Opportunities

Vacation Schemes

Experience what Weil has to offer throughout our award-winning two-week vacation scheme. You will work alongside associates, carrying out real trainee tasks and responsibilities while gaining a greater insight into one of the firm’s practice areas. Throughout the two-weeks, you will be mentored and supported by your supervisor, trainee buddy and the Graduate Recruitment team.

This is the chance for you to experience what it is like to be in the spotlight at an elite global law firm.

Attend various talks, workshops and social events as you build your network and gain a depth of knowledge about Weil. You will be assessed for a training contract throughout your time on the vacation scheme. A number of assessed elements are scheduled over the two-weeks including: a group negotiation exercise, a group client pitch presentation, a pro bono research project and real trainee tasks allocated to you by your supervisor and during the second week of the scheme you will attend a partner interview.

We have up to 15 places on each of our two-week schemes, which run during the spring and summer holidays. Participants are paid £750 per week. We will also reach out to you ahead of the scheme and ask if you would like a salary advance, which means we will pay you half of your vacation scheme salary two weeks before you join, helping you to book accommodation, travel tickets or even buy some work clothes. Finally, there’s no limit on how many training contracts we offer per scheme, so you won’t be in competition with your peers.

Key Dates

Spring scheme dates

2 April – 12 April 2024

Summer scheme dates

17 - 28 June 2024

Applications open

18 September 2023

Application deadline

20 December 2023

Vacation schemes at a glance

Gain an insight into life as a Weil trainee the work we do and our culture

Get involved in real trainee tasks working on live deals and transactions

Attend presentations and workshops to develop your knowledge of our practice areas and the law

Allocated a dedicated supervisor who will provide you with plenty of real-time feedback and you will share an office with

Supported by your trainee buddy and the Graduate Recruitment team

Guaranteed a training contract interview during the vacation scheme we will run an interview top tip session and provide you with 1-2-1 feedback on your first interview

Attend social events including supervisor and trainee buddy lunches, and fun activities such as pizza making

Paid £750 per week Plus travel expenses reimbursed

Application process

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Who can apply and academic requirements

You can apply for a vacation scheme if you are penultimate-year student, finalist or graduate from any degree discipline.

We are looking to recruit candidates from all universities and degree disciplines. Our academic requirements are AAB at A-Level or equivalent and a 2:1 degree (obtained or predicted). We take into account mitigating circumstances and use Rare’s contextualised recruitment system enabling us to measure an individual’s performance against the average grades of their school. We review all application forms holistically, which means if you fall slightly short of our academic requirements but demonstrate great potential, you will still be considered.

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Online application form

Complete a short online application form answering two motivational and one commercial question. Applications are screened blindly, meaning the Graduate Recruitment team member reading your application form will not know the university you are attending or have graduated from, helping to remove unconscious bias. Applications open on 18 September 2023 and close on 20 December 2023. All application will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

CLICK HERE to read our application top tips or CLICK HERE to register for one of our application and interview workshops, which will run throughout the autumn term.

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Pre-recorded video interview

The pre-recorded video interview is an opportunity to build on your application form and bring it to life. It offers us an insight into your achievements and motivations for a career in commercial law, especially at Weil.

During the video interview, you will answer two questions - one motivational and one commercial. You will have 15- seconds to prepare for each question and 90 seconds to answer. Before you answer the questions, you will have the opportunity to complete a practice question as many times as you would like to help you feel more at ease.

CLICK HERE to read our pre-recorded video interview top tips or CLICK HERE to register for one of our application and interview workshops, which will run throughout the autumn term.

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Virtual interview and in-tray exercise

You will attend a 45-minute interview with an associate and Graduate Recruitment. To help remove unconscious bias from our recruitment process, we have introduced blind interviewing, which means the interviewers will not see a copy of your application form. If you make it to the interview stage, we know that you have demonstrated great potential so far, therefore the interview is a chance for us to understand your motivations, experience and interests in more detail, as well as getting to know you. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about the firm and our culture. In addition, you will complete an in-tray exercise and have the chance to meet one of our trainees for a 15-minute Q&A.

CLICK HERE to read our virtual interview top tips or CLICK HERE to register for one of our application and interview workshops, which will run throughout the autumn term.

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What you can expect from the in-tray exercise

In the in-tray exercise, you will imagine that you are working as a trainee at an international law firm. Your supervisor and other people working at the firm will ask you to help with several typical trainee tasks. You will then have to decide how to respond to the different requests. You will be assessed on how you work under pressure, prioritise your workload and manage your time. Your written communication and attention to detail skills will also be tested. You will have 1 hour 15 minutes to complete the exercise.

