Insights on everything from corporate M&A and disputes to private equity, real estate and trainee tips
The Legal Cheek Spring 2026 Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair, run in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw), welcomed thousands of students for three jam-packed days of insight into life at leading commercial law firms.
Across the Scheme, attendees explored practice areas spanning real estate, private equity, tax, disputes and more, with exclusive case study-led workshops delivered by lawyers and lecturers from some of the biggest names in the business.
Here’s the lowdown…
Day 1
Session 1: Corporate Law
The speakers:
- Clare Jackson, corporate partner at Slaughter and May
- William Swainson, trainee solicitor at Slaughter and May
The lowdown:
We kicked off the Virtual Vacation Scheme with a session on all things corporate M&A, led by Slaughter and May corporate partner Claire Jackson and trainee William Swainson.
The pair began by reflecting on their career journeys before delving into the multi-specialist approach of Slaughter and May’s corporate teams, which cover diverse sectors without subgroups, allowing lawyers to follow clients across various transactions and industries.
They outlined the different kinds of corporate work the firm undertakes, including public takeovers, private M&A, joint ventures, private equity, and equity capital markets (IPOs, listings, and fundraisings). Jackson brought these to life with real examples from her practice, such as the Royal Mail takeover by EP Group, Reckitt’s sale of its essential homes business, the Vodafone/Three merger, and the Haleon demerger from GSK.
Swainson then gave an overview of trainee life in the corporate team and walked us through the typical tasks trainees can expect, from signing logistics and due diligence to legal research and drafting.
We rounded off the session with a Q&A, during which Jackson emphasised the importance of maintaining and developing client relationships, noting that law is ultimately a people job, before both speakers offered advice on training contract applications.
Session 2: Employability Expo
The speakers:
- Amber Harwood, senior student recruitment officer at The University of Law (ULaw)
- Debbie Woods, senior lecturer at ULaw
- Hanna Coe, senior student recruitment manager at ULaw
- Anna Petrie,, employability and careers manager at ULaw
- Sharmin Khalique,, employability and careers consultant at ULaw
- Jody Phillips,, employability and careers consultant at ULaw
The lowdown:
Firm Research and Applications
Amber Harwood, senior student recruitment officer at The University of Law, kicked off the session by emphasising that applications are a two-way process, it is crucial to showcase the applicant’s ability to contribute to the firm, and their genuine interests towards the firm. While researching law firms, Harwood suggested two approaches – looking at the firm’s practice area or sector, as well as taking into account a range of broader considerations, such as location, firm culture and values, and secondment opportunities.
The session also introduced different types of qualifying work experience (QWE) and types of firms. Various legal paths were discussed, including in-house roles, private practice and government positions. While it is fundamental to recognise that QWEs will shape one’s future legal career, assessing one’s own employability skills is essential as well. Harwood talked about a variety of skills that a candidate should display, from problem-solving to commercial awareness to active listening. Lastly, she wrapped up the session with some practical application advice, stressing that relevant transferrable skills and thorough firm research are the cornerstones to a successful application.
The SQE Explained
Debbie Woods, senior lecturer at The University of Law, began the session by introducing students to the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), the primary route to qualification for aspiring solicitors that was first introduced in 2021. Debbie explained that this route is divided into two stages: SQE1 and SQE2, with the former testing candidates’ Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK), and the latter focusing on practical legal skills, such as advocacy and legal research. Debbie went on to outline the range of study options available, including ULaw’s LLM with integrated SQE preparation, as well as the practicalities of securing Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).
Where can I find legal work experience?
Hannah Coe, senior student recruitment manager, and Anna Petrie, employability and careers manager at The University of Law began their sessions by explaining why legal work experience is so important, stressing that it can differentiate applicants with similar grades by evidencing work ethic, professionalism and a realistic understanding of legal practice. They went on to outline the range of work experience available, noting how each experience can help develop the transferable skills that lawyers need.
This was followed by techniques to source opportunities beyond advertised programmes, such as approaching smaller firms speculatively, requesting short periods of shadowing or part-time roles, and using existing personal networks to open doors.
The speakers went on to share the common mistakes they see in legal work experience applications, before laying out the key steps that applicants can take to improve their chances of securing legal work opportunities. These included focusing on firm-specific research, explaining how they could add value to the firm, and creating concise CVs that clearly distinguish legal from non-legal experience.
To wrap up their session, the pair emphasised that any experience which builds insight, skills and contacts is worthwhile if aspiring lawyers are proactive, resilient and strategic in using each opportunity to move closer to their career goals.
