The Legal Cheek Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2025

The Legal Cheek Summer Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2025, run in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw), took place from Monday 9 June until Friday 13 June (with the Virtual Law Fair on Wednesday 11 June from 2-4pm).

It featured a series of short talks, workshops and Q&As with lawyers from leading law firms, corresponding written exercises set by ULaw, as well as an employability expo and a virtual law fair featuring 25 firms.

We’ll be back in the autumn with details of our Winter Virtual Vacation Scheme 2025.

Sponsors

In partnership with

Participating firms and chambers

Speakers

Janany Kathirgamanathan

Janany Kathirgamanathan

Commercial real estate partner at BCLP

Oliver Hewitt

Oliver Hewitt

Corporate associate at Jones Day

Kristjana Nikolls

Kristjana Nikolls

Associate in the disputes team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Ravina Bahra

Ravina Bahra

Public law paralegal at Lawstop

Charlie Cromwell-Pinder

Charlie Cromwell-Pinder

Future trainee solicitor at Bird & Bird

Karl Bradford

Karl Bradford

Principal director in the corporate team at Foot Anstey

Olivia Prioleau

Olivia Prioleau

Corporate associate at Jones Day

Robert Hunter

Robert Hunter

Former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities

Alaa Ahmed

Alaa Ahmed

Trainee solicitor at Wilsons Solicitors

Charlie Pratt

Charlie Pratt

Graduate solicitor apprentice at The BBC

Matthew Tomlinson

Matthew Tomlinson

Dean at The University of Law

Plamen Bouhlarski

Plamen Bouhlarski

Future trainee solicitor at Fried Frank

Edie Selsdon Games

Edie Selsdon Games

Trainee solicitor at TV Edwards Solicitors

Rebecca Staheli

Rebecca Staheli

Head of competition and regulatory law at The BBC

Alice Kemp

Alice Kemp

Future trainee solicitor at White & Case

Louis Biggs

Louis Biggs

Senior associate at Hogan Lovells

Simran Mann

Simran Mann

Future trainee solicitor at Gateley

Schedule

Monday 9 June

9:40-10:00

Welcome

Speakers

• The University of Law (Matthew Tomlinson, dean)

10:00-11:00

Deals

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Jones Day (Oliver Hewitt and Olivia Prioleau, corporate associates)

14:00-15:00

Disputes

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Willkie Farr & Gallagher (Kristjana Nikolls, associate)

Tuesday 10 June

10:00-11:00

Real estate

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• BCLP (Janany Kathirgamanathan, partner)

14:00-16:00

Employability Expo

Format

Expo

Speakers

• The University of Law (Hannah Uglow, programme and student lead; Catherine Morgan, employability group manager; Amy Walker, careers manager; Mandi Kaur, Louise Musgrave and Vlad Manic, student recruitment managers)

Wednesday 11 June

10:00-11:00

Public law & policy

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Hogan Lovells (Louis Biggs, senior associate)

14:00-16:00

Law Fair

Speakers

Lawyers, trainees and graduate recruitment teams from Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst, BCLP, Burges Salmon, City Disabilities, Clyde & Co, Dentons, DWF, Eversheds Sutherland, Irwin Mitchell, Jones Day, Mayer Brown, Norton Rose Fulbright, Pinsent Masons, Reed Smith, Shoosmiths, Slaughter and May, Taylor Wessing, Travers Smith, Weil, White & Case, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Womble Bond Dickinson

Thursday 12 June

10:00-11:00

Fraud

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Robert Hunter (former Allen & Overy and Herbert Smith Freehills partner, and founder and trustee at City Disabilities)

14:00-15:00

Corporate finance

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Foot Anstey (Karl Bradford, principal director)

Friday 13 June

10:00-11:00

Training in-house

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• BBC (Rebecca Staheli, head of competition and regulatory law and Charlie Pratt, graduate solicitor apprentice)

14:00-15:00

Alternatives to corporate law

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Edie Selsdon Games, trainee solicitor at TV Edwards Solicitors
• Ravina Bahra, public law paralegal at Lawstop
• Alaa Ahmed, trainee solicitor at Wilsons Solicitors

16:00-17:00

Farewell networking with ULaw future trainees

Speakers

• Alice Kemp, future trainee at White & Case and ULaw student ambassador
• Plamen Bouhlarski, future trainee at Fried Frank and ULaw student ambassador
• Simran Mann, future trainee at Gateley and ULaw student ambassador
• Charlie Cromwell-Pinder, future trainee at Bird & Bird and ULaw student ambassador

How it works

All sessions take place virtually via our online events 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 at the end of the Scheme.