We share the lowdown on a busy week of sessions from top lawyers and legal education experts
Legal Cheek’s Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2025 in partnership with The University of Law, returned this year with a packed schedule of workshops delivered by a wide range of law firms and in-house legal teams, an ’employability expo’ with ULaw’s team of experts and our Virtual Law Fair with trainees and graduate recruitment from over 25 top law firms.
Over the course of the week, over 2,200 students flooded into the live stream to hear from these experienced experts and ask their burning questions.
In case you missed it, here’s what went down…
Day 1
Session 1: Deals
The speakers
What went down…
The first session of the 2025 Summer Vacation Scheme focused on deals and took the form of a presentation delivered by Jones Day corporate associates Oliver Hewitt and Olivia Prioleau.
Reflecting on why they chose to become transactional lawyers, Hewitt and Prioleau referenced the fast-paced, varied and commercially-focused nature of their work.
After an explanation of what corporate lawyers do, Prioleau gave an overview of the firm’s clients — a list which includes household names from McDonalds to Goldman Sachs.
The presenters then broke down the life cycle of a deal, from initial negotiation stages, through due diligence (a key trainee task), to completion. They then applied these principles to examples of deals they have advised on.
We then moved to a Q&A featuring questions from our live audience. Hewitt gave an insight into the factors currently affecting corporate deals, including tariffs and geopolitical instability. Prioleau responded to a question on Jones Day’s ‘non-rotational’ training contract, emphasising a combination of guidance and freedom which allows trainees to thrive.
To conclude, our presenters shared a piece of advice they would give their younger selves: Prioleau stressed being kind to yourself and Hewitt recommended throwing yourself into every opportunity.
Session 2: Disputes
The speakers
- Kristjana Nikolls, Litigation associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
What went down…
Session 2 saw Kristjana Nikolls take us through her dynamic disputes practice as an associate at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher. She explained the shape of a disputes matter from preliminary advice through to disclosure, evidence gathering, trial, and post-trial enforcement, giving us a flavour of the tasks done by trainees right through to partners.
Nikolls brought vibrant energy and left the PowerPoint behind, as she delivered a rich, deep dive with fantastic anecdotes across the exciting cases that have shaped her career.
We covered how teams structured with counsel got involved in the run up to court hearings, and the diverse skills involved in drafting witness statements and expert reports – where juniors are afforded much responsibility in the logistics and note-taking.
At the court stage, Nikolls told us that juniors and NQs can get involved in preparing witnesses, whilst seniors look towards strategy, and how working closely with barristers brings preparation and advocacy together to achieve the best result for the client. Peppered throughout, Nikolls gave us fascinating anecdotes, from a witness’s frequent toilet breaks to highlighters thrown across the court room. At judgment, there are strategic decisions on appeals right down to the logistics behind enforcement actions.
After a Q&A, taking us through life as a career-changer to the importance of strategic thinking in advisory work, Nikolls then took schemers through the case study supplied by ULaw, analysing how she approaches disputes problems and directs questions at the facts.
Day 2
Session 1: Real estate
The speakers
- Janany Kathirgamanathan, real estate partner at BCLP
What went down…
Day two of the Summer Vacation Scheme began with a session on real estate, delivered by Janany Kathirgamanathan, a commercial real estate partner at BCLP.
She shared insights from her career journey, explaining how she joined the firm in 2015 — when it was still Berwin Leighton Paisner — as an associate, and made partner last year.
Kathirgamanathan spoke about her work in development and regeneration, with a particular focus on build-to-rent projects, affordable housing, and public sector financing. She regularly advises developers, funders, and purchasers in these areas. She also touched on the impact of government policy on her work, noting that it plays a key role in shaping how affordable housing is delivered.
But Kathirgamanathan’s work goes beyond build-to-rent projects and affordable housing. She was recently involved in Tristan Capital Partners’ €400 million (£336 million) acquisition of the budget hotel chain EasyHotel.
In conversation with Legal Cheek editor Tom Connelly, she shared what first drew her to the real estate sector, explaining that it stemmed from her experience as a paralegal before securing a training contract—though she admitted with a laugh, “I didn’t care for land law at university!”
