Vacation Schemes
Vacation Scheme

Vacation Schemes
Experience what it means to be empowered.
It can be difficult trying to find a place where you can belong. That’s why our Vacation Schemes are designed to show you exactly what it’s like to tackle exciting challenges every day in Allen & Overy’s friendly, supportive and dynamic culture.
As you work alongside our lawyers on live deals and cases, you’ll gain real and valuable skills you will use and develop throughout your career. You’ll also attend a diverse range of events and presentations that will show you what it takes to excel as a successful international commercial lawyer. As part of our tightly connected global community, you’ll get all the support you need to bring out your best self.
But it’s not all work and no play. There will be plenty of time to socialise with our graduate recruitment team, lawyers and partners as well as the other students on your scheme – broadening your knowledge of the firm, building your network and giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself into the culture that will define your experience with us should you join as a trainee.
We offer both a Winter and Summer scheme, for students in their penultimate or final year of undergraduate study and for those who have already graduated. These schemes will give you an insight into who we are, what we do and how we can support you, while giving you exposure to the work we do and a taster of the responsibility you can have as a trainee.
Our people are culturally and geographically diverse and this is reflected through our REACH Buddy Scheme. This mentoring scheme, run by Allen & Overy’s Race & Ethnicity network, is open to everyone taking part in our vacation schemes. It offers mentorship during the scheme and beyond and is focused on improving the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities within the firm. The scheme is also deeply committed to enabling social mobility regardless of racial or ethnic background.
All those successful at interview who are invited to participate will be paid £450 per week and will be considered for a training contract regardless of whether your scheme takes place virtually or in person.
Eligibility
We’re able to welcome final- or penultimate-year students or graduates from all universities with any degree.
Scheme dates
Winter Vacation Scheme
4 December 2023 - 8 December 2023
Summer Vacation Scheme
17 June 2024 - 28 June 2024
Application window
Winter Vacation Scheme
1 August 2023 - 22 September 2023
Summer Vacation Scheme
4 September 2023 - 27 October 2023
Rebecca Daramola
Current Trainee
Even though I enjoyed my Biochemistry degree, I knew that I didn’t want to pursue it after university. It was only when my laboratory supervisor suggested I look into a career in law that I considered it a real option. At first, I thought that the skills I’d learned from my STEM background might not be relevant to law, but I quickly realised that wasn’t the case. I’ve already seen the benefits that my analytical research skills can bring to clients.
During my Vacation Scheme, I worked on an urgent restructuring deal for a client in financial distress. The deadline was short and the workload was high, but that’s when my research skills came into play; despite the pressure, I was right in my comfort zone. I quickly completed the case law research and contract analysis, making sure that the client had exactly what they needed. Without a doubt, it was the skills from my STEM training that got me the results.
I was excited to see my skills applied to work outside of scientific research. That’s one of the reasons that I’m so excited to start my Training Contract: the variety. Across four different seats, I’ll get to try different practice areas and see where my skills are most well-suited.
I think lots of STEM students are simply unaware of the opportunities they have in the legal profession. As an ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors, an organisation that works to increase diversity in the legal profession, I’ve seen how valuable it is to support people from a non-law background through the application process. STEM students are an example of just one group of candidates who could bring so much to our firm. I’m so glad that I am part of a firm that values the unique skills that STEM students bring to the table.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Rebecca
Mateusz Maciejewski
Current Associate
I’ve worked hard to get where I am today and it feels satisfying to be given this much responsibility as a Trainee. I’m part of the team that provides hedging – financial protection – for some of our clients’ largest transactions. Whether it’s a refinancing project, an industrial development, or something entirely different, I conduct risk assessments and market analysis to deliver financial instruments like swaps or futures that reduce our clients’ exposure. Ambition and determination are rewarded here and it’s so satisfying to be trusted on such important work even at such an early stage of my career.
But it wasn’t a simple route to get to this point. As a first-generation immigrant, I arrived in the UK from Poland at eight years old without knowing a word of English. As the first person in my family to do A-Levels or go to university, there wasn’t a clear path to a brighter future and it took all my determination and resilience to get here. In sixth form, I started a study group outside school; my friends and I took our textbooks home and put in extra hours after class. After plenty of late nights and hard graft, I got the grades to study at LSE.