CLICK HERE for top tips on how to prepare for an in-tray exercise.

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Vacation scheme offer

If you perform well in your interview and the in-tray exercise, we will offer you a place on our vacation scheme. During the scheme, you will complete several assessments; a group negotiation exercise, a group client pitch presentation, a pro bono research project, real trainee tasks allocated by your supervisor and attend a partner interview.

Supporting you to succeed
On the first day of the vacation scheme, we will talk you through the different assessments, so you know what to expect and how you will be assessed, helping you perform at your best. You will also be supported and guided by your supervisor, trainee buddy and the Graduate Recruitment team throughout the two weeks.

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Training contract offer

In the second week of the vacation scheme you will attend a partner interview, which will focus on your interest in a career in commercial law, what you think makes us different, and why you are attracted to our opportunity and core practice areas. Our partners will also want to see if you have the transferable skills to be a successful trainee.

Supporting you to succeed
To help you perform at your best during the partner interview we will run a interview top tips session and provide you with 1-2-1 feedback on your first interview to help you prepare. If you demonstrate you have the potential to become an exceptional lawyer throughout the vacation scheme, we will offer you a training contract.

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Support and adjustments

The Graduate Recruitment team is here to support you throughout the recruitment process and the vacation scheme if offered a place. In confidence, we can discuss the individual support and adjustments you need to help you perform at your best. A few examples of the support we can provide include, but are not limited to include: providing the application form in a different format, conducting your pre-recorded video interview over Zoom or the telephone, attending an interview in person instead of virtually, adding extra time to the in-tray exercise and giving you the time to customise the way you view the virtual in-tray exercise with the accessibility toolbar, watch a video here. Ahead of the vacation scheme, we will also arrange a confidential call with you to discuss what support and adjustments you may need throughout the two weeks. We will work with you to enable you to perform at your best and get the most out of the vacation scheme.

To have a confidential chat with a member of the Graduate Recruitment team before applying, please contact us at graduate.recruitment@weil.com or on 0207 903 1000.

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Frequently asked questions

When do applications open for the vacation schemes? When is the application deadline? Are applications reviewed on a rolling basis?

Applications open on 18 September 2023 and the deadline is 20 December 2023. All applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Am I eligible to apply for a 2024 vacation scheme?

You can apply for a vacation scheme if you penultimate-year student, finalist or graduate from any degree discipline.

How many vacation schemes do you run? How many places are there on each scheme?

We run two vacation schemes during the spring and summer holidays and there are 15 places on each scheme.

Vacation scheme dates:
2 April – 12 April 2024
17 – 28 June 2024

How much will I be paid on the vacation scheme? Are travel expenses reimbursed?

We pay our vacation scheme participants £750 a week and travel expenses will be reimbursed. During the scheme, we will top your building access pass up with £50 to spend in Café 110; our office subsidised restaurant. Here you can purchase breakfast, lunch, coffees and snacks throughout the two weeks.

We will also reach out to you ahead of the scheme and ask if you would like a salary advance, which means we will pay you half of your vacation scheme salary two weeks before you join, helping you to book accommodation, travel tickets or even buy some work clothes.

If you require additional financial support in order to take part in a vacation scheme, we are here to support you. Please contact the Graduate Recruitment team at graduate.recruitment@weil.com or on 0207 903 1000 to discuss, in confidence, your individual circumstances.

Can I choose which department I will sit in during the vacation scheme?

We will ask you for your department preferences before you join and will do our best to accommodate these.

Do I need to submit a separate application for a training contract if I attend a vacation scheme at Weil?

All candidates who participate in a vacation scheme are automatically assessed for a training contract.

Do you accept CV applications?

No, we do not accept CV applications. If you are unable to complete the online application form, please contact the Graduate Recruitment team at graduate.recruitment@weil.com or on 0207 903 1000 to discuss, in confidence, your individual circumstances.

I’ve missed the deadline to apply for a vacation scheme – can I still apply?

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications received after the deadline.

What do I do if I am unsuccessful during the application process? Can I reapply next year?

If you are unsuccessful during the application process, we encourage you to wait a year before reapplying and spend some time improving your application.

Is it possible to receive feedback if my online application is unsuccessful?

We appreciate your eagerness to receive feedback, however, we receive a high number of applications each year. In fairness to all candidates, we are unable to provide individual feedback at the application stage.

Do you offer ad-hoc work experience outside of your formal vacation schemes?

Unfortunately, we are not able to hire candidates for informal work experience. Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply for a place on one of our vacation schemes or you can take part in our virtual experience programme.