The Legal Cheek Winter Virtual Vacation Scheme 2024

The Legal Cheek Winter Virtual Vacation Scheme, run in partnership with The University of Law (ULaw), took place from Monday 2 December until Friday 6 December 2024. It will return in December 2025.

It features a series of short talks, workshops and Q&As with lawyers from leading firms, corresponding written exercises set by ULaw, as well as an employability expo and various socials.

The following firms are participating: Akin, Brabners, BCLP, Charles Russell Speechlys, Clyde & Co, Dentons, Gateley, Lewis Silkin, Macfarlanes, Norton Rose Fulbright, Osborne Clarke, Ropes & Gray, Shoosmiths, Slaughter and May Weil Gotshal & Manges, Wiggin and Womble Bond Dickinson.

The Scheme is open to all students. Its aim is to help students gain insights into life as a lawyer across a range of practice areas. The Scheme is not part of the participating firms’ recruitment processes.

Sponsors

In partnership with

Participating firms and chambers

Speakers

Lorna Nsoatabe

Lorna Nsoatabe

Competition law partner at Slaughter and May

Rory Lynch

Rory Lynch

Partner and Head of Reputation Management at Gateley

Dawn Troman

Dawn Troman

Legal Director in the commercial disputes and international arbitration team at Osborne Clarke

Max Dixon

Max Dixon

Associate in the technology and commercial transactions team at BCLP

Peter Lewin

Peter Lewin

Partner specialising in video games and interactive entertainment at Wiggin

Justin Yuen

Justin Yuen

Aviation finance associate at Norton Rose Fulbright

Tanwen Evans-Balch

Tanwen Evans-Balch

Associate in the tax, trusts and succession team at Charles Russell Speechlys

Plamen Bouhlarski

Plamen Bouhlarski

Future trainee at Fried Frank

Amina Jamil

Amina Jamil

Associate in the dispute resolution team at Dentons

Adam Richards

Adam Richards

Associate in the planning and infrastructure team at Womble Bond Dickinson

Ashwin Pillay

Ashwin Pillay

Senior associate specialising in private company mergers and acquisitions and private equity investment work at Charles Russell Speechlys

Alice Kemp

Alice Kemp

Future trainee at White & Case

Alix Murtha

Alix Murtha

Senior associate in the real estate team at Clyde & Co

Luke Wetmore

Luke Wetmore

Associate in the private equity transactions team at Ropes & Gray

Sarah McWhinney

Sarah McWhinney

Partner in the employment, immigration and reward division at Lewis Silkin

Guy Grayson

Guy Grayson

Lecturer at The University of Law and former Group General Counsel at MJ Hudson Group plc

Tosin Ilemobola

Tosin Ilemobola

Future trainee at Pinsent Masons

Maeve Naughton

Maeve Naughton

Senior associate in the asset finance team at Norton Rose Fulbright

Luke Taylor

Luke Taylor

Commercial real estate partner at Brabners

Lauren Stephenson

Lauren Stephenson

Lecturer at The University of Law and former associate at Shoosmiths

Isabel Davies

Isabel Davies

Senior associate specialising in video games, esports and interactive entertainment at Wiggin

Ellie Powell

Ellie Powell

Technology and commercial transactions associate at BCLP

Matthew Finnie

Matthew Finnie

Restructuring associate at Akin Gump

Alfie Grig

Alfie Grig

Future trainee at Taylor Wessing

Peter Crisp

Peter Crisp

Pro Vice-Chancellor at The University of Law

Sweta Tandle

Sweta Tandle

Senior associate in the private funds team at Macfarlanes

Georgia Papathanasiou

Georgia Papathanasiou

Associate in the restructuring team at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Schedule

Monday 2 December

9:40-10:00

Welcome

Speakers

• The University of Law (Peter Crisp, pro vice-chancellor)

10:00-11:00

Competition law

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Slaughter and May (Lorna Nsoatabe, partner)

14:00-15:00

Private capital

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Charles Russell Speechlys (Ashwin Pillay, senior associate and Tanwen Evans-Balch, associate)

16:00-17:00

Employment

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Lewis Silkin (Sarah McWhinney, partner)

Tuesday 3 December

10:00-11:00

Reputation management

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Gateley (Rory Lynch, partner)

14:00-15:00

Deals

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Akin (Matthew Finnie, associate)
• Macfarlanes (Sweta Tandle, senior associate)
• Ropes & Gray (Luke Wetmore, associate)
• The University of Law (Guy Grayson, lecturer and former Group General Counsel at MJ Hudson Group plc)

Wednesday 4 December

10:00-11:00

Technology

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• BCLP (Max Dixon, associate and Ellie Powell, associate)

14:00-16:00

Employability Expo

Format

Expo

Speakers

• The University of Law

Thursday 5 December

10:00-11:00

Video games

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Wiggin (Peter Lewin, partner and Isabel Davies, senior associate)

14:00-15:00

Restructuring

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Weil (Georgia Papathanasiou, associate)

16:00-17:00

Disputes

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Dentons (Amina Jamil, associate)
• Osborne Clarke (Dawn Troman, legal director)
• The University of Law (Lauren Stephenson, lecturer and former associate at Shoosmiths)

Friday 6 December

10:00-11:00

Real estate

Format

Workshop

Speakers

• Brabners (Luke Taylor, partner)
• Clyde & Co (Alix Murtha, senior associate)
• Shoosmiths (Yusuf Qureshi, trainee)
• Womble Bond Dickinson (Adam Richards, associate)

14:00-15:00

Aviation finance

Format

Presentation

Speakers

• Norton Rose Fulbright (Maeve Naughton, senior associate and Justin Yuen, associate)

16:00-17:00

Farewell networking with ULaw future trainees

How it works

All sessions take place virtually via our virtual 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.