I had plenty of mentors who helped me transition from university into a legal career. As well as coaching from Rare Recruitment, I was also matched with a mentor from the Social Mobility Foundation who helped guide my career choices and gave me practical advice on applications and interviews. Now that I’m a Trainee, I want to give other people the same support that I received: I’m part of Allen & Overy’s Social Mobility Working Group and the Sutton Trust Alumni Leadership Board. Last month, everything came full-circle when I became a mentor myself. It’s a special feeling because I know first-hand the challenges of trying to build a better future and it’s so satisfying to pass on advice that was given to me.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Mateusz
Maaya Sachdev
Current Associate
I wasn’t one of those people who always knew what they wanted to do. But when I started my Law degree and began to develop my legal skillset it became clear that a career in the legal profession was the right choice for me.
I like problem-solving and analytical thinking – and working in a team. These were the things I enjoyed when I was studying English at A-level and presenting arguments in my university’s mooting society. In fact, it’s these experiences that sparked my interest in a legal career. I’m looking forward to using these skills to help clients during my training contract. I can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learnt to real-life deals.
Looking back at university, I’m glad that I embraced a diverse range of opportunities not only because they enhanced my learning experience, but because they also helped me to develop a clearer understanding about the kind of work that would interest me. I knew that I wanted a career where I could make a real impact – I didn’t just want to pick something that would look good on my CV.
When I looked into commercial law and Allen & Overy specifically, I knew it was what I wanted to do. Working on complex deals in a fast-paced environment suited my skillset and taking on big cases for well-known clients matched my interests.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Maaya
Justin Farrance
Current Associate
I’ve always been ambitious, so it was important that I found a career with opportunities to challenge myself and progress – Allen & Overy’s reputation and culture made the firm seem like the ideal choice. Being state-educated, the first in my family to attend university and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I was initially nervous about fitting into a top-tier law firm and whether I would be treated as ‘different’. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded.
At Allen & Overy, the focus isn’t on your background or where you started out, but rather your skills, technical ability and determination to learn. Even at this early stage in my career, I’m trusted with work that is important to some of our biggest high-profile deals. On a recent deal, I was responsible for collaborating with lawyers across our global network and working across numerous jurisdictions. The work I’m responsible for as a trainee is vital to the success of the transaction and it is great to know that it directly adds value to our deal team and clients.
Aside from billable work, I spend time on one of my passions – increasing social mobility, diversity, and inclusion through an initiative I founded called ‘GROW Mentoring’.
The idea behind GROW is to pair aspiring lawyers with legal professionals from a similar background who can offer one-to-one guidance on pursuing a career in law. We’ve already connected over 600 pairs across the UK and USA and we have a large wait-list of university students requesting a mentor. Allen & Overy has been incredibly supportive by offering time and expertise and has recently recognised GROW as a pro-bono client of the firm – definitely a first for Partners involved in supporting GROW.
Overall, I’m incredibly proud to work for a firm that values diverse thinking and actively promotes a culture of belonging and openness. These experiences have made me more aware of global issues and have provided me with further opportunities to collaborate across the business and with clients, which ultimately makes me a better lawyer.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Justin
Jonathan Cooper
Current Trainee
When I was looking into potential careers, I knew I wanted something that was going to be fulfilling, enjoyable and promising for the future. It was a long process: I considered journalism, medicine and several other careers, but it was my time on the Allen & Overy Vacation Scheme that made me decide to apply for a Training Contract.
My experience on the Vacation Scheme was unconventional, but it was exactly what I needed to help me decide my career path. I sat within the Corporate team and at the time they were very busy with an urgent deal. Because of this, I ended up having four different supervisors over two weeks. This gave me the chance to get involved with different projects, meet people across a variety of areas and even spend time working alongside a Partner.
The best thing about it was getting a real sense of what it would be like to work here. I saw everything that goes into successful transactions, from researching legislation and drafting documents to proofreading contracts and handling administrative tasks. I knew about that before the Vacation Scheme, but seeing it first-hand helped me understand what it’s really like.
