smaller american law firms and boutique law firms. As well as in house experience with the likes of Barclays etc. and a whole load of unique extra curriculars.

If I was to secure a high 2.1/1st, do you think it would be worth making Training contract applications to the magic circle, silver circle and US firms?? Will these firms really take someone in who has scored a 2.2. in first year, but then gone on to make an impressive transformation