Writing Effective CVs and Cover Letters
Sharmin Khalique and Jody Phillips, employability and careers consultants at The University of Law, began their sessions by outlining the structure of a chronological legal CV. Some top tips to write an outstanding CV is to quantify your work and use relevant verbs that link to the activities you undertake in bullet points. They noted that it is essential to demonstrate your transferrable skills with the support of evidence, as well as ensuring the CV to be under two pages. Additionally, with the increasing prevalence of AI tools, maintaining integrity while using AI is fundamental.
Moving on to cover letters, Khalique and Phillips advised that applicants to demonstrate genuine knowledge of the firm and the wider legal sector, as well as making sure to elaborate on your own skills and key experiences. They also discussed the elements of an excellent cover letter, including the format, structure and how to avoid any common ‘blips’. Before wrapping up the sessions, they emphasised on tailoring both the CV and cover letter to the relevant law firms to succeed. Paying attention to detail is another important note: get someone else to read your CV and cover letter helps to reduce errors and gain perspective.
Day 2
Session 3: Disputes
The speakers:
- Daniel Wood, partner specialising in contentious IT and intellectual property matters at Pinsent Masons
- Eilidh Smith, senior associate at Pinsent Masons
- Anna Rea, trainee solicitor at Pinsent Masons
The lowdown:
Eilidh Smith offered an inside look at the realities of working in disputes on a day-to-day basis, highlighting that no day looks the same. Smith then went on to discuss the different progression options available following qualification, noting that she went on to acquire higher rights of audience and how this has benefitted her role as a disputes lawyer.
Anna Rea went on to discuss the role of a trainee, highlighting the misconception that trainees will be involved in a lot of admin work, with Rea stating this could not have been further from her experience. Rea was given a high level of responsibility in the disputes team and was even able to get involved in the full life cycle of a matter.
We began the Q&A session with David Wood discussing the impact AI on disputes proceedings, with many litigants using AI to draft their pleadings to be relied upon in court. As a result, clients are encountering major challenges and need the firm’s assistance to fix issues arising from AI generated documents.
Finally, we moved on to the case study, where the panel emphasised the strategic mindset needed to succeed as a disputes lawyer and that the end goal is not always to go to trial. In fact, they noted that often disputes settle before trial, driven by cost, risk and commercial priorities.
Day 3
Session 4: Real estate finance
The speakers:
- Sam Burke, senior associate in the real estate finance team at BCLP
The lowdown:
Day three kicked off with a session on real estate finance led by Sam Burke, senior associate at BCLP. He introduced the key types of real estate finance transactions, including acquisition financing, refinancing, development finance, restructurings and loan sales, and explained the structure of a typical real estate finance transaction. Burke outlined how facility agreements operate, covering the lifecycle of a loan from purpose to interest payments and repayment, as well as key cashflows such as rental income, amortisation and equity release. He also discussed common financial covenants, including debt service cover ratio, loan-to-value and interest cover, alongside property-specific covenants such as repairs, valuations, planning and insurance. The session also covered common events of default and conditions precedent, such as corporate approvals and property due diligence.
Burke concluded by discussing his career in real estate finance, noting the fast-paced nature of the work, its tangible outcomes, and the high-value, newsworthy transactions involved. He referenced notable deals he has worked on, including the £2bn development and investment financings secured against assets at King’s Cross and the €300m pan-European refinancing of easyHotel portfolio.
The workshop ended with a discussion of commercial awareness topics affecting clients, including changes to base rates, interest rate volatility, and the cost of hedging products.
Session 5: Private equity
The speakers:
- Harry Buchanan, associate in the corporate & financial services team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
- Xanthe Gabrielle-Beacher, trainee in the corporate & financial services team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
The lowdown:
Harry Buchanan and Xanthe Gabrielle-Beacher kicked off the final substantive session of the scheme by giving an overview of private equity and also explaining the role lawyers play acting for PE houses in M&A transactions between companies. They gave examples of the types of clients they act for, such as advising Bain Capital on the acquisition of Gail’s Bakery and FTV Capital on the purchase of Zoovu.
Buchanan and Gabrielle-Beacher also delved into the factors that inform private equity firm in identifying target companies, such as a competitive business plan and a strong management team. Furthermore, they emphasised the importance of due diligence in a transaction and explained the key role trainees and junior lawyers play in this process. Broadly speaking, DD is a process which helps to identify any red flags in a potential target company before an actual investment is made. Usually, a range of teams at Willkie, and even oversea counsels are involved, showing the high level of corporation and organisation required.
At the end of the session, Buchanan and Gabrielle-Beacher discussed the impact of the current geopolitical climate, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), on their practice. They rounded off the session with some advice for aspiring lawyers hoping to qualify into private equity, namely that attention to detail and patience are vital to success.
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