Choosing a career is about planning ahead. On the Vacation Scheme, I got to see how much Allen & Overy invest in the future, whether it’s developing software to optimize structured transactions, continuing their international expansion, or diversifying their workforce. Having spent a year working for Rare Recruitment who partner with Allen & Overy, I’ve seen how the firm is striving to recruit top talent from all backgrounds by making their hiring process more inclusive.
I’m confident in my decision to join Allen & Overy – it’s an exciting first step towards a fulfilling career.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Jonathan
Antonia Marino
Associate in Banking
As with any new seat, there is a great deal to learn for any trainee. Currently, I am sat in the firm’s funds and asset management team, where I work on a range of interesting and complex matters. In this role, I support our team with both fund establishment and growth, separately assisting institutional investors with their legal queries regarding fund participation whilst helping our clients navigate the legislative and regulatory landscape.
Having often worked directly with Partners and Senior Associates, I have benefited from the significant responsibility I’ve had on tasks such as drafting legal documentation and researching niche client queries. Although each seat comes with different challenges, the skills I’ve developed throughout my Training Contract help to ensure my familiarity and confidence with my responsibilities.
The supportive and collaborative culture of the firm has been clear to me since my time on the Vacation Scheme. During the scheme, I wanted to find out more about a legal career at the firm, so I reached out to the Partner who had interviewed me.
What was meant to be a brief fifteen-minute conversation turned into a two-and-a-half-hour exchange where we talked about the firm, a career in law and the intricacies of his own work. The generosity he showed me with his time demonstrated that everybody across the firm, regardless of their seniority, is always willing to help if you exhibit an interest and simply ask questions.
Being a history graduate, I was fortunate enough to try a variety of potential career paths. After experiencing banking, music and law, I found that my personal aspirations aligned best with the work and culture of the legal sector. The variety and engaging nature of the work ensure that I continually develop and it means that I genuinely look forward to coming to work every day.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Antonia
Aashna Agarwal
Current Associate
One of the most satisfying aspects of my work is the contact I have with Partners and Associates across a wide variety of projects. Working with senior lawyers, whether it’s on private M&A deals, drafting sales contracts, or researching the details of complex legislation, I get the opportunity to develop my skills and confidence, while using my legal knowledge to solve business problems and help deliver the results that matter to our clients.
Looking back to the first time I walked through the office doors: it was my first day on the Vacation Scheme and having grown up in India, this was my first ever time in the UK. The thought of spending two weeks here made me feel apprehensive, nervous and excited at the same time. My biggest worry was how I would fit in; I didn’t know whether people would treat me differently because I was an international student.
But as soon as I met my team, I relaxed. Everyone was so friendly and helpful – they made a real effort to make sure I felt welcome. By the end of the scheme, I knew I wanted to stay here because I felt so at home – I was ecstatic when I heard that I’d been offered a Training Contract.
It’s so satisfying to see how far I’ve come. Before, I was worried that my background would hold me back, but now I know that a diverse perspective benefits our clients. I bring international experience, cross-cultural knowledge and a different thought process that helps our team to deliver even better results. And if you’d have said that to the person nervously walking through those office doors for the first time, she wouldn’t have believed you.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Aashna
Ash Tiwari
Senior Associate in Corporate
As a firm, we’re making real progress on diversity and inclusion. Of course, these policies are about respect and fair treatment – but they’re also about enabling people to do interesting, meaningful work. Whether it’s supporting our female colleagues, the LGBTQ+ community, or ethnically and racially diverse colleagues – we’re creating new, firm-wide policies that give everyone at Allen & Overy the tools they need to perform and be their best. It is important to say that there is still room for improvement – but we’re continuing to take steps in the right direction.
A great example of this is the huge impact that our flexible working policies have had on my work-life balance. Working on numerous M&A deals in emerging markets means that we help high-growth clients succeed in rapidly developing economies. When I’m advising international clients based in various jurisdictions and collaborating with our global network, I’m often working across time zones – which is why our flexible working policies are so important to me. It means that I can find the time to care for my children while doing the work that interests me. It’s such a relief knowing that if I have to leave at five o’clock to pick up my children, this won’t present any issues.