Session 2: Employability expo
The speakers
- Hannah Uglow, LPC and SQE programme and student lead at ULaw
- Catherine Morgan, employability group manager at ULaw
- Amy Walker, careers manager at ULaw
- Mandi Kaur, student recruitment manager at ULaw
- Louise Musgrave, student recruitment manager at ULaw
- Vlad Manic, student recruitment manager at ULaw
What went down…
The SQE explained
Hannah Uglow, programme and student lead at The University of Law, provided students with a clear overview of the changes to solicitor qualification following the introduction of the SQE. She explained the structure of the new exams, which are divided into two stages: SQE1 and SQE2. SQE1 assesses black letter law, while SQE2 focuses on practical legal skills such as advocacy and drafting. Uglow also outlined various course options, including ULaw’s LLM with SQE prep built in, and highlighted the pros and cons to completing Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) alongside your studies.
Firm research and applications
Mandi Kaur and Vlad Manic kicked off their sessions by highlighting the importance of firm research, before delving into the aspects to consider – from practice area and sector focus to culture and values. They also shared the various sources for research aspiring solicitors can access online, including the firms’ social media channels.
When it came to writing applications, Kaur and Manic suggested applicants to assess their own employability skills and demonstrate these via concrete examples. The speakers then outlined the sections one can expect on law firm applications. To wrap up the sessions, Kaur and Manic offered practical advice, noting that applications should not be left until the last minute, especially if your target firms recruit on a rolling basis.
Where can I find legal work experience?
ULaw’s Catherine Morgan and Amy Walker, headed up this session covering all things legal work experience. Both kicked off with a myth-busting exercise, to reassure students that all work experience is valuable. They discussed the key attributes employers are looking for, and the ways to demonstrate a real interest in law. Both provided examples of opportunities available, from insight days to speculative applications and temporary roles. To wrap up, the speakers provided their top tips for creating industry contacts; students must be proactive to build lasting connections!
Writing effective CVs and cover letters
During this session, ULaw student recruitment manager Louise Musgrave shared her top tips for writing effective CVs and cover letters. The talk began by outlining what to include on your CV, including personal details, education, work experience, extra-curricular activities and relevant skills. Musgrave emphasised the importance of keeping things simple and formal, using clear headings and bullet points, a readable font and keeping to two pages of A4.
On cover letters, Musgrave encouraged students to focus on style and flow to make their submissions interesting to read. Finally, she recommended getting CVs and cover letters read over by friends, family or a careers advisor to check for any dreaded spelling and grammar errors.
Day 3
Session 1: Public law and policy
The speakers
- Louis Biggs, senior associate in the public law and policy team at Hogan Lovells
- Maddy Vincent, associate in the public law and policy team at Hogan Lovells
What went down…
We kicked off day three of the Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme with a session delivered by Louis Biggs, senior associate, and Maddy Vincent, associate, from the public law and policy team at Hogan Lovells.
The pair started with an overview of their clients, from private companies like Uber and OpenAI to public sector clients like OfGem and the Department for Energy and Net Zero.
A deep-dive into the team’s work followed. Biggs began with Hogan Lovells’ work advising major tech companies on complying with the Online Safety Act. He then moved on to his work for Uber in its appeals against Transport for London’s decision to remove its licence to operate in London.
Biggs handed over to Vincent to cover the team’s work defending the London Metal Exchange against claims that its decision to cancel nickel trades in volatile market conditions was unlawful – ending in an exciting victory in the Court of Appeal.
Throughout the presentation, our live chat was buzzing with enthusiasm and questions for the presenters. Addressing some of these questions in the follow-up Q&A, the pair shared insights into what they value in great trainees – highlighting the importance of a keen interest in politics and an ability to take the initiative.
Day 4
Session 1: Fraud
The speakers
- Robert Hunter, Former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities
What went down…
The penultimate day of the Scheme began with a session on fraud and asset tracing with Robert Hunter, former magic and silver circle partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities.
Hunter kicked off the session by reflecting on his career journey — from being psychology student with a keen interest in psychopathy, through to becoming partner and head of fraud at two top City firms, all whilst coming to terms with his profound deafness.
Hunter then delved into his work acting for claimants in international fraud cases — outlining the different injunction orders that can be brought against fraudsters to recover stolen assets, such as freezing and search orders, as well as the perils involved in dealing with professional fraudsters, who were often vindictive criminals.
Besides this, Hunter also emphasised the challenges of dealing with the claimants themselves, and recounted numerous tales from his 35-year career.
