Everything that went down, session by session
The Legal Cheek Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2026, run in partnership with The University of Law, returned this summer with an action-packed programme for aspiring lawyers. The Scheme featured workshops from leading law firms on topics including real estate, disputes and fraud, the legal reality of influencer campaigns and demystifying commercial awareness, alongside an employability expo with ULaw’s careers experts, a Virtual Law Fair with trainees and graduate recruitment teams from over 20 top law firms, and the chance to network with fellow participants.
Over the course of the week, thousands of students flooded into the live stream to hear from leading lawyers and experienced legal education experts and ask their burning questions.
In case you missed any of it, here’s what went down…
Day 1
Session 1: An introduction to commercial awareness
The speaker:
- Alex Aldridge, Legal Cheek, founder and managing director
The lowdown:
In ‘An introduction to commercial awareness’ Legal Cheek publisher Alex Aldridge gave an overview of the key pillars students need to focus on to gain a grasp of the business world and lawyers’ role within it. These included the lifecycle of companies from start-up to initial public offering (IPO), with a focus on the upcoming SpaceX IPO, as well as the boom and bust market cycle spanning back to the 2000 dotcom bubble.
He also encouraged students to develop their understanding of law firms as businesses.
Aldridge finished by giving some book and TV recommendations for aspiring solicitors, including the story of Nike, Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight, the novel White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, and Breaking Bad, the Netflix series created by Vince Gilligan.
Session 2: Deals
The speakers:
The lowdown:
Prioleau and Susini kicked off the session with a presentation offering an inside look at the realities of working as a transactional lawyer. The pair highlighted its fast pace, collaborative environment and then went on to discuss the skills needed to succeed — with good time management and communication skills at the top of the list. Prioleau also emphasised the importance of being a good manager and the need to manage client, partner and trainee expectations.
We then moved on to a Q&A, where the pair went on to discuss commercial awareness. Prioleau argued the importance of being interested in what you’re learning, stating that you don’t need to know who’s in the FTSE 500 or what is going on in the market perfectly, but that you need to have a genuine understanding of the sector that you are interested in. Susini echoed this, sharing that he was able to discuss his interest in cars during interviews and assessment centres through his ability to link them to on-going deals or transactions within the motor sector.
Finally, we moved on to the case study, where the pair discussed how a strategic acquisition would be approached by the firm. Susini highlighted the importance of asking lots of questions so that you’re able to fully understand the client’s goals and aims. Priouleau went on to discuss the different types of funding that could be involved, with debt financing, third party debts and loans being some of the most common.
Day 2
Session 3: The legal reality of influencer campaigns
The speakers:
- Alexandra Hammond, partner, Foot Anstey
- Emily Handy, trainee, Foot Anstey
The lowdown:
Day two kicked off with a session on the legal reality of influencer campaigns led by Alex Hammond, partner in the commercial, tech & data team, and Emily Handy, trainee solicitor at Foot Anstey. They first talked about the legal landscape of the consumer market, where Hammond specifically touched on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA). This is where law firms come in as they embed these rules in their advice to clients in the retail sector. Handy also provided an example of a trainee task, where she had to help with compiling a checklist for a client’s market team to ensure that the brand’s content complies with the requirements.
Hammond and Handy moved on to discuss the increase in contractual relationship between brands and influencers. They outlined the importance of protecting the brands’ reputation, especially since the image of the influencers they signed would affect the audience’s perception of the brand. They concluded by stressing the importance of relationship building with clients and their proactive approach in providing legal advice.
The workshop ended with a Q&A on some commercial awareness topics and advice to the audience, including the impact of AI on brands, developing commerciality as an aspiring lawyer, and some key qualities an excellent lawyer should possess.
Session 4: The employability expo
The speakers:
- Laura Duffy, LPC and SQE programme and student lead at ULaw
- Kelly Keeble, lecturer at ULaw
- Amber Harwood, senior student recruitment officer at ULaw
- John McKeown, careers consultant at ULaw
- Vlad Manic, student recruitment manager at ULaw
- Anne Petrie, employability and careers manager at ULaw
- Amy Walker, careers manager at ULaw
The lowdown:
The SQE explained
Laura Duffy, LPC and SQE programme and student lead and Kelly Keeble, lecturer at The University of Law, kicked off the session by introducing students to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), the primary route to qualification for aspiring solicitors. Laura explained that this route is divided into two stages: SQE1 and SQE2, with the former testing candidates’ Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) through black-letter law, and the latter focusing on practical legal skills, such as advocacy, legal research and drafting.
