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

Sophiya Volkova

Legal technology and innovation officer at Macfarlanes

Daniel Thorpe

Daniel Thorpe

Barrister at Radcliffe Chambers

Paul Maddock

Paul Maddock

Senior associate in commercial litigation at DWF

Natalie Blanc

Natalie Blanc

Associate in the business restructuring group at Ropes & Gray

Eoghan McArdle

Eoghan McArdle

Legal counsel in the enforcement and litigation division at The Bank of England

Mandi Kaur

Mandi Kaur

Student recruitment manager at ULaw

Kirsty Limacher

Kirsty Limacher

Private client solicitor at Nexa and LGBT+ Lawyers Division committee member at The Law Society

Hermione Allen

Hermione Allen

Counsel in financial restructuring at Akin Gump

Ben Stansfield

Ben Stansfield

Partner specialising in planning and environmental law at Gowling WLG

Russell Binch

Russell Binch

Tutor at ULaw and former litigation partner at Stephenson Harwood

Aishah Hussain

Aishah Hussain

Features editor at Legal Cheek

John McKeown

John McKeown

Careers consultant at ULaw

Sarah McAtominey

Sarah McAtominey

Partner in commercial litigation at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Peter Crisp

Peter Crisp

Deputy vice chancellor at ULaw

Robert Byk

Robert Byk

Partner specialising in banking, finance and corporate transactions at Slaughter and May

Noonie Holmes

Noonie Holmes

Second year trainee currently sitting in the IP & Tech team at RPC

Katherine Meehan

Katherine Meehan

Careers manager at ULaw

Alex Aldridge

Alex Aldridge

Publisher and founder at Legal Cheek

Sarah Pooley

Sarah Pooley

Dean of ULaw's Reading and Guildford campuses

Jack Shepherd

Jack Shepherd

Legal practice lead at iManage

Samuel Coppard

Samuel Coppard

Associate in the IP & Tech team at RPC

Alexander Wright QC

Alexander Wright QC

Barrister at 4 Pump Court and executive committee member at The Commercial Bar Association

Tom Connelly

Tom Connelly

Editor at Legal Cheek

Clare Stapleton

Clare Stapleton

Employability group manager at ULaw

Dan Beattie

Dan Beattie

Managing associate specialising in all areas of family law at Mishcon de Reya

Patrick Grant

Patrick Grant

Project director for legal tech and innovation at ULaw

Schedule

<h2>Monday 4 July</h2>

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 <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/dwf/">DWF</a>
• 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 <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/cms/">CMS</a>
• 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

<h2>Tuesday 5 July</h2>

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 <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/gowling-wlg/">Gowling WLG</a>

14:00-15:00

Life as a family lawyer

Speakers

• Dan Beattie, managing associate specialising in all areas of family law at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/mishcon-de-reya/">Mishcon de Reya</a>

<h2>Wednesday 6 July</h2>

10:00-11:00

Understanding corporate finance

Speakers

• Robert Byk, partner specialising in banking, finance and corporate transactions at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/slaughter-and-may/">Slaughter and May</a>

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

<h2>Thursday 7 July</h2>

10:00-11:00

Life as a dispute resolution lawyer (with case study exercise)

Speakers

• Sarah McAtominey, partner in commercial litigation at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/bryan-cave-leighton-paisner/">Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner</a>
• Daniel Thorpe, barrister at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/chamber/radcliffe-chambers/">Radcliffe Chambers</a>
• Alexander Wright QC, barrister at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/chamber/4-pump-court/">4 Pump Court</a> and executive committee member at The Commercial Bar Association
• Russell Binch, tutor at ULaw and former litigation partner at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/stephenson-harwood/">Stephenson Harwood</a>

14:00-15:00

Restructuring and insolvency

Speakers

• Natalie Blanc, associate in the business restructuring group at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/ropes-gray/">Ropes & Gray</a>
• Hermione Allen, counsel in financial restructuring at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/akin-gump/">Akin Gump</a>

<h2>Friday 8 July</h2>

10:00-11:00

Intellectual Property explored

Speakers

• Samuel Coppard, associate in the IP & Tech team at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/rpc/">RPC</a>
• Noonie Holmes, second year trainee currently sitting in the IP & Tech team at <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/rpc/">RPC</a>

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 <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/macfarlanes/">Macfarlanes </a>
• 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.