To conclude the session, Hunter imparted the following words of wisdom:
- Don’t be intimidated by lawyers who appear sure of themselves, as this is rarely the case in reality
- Don’t give up if you feel like others have started off their careers better than you
- There are many ways to be a good lawyer — everyone brings something different to the table
Session 2: Corporate finance
The speakers
- Karl Bradford, principle director in the corporate team at Foot Anstey
What went down…
On hand to guide students through the final session of day 4 was Karl Bradford, principal director in the corporate team at Foot Anstey. Karl kicked off with a whistle-stop tour of his varied career journey to date, discussing his experience in private practice and in-house. Bradford provided viewers with a definition of corporate real estate, before detailing what this practice area involves: investment funds, transactions through a corporate entity and joint ventures. Bradford gave some real-life examples of work he has been involved in, including some unexpected signing scenarios!
Bradford moved on to discuss the role of investment funds in the financing of corporate real estate transactions. He explained why corporate entities are used to facilitate the transaction, and helpfully presented some animations to illustrate the process. He discussed the process of due diligence, the need for warranties and indemnities, and how this process can influence the end transaction.
Bradford went on to cover his final topic up for discussion: joint venture agreements. Bradford considered the benefits of joint ventures and their popularity when conditions are favourable. He then walked students through the key terms involved.
The session then moved to the audience Q&A. Bradford was probed on his motivation to work in corporate real estate, the skills required, and the changes he expects in the industry over the coming years. The session wrapped up with an analysis of the finance-focused case study, considering the best way to transfer an interest in a loan.
Day 5
Session 1: Training in-house
The speakers
- Rebecca Staheli, head of competition and regulatory law at the BBC
- Charlie Pratt, graduate solicitor apprentice at the BBC
What went down…
Our representatives from the BBC’s in-house legal team, Rebecca Staheli and Charlie Pratt, began by introducing themselves and their respective career journeys. Pratt then explained why he joined the graduate solicitor apprenticeship scheme at the BBC, citing his long-term interest in the company’s media output and the wider commercial considerations across the industry, among others.
The speakers then outlined what a typical day looks like for each of them. For Staheli, there is “no such thing as a typical day”, explaining the vast variety of matters that comes across her desk, as a reflection of the size of the organisation and the nature of the business. For Pratt, the typical day varies between seats, which are scattered across the BBC. To illustrate this, Pratt compared his experience in the distribution team at BBC Legal to that in the brand protection team at BBC Studios.
During the audience Q&A, the speakers delved into the differences between working in-house versus in private practice. Staheli described what career progression looks like in-house, while Pratt highlighted the greater autonomy that in-house trainees enjoy. Pratt also gave an overview of the application process to the BBC and offered tips and advice on doing research on the organisation.
To round off the session, Staheli analysed the case study exercise, discussing the directions students can take and the factors to consider.
Session 2: Alternatives to Corporate Law
The speakers
- Edie Selsdon Games, trainee solicitor at TV Edwards Solicitors
- Ravina Bahra, public law paralegal at Lawstop
- Alaa Ahmed, trainee solicitor at Wilsons Solicitors
What went down…
To kick off the final session of day 5, Edie Selsdon Games provided a whistle-stop tour of her legal experience to date. Electing to study immigration and housing law on the LPC, Edie very quickly knew that this area of work was one she intended to pursue. Selsdon Games threw herself into pro-bono work at university, before assisting as a caseworker at a money advice clinic. Her experience since has been about making a real difference to housing clients at TV Edwards Solicitors.
Ravina Bahra went on to discuss her journey to date, giving students a rundown of what exactly public law involves. She discussed her experience paralegalling at a city firm, before explaining the nature of her current work at Lawstop. Bahra praised the role for its intellectual stimulation and impact, before giving examples of cases where she has made a tangible difference. Bahra rounded up by touching on the complexities of working with legal aid clients.
Alaa Ahmed discussed her transition from caseworker to trainee at Wilsons Solicitors, and reflected on the part she has played in immigration work. She walked students through her career journey prior to this, admitting that protecting the rights of others has always been a high priority. Ahmed recounted some standout deportation cases, and reflected on the key skills that are essential to this line of work.
The session wrapped up with an audience Q&A. The speakers covered everything from training, to the emotional complexities of the job, and the challenges of obtaining relevant experience.
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