The pair went on to outline the variety of study options available, including ULaw’s LLM with integrated SQE preparation, as well as the practicalities of securing Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).
Firm research and applications
Amber Harwood, senior student recruitment officer at The University of Law, kicked off the session by emphasising the importance of thorough research before submitting any written application. To begin this process, Harwood advised creating a list of target firms based on criteria such as their practice area/sector focus, type and size, training contract structure, values and culture.
Moving on to the content of applications, Harwood highlighted the key competencies that law firms are looking for — such as attention to detail, teamwork, ability to problem solve, communication and commercial awareness — as well as breaking down the sorts of questions to expect.
Where can I find legal work experience
ULaw’s John McKeown, careers consultant, and Vlad Manic, student recruitment manager, kicked off their sessions by busting some common myths, reassuring students that they can secure legal work without previous experience in the industry, and that experience within a law firm stays relevant whatever the practice area. They set out what employers want, namely a solid academic background, good work ethic, an understanding of what a legal career is all about and workplace skills.
McKeown and Manic encouraged students to consider what they seek from a legal work experience, before running through the options available, including virtual vacation schemes, insight days, open days, temporary roles, paralegal roles, mini-pupillages and formal vacation schemes. They stressed the importance of tailoring CVs and cover letters to each firm, taking into account what is in it for the firm, as well as building contacts through LinkedIn and networking.
Writing effective CVs and cover letters
Anne Petrie, employability and careers manager, and Amy Walker, careers manager
at The University of Law kicked off their sessions by laying out the structure of a
chronological legal CV. Clear and neat sections are key to make recruiters review it as easy as possible. A top tip is to ask your family, friends, or a member of the careers team at your university to read your CV before sending it out. Moving on to AI in this context, it is valuable as a tool if you are allowed to use it in applications, however one’s authenticity is always the pillar of a successful application.
The speakers went on to talk about cover letters. Petrie and Walker advised
conducting legal research on the firms you are interested in before putting pen to
paper. Applicants should also evidence their skills with previous experiences. Utilising action words and linking phrases is fundamental to improving the flow of the letter. They also provided a suggested framework of a cover letter, from showcasing your motivations to explaining why you are the right fit. Finally, they wrapped up by emphasising the importance of upscaling yourself and demonstrating your transferrable skills.
Day 3
Session 5: Real estate disputes
The speakers:
The lowdown:
The session began with Alex Selka and Jessica Hopewell, senior associates in BCLP’s Real Estate Disputes practice, sharing their routes into the legal profession. Both speakers studied history at university before converting to law, explaining how the analytical, research and written communication skills developed during their degrees continue to serve them well as litigators.
Alex and Jessica then introduced BCLP’s real estate disputes practice, highlighting the firm’s involvement in a number of high-profile and headline-making cases. These included a Supreme Court victory in a £300 million dispute concerning the rateability of cash machines, as well as successfully acting for purchasers of a £32.5 million London mansion that was later discovered to be infested with moths.
Turning to current issues in real estate litigation, Alex and Jessica explored the far-reaching implications of the Renters’ Rights Act for both landlords and tenants, describing it as one of the most significant reforms to the private rented sector in a lifetime. They also led attendees through a case study centred on the rise of so-called ‘urban explorers’ (often vloggers who illegally access and scale prominent and historic buildings). The discussion examined the risks posed to property owners, and the legal action they can take to address such activity.
To round off the session, event chair Ryan Scott asked the speakers about their motivations for qualifying into real estate litigation, what a typical day in practice looks like, and their advice for students hoping to pursue a career in law.
Day 4
Session 6: In-house training
The speakers:
- Jim Nash, trainee on secondment via Accutrainee
- Maria Castren, trainee on secondment via Accutrainee
- Amara Ifezue,trainee on secondment via Accutrainee
The lowdown:
We kicked off the penultimate day of the Legal Cheek Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair with a session on in-house legal roles, led by a panel of trainees who all have experience of the in-house environment.
All the panellists emphasised the key differences between working in-house and in private practice, especially in relation to client management: Jim Nash and Maria Castren spoke about how, as a lawyer in a company, you not only need to work closely with other departments, but they are often your ‘clients’.
