The Legal Cheek Summer 2022 Virtual Vacation Scheme
The Legal Cheek Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme, run in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw), takes place from Monday 4 July until Friday 8 July 2022.
Lawyers from a host of leading firms, chambers and in-house legal teams will deliver a variety of workshops and presentations on their practice area specialisms. The sessions are designed to boost your understanding of hot topics and build your commercial awareness.
To bring the law to life and help you apply what you learn during the sessions there are a series of case study exercises, created by Scheme partner ULaw. The speakers discuss how to approach the case study and share the key points to note. You will receive model answers for the case studies at the conclusion of the Scheme.
The week-long Scheme also features an Employability Expo led by careers experts from ULaw with sessions on everything from interview tips to how to put together the perfect training contract application.
The Scheme is free to attend and open to all. Please note, it is not part of the participating firms’ recruitment processes.
Sponsors
In partnership with
Speakers
Sophiya Volkova
Legal technology and innovation officer at Macfarlanes
Daniel Thorpe
Barrister at Radcliffe Chambers
Paul Maddock
Senior associate in commercial litigation at DWF
Natalie Blanc
Associate in the business restructuring group at Ropes & Gray
Eoghan McArdle
Legal counsel in the enforcement and litigation division at The Bank of England
Mandi Kaur
Student recruitment manager at ULaw
Kirsty Limacher
Private client solicitor at Nexa and LGBT+ Lawyers Division committee member at The Law Society
Hermione Allen
Counsel in financial restructuring at Akin Gump
Ben Stansfield
Partner specialising in planning and environmental law at Gowling WLG
Russell Binch
Tutor at ULaw and former litigation partner at Stephenson Harwood
Aishah Hussain
Features editor at Legal Cheek
John McKeown
Careers consultant at ULaw
Sarah McAtominey
Partner in commercial litigation at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Peter Crisp
Deputy vice chancellor at ULaw
Robert Byk
Partner specialising in banking, finance and corporate transactions at Slaughter and May
Noonie Holmes
Second year trainee currently sitting in the IP & Tech team at RPC
Katherine Meehan
Careers manager at ULaw
Alex Aldridge
Publisher and founder at Legal Cheek
Sarah Pooley
Dean of ULaw's Reading and Guildford campuses
Jack Shepherd
Legal practice lead at iManage
Samuel Coppard
Associate in the IP & Tech team at RPC
Alexander Wright QC
Barrister at 4 Pump Court and executive committee member at The Commercial Bar Association
Tom Connelly
Editor at Legal Cheek
Clare Stapleton
Employability group manager at ULaw
Dan Beattie
Managing associate specialising in all areas of family law at Mishcon de Reya
Patrick Grant
Project director for legal tech and innovation at ULaw
Schedule
Monday 4 July
9:30-10:00
Welcome by ULaw and Legal Cheek
Speakers
• Peter Crisp, deputy vice chancellor at ULaw
• Tom Connelly, editor at Legal Cheek
• Aishah Hussain, features editor at Legal Cheek
10:00-11:00
Big picture commercial awareness – the changing economic cycle and what it means for law firms
Speakers
• Alex Aldridge, publisher and founder at Legal Cheek
14:00-15:00
Understanding the commercial legal market (with case study exercise)
Speakers
• Paul Maddock, senior associate in commercial litigation at DWF
• Eoghan McArdle, legal counsel in the enforcement and litigation division at The Bank of England
• Kirsty Limacher, private client solicitor at Nexa and LGBT+ Lawyers Division committee member at The Law Society
17:00-18:00
Welcome drinks with the ULaw future trainees and the Legal Cheek team
Speakers
• Poppy Davenport, ULaw student ambassador and future trainee at CMS
• Millie Grundy, ULaw student ambassador and future trainee at FBC Manby Bowdler LLP
• Obanijesu Arije, ULaw student ambassador and future legal intern at The Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury in legal and compliance services
• Grace Coleman, ULaw student ambassador studying the LPC LLM
Tuesday 5 July
10:00-11:00
Energy law: Sustainable Solutions to the Climate Crisis (with case study exercise)
Speakers
• Ben Stansfield, partner specialising in planning and environmental law at Gowling WLG
14:00-15:00
Life as a family lawyer
Speakers
• Dan Beattie, managing associate specialising in all areas of family law at Mishcon de Reya
Wednesday 6 July
10:00-11:00
Understanding corporate finance
Speakers
• Robert Byk, partner specialising in banking, finance and corporate transactions at Slaughter and May
14:00-16:00
Employability Expo
Speakers
• Sarah Pooley, dean of ULaw's Reading and Guildford campuses
• Mandi Kaur, student recruitment manager at ULaw
• Hannah Murray, supervising solicitor and pro bono coordinator at ULaw
• Katherine Meehan, careers manager at ULaw
• Clare Stapleton, employability group manager at ULaw
• John McKeown, careers consultant at ULaw
Thursday 7 July
10:00-11:00
Life as a dispute resolution lawyer (with case study exercise)
Speakers
• Sarah McAtominey, partner in commercial litigation at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
• Daniel Thorpe, barrister at Radcliffe Chambers
• Alexander Wright QC, barrister at 4 Pump Court and executive committee member at The Commercial Bar Association
• Russell Binch, tutor at ULaw and former litigation partner at Stephenson Harwood
14:00-15:00
Restructuring and insolvency
Speakers
• Natalie Blanc, associate in the business restructuring group at Ropes & Gray
• Hermione Allen, counsel in financial restructuring at Akin Gump
Friday 8 July
10:00-11:00
Intellectual Property explored
14:00-15:00
Legal tech and the future of law (with case study exercise)
Speakers
• Jack Shepherd, legal practice lead at iManage
• Sophiya Volkova, legal technology and innovation officer at Macfarlanes
• Patrick Grant, project director for legal tech and innovation at ULaw
17:00-18:00
Farewell drinks with the ULaw future trainees and the Legal Cheek team
Speakers
• Millie Grundy, ULaw student ambassador and future trainee at FBC Manby Bowdler LLP
• Obanijesu Arije, ULaw student ambassador and future legal intern at The Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury in legal and compliance services
• Grace Coleman, ULaw student ambassador studying the LPC LLM
• Abigail Russell, future trainee at Wolferstans LLP
How it works
All sessions take place virtually via the Hopin platform. Some are view-only with students able to interact via the chat; in others students are encouraged to interact by sharing their audio and video.
Case study exercises are set by ULaw, with model answers supplied at the end of the Scheme.
You are encouraged to attend all sessions but we appreciate you may have some other commitments to balance. Students who attend all of the sessions receive a certificate of completion at the end of the Scheme.