Castren, who is currently seconded to a private equity house, also discussed how in-house trainees are likely to interact with different documents to private practice trainees, even if they work in similar corporate environments.
Amara Ifezue spoke about her experience returning to a boutique private practice firm after a period in-house, and how she had to relearn a different way of thinking.
Nash also gave insight into working within a sector in which he has direct experience (music), and how this existing industry knowledge helps him give better and more targeted commercial legal advice.
Finally, all the panellists offered insight into the working relationship between private firms and in-house legal teams, including the process by which a company decides to instruct a law firm and the factors that will inform that decision.
Session 7: Private Equity
The speakers:
- Harry Buchanan,, associate, Willkie Farr & Gallagher
- Xanthe Gabrielle-Beacher, trainee, Willkie Farr & Gallagher
The lowdown:
Harry Buchanan and Xanthe Gabrielle-Beacher’s presentation began with a quick rundown of how private equity (PE) works, what a typical fund structure looks like, and the role lawyers play in these M&A transactions. To illustrate the types of clients they act for, they shared examples such as Bain Capital (on the acquisition of Gail’s Bakery) and FTV Capital (on the purchase of Zoovu).
Buchanan and Gabrielle-Beacher then laid out a list of factors that PE firms use to determine whether a company is a good investment target, namely a competitive business plan, multiples drivers of growth and a clear exit strategy. The speakers also discussed the key areas of due diligence that trainee solicitors are often tasked with examining, e.g. corporate, finance, employment, etc. This was followed by an overview of the typical transaction structure, how debt is utilised to finance PE deals, and the standard workstreams involved.
During the audience Q&A, Buchanan and Gabrielle-Beacher shared insights into how contemporary events, such as the fuel crisis caused by the 2026 Iran war and the upcoming IPOs of large tech companies in the AI space, influence their practice. To round off the session, they highlighted the skills that aspiring lawyers should develop to maximise their success in the PE space.
Day 5
Session 8: Fraud
The speaker:
- Robert Hunter, former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities
The lowdown:
The final day of the Scheme commenced with a session delving into fraud and asset tracing with Robert Hunter, former magic and silver circle partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities.
The session began with an overview of Hunter’s career journey from psychology student with a keen interest in psychopathy, through to partner and head of fraud at two top City firms, all whilst coming to terms with his profound deafness.
Hunter went on to share insights and reflections into his work acting for claimants in international fraud cases – covering the different injunction orders that can be brought against fraudsters to recover stolen assets, as well as the challenges involved in dealing with professional fraudsters and occasionally the claimants themselves.
To conclude the session, Hunter emphasised the importance of learning to fail, highlighting that although rejection is inevitably painful, it is ultimately a test of your resilience and perseverance.
Session 9: Alternatives to corporate law
The speakers:
- Abi Hart, public law and human rights solicitor at Simpson Miller
- Bethany Gerrard, criminal defence solicitor at Hodge Jones & Allen
We rounded off the scheme with a session on Alternatives to Corporate Law, which offered students an insight into two different areas of legal practice, with Abbi Hart, public law and human rights solicitor at Simpson Millar, and Bethany Gerrard, criminal defence solicitor at Hodge Jones & Allen.
The speakers began by introducing their respective practice areas, explaining what public law, human rights and criminal defence work looks like in practice, why they enjoy it, and the kinds of matters that have stood out during their careers. They also reflected on the realities of day-to-day work in these areas, from client contact and case preparation to advocacy and court hearings.
Hart and Gerrard then discussed their career journeys to date, including the key decisions that led them away from more traditional corporate routes and towards practices centred on access to justice and public interest issues. They also explored why they chose to qualify as solicitors rather than barristers, before explaining the important role solicitors can play in court, particularly in client management, case strategy and advocacy.
The Q&A covered everything from building confidence in advocacy and managing the boundary between work and home life, to how criminal defence compares with TV dramas. The session also considered the wider issues shaping their practice areas. The speakers touched on the pressures facing legal aid, the emotional demands of working with vulnerable clients, and the ways in which public law, human rights and criminal defence can intersect, such as in the treatment of individuals in custody.
Finally, the speakers offered practical advice on gaining relevant work experience, developing the key skills needed for these practice areas, and what advice they would give to their student selves.
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