Racial and ethnic inclusion and diversity is a top priority at Allen & Overy. We’re actively taking steps to counteract the structural disadvantages that those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds experience and our Race & Ethnicity Network plays a vital part in raising awareness and implementing global policy changes. Our Executive Committee recently implemented new global targets for BAME hires, promotions and retention, helping our BAME colleagues to feel more confident in building successful careers with us.
The great thing is that I can see that there is an appetite for change. I’m delighted to see our firm is listening to our underrepresented colleagues and putting policies in place to help them succeed. Although we’re not there yet, we’re working hard to create a truly inclusive culture. It’s inspiring to be part of a firm that empowers me to be fearless in speaking up.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Ash
Jordan Sheath
Current Associate
Growing up, I didn’t have any exposure to the legal profession. None of my family were lawyers and I was the first person in my family to go to university, so it had never occurred to me as a possibility. When I considered it as a career path, I was worried that my background and lack of legal knowledge might hold me back. Now I’m a trainee in Banking, I can safely say that isn’t the case; the firm is looking for people with the ability and personality to succeed, rather than pre-existing legal knowledge or exposure to the industry.
That hit home when I closed my first deal. I was part of the team working with a multinational client on a high-profile new money restructuring project. The client wanted a solution to a complex problem within a short deadline. New regulations specific to the pandemic meant that I was researching previously unseen legislation – even the Partner hadn’t encountered it before.
When I heard the project was a success, I couldn’t stop smiling. After having limited legal experience, here I was, four years later, working alongside Partners to bring a high-profile assignment over the line.
It was so important that I got to see what kind of work I would be doing before I joined. I got that chance on A&O First – a programme where first-year students can find out more about the firm – where I had the opportunity to do some work on an actual deal and spend time shadowing a trainee. He was about my age and he took the time to talk to me about the firm, the kind of work he did and the application process. As well as motivating me to learn more about commercial law, he also inspired me to apply for a Training Contract.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Jordan
Clement Moylan
Current Associate
I’ve always been drawn to technical subjects. After studying science and maths at A-Level, it seemed like the natural choice to go on to study my passion, physics, at university. I loved studying physics but, somewhere along the way, I realised that I just didn’t enjoy the research side – I missed the variety of my studies and I wanted to work with people. So, to find a career that excited me, I started going to campus events and talking to professionals from a range of sectors.
I’m so glad that I met lawyers from Allen & Overy. They spoke to me about commercial law and the complex problems that clients asked them to solve. As a current trainee, I’m part of a close-knit team working on highly technical deals where I’ve been intellectually stretched. When negotiating hotly contested details like financial ratios and other covenants, there needs to be an analytical approach to understanding the underlying commercial motivations.
Getting these details right is something that clients really appreciate; drafting these documents matters a lot because they establish the terms that affect a client’s business for years.
Ultimately, our clients’ problems require creative solutions. Every business operates in a different landscape – every problem is unique and every solution is important. That’s exactly what I wanted for my career: challenging work that pushes me to think differently.
Click here to join our talented team and start your journey with us.
Clement
What we look for
We look for individuals with potential: open-mindedness, innovation, collaboration and critical thinking. These are the skills that will set your application apart and set you up for success. Our success relies on bringing together people from all backgrounds, with unique skillsets and perspectives so there isn’t one ‘type’ of person we’re looking for. We welcome applications from all graduates who are passionate about commercial law and innovation, regardless of the university they attended and the degree they earned.
Our clients rely on us for more than just outstanding legal advice – they trust us to guide them through uncertain times, deliver business growth and advise them on the future. If you have the ability, ambition and determination to make that happen, then you’ll thrive as a Vacation Scheme candidate.
Our academic requirements are AAB (136 UCAS points) or equivalent at A-Level and on track for/achieved a 2:1 undergraduate degree. We do take into account mitigating circumstances, including those relating to a disability, which may have affected your grades either at school or university and there is a space on the application form to include these.
Application Process
The application process is designed to give you a platform to show us what you’re capable of and to set you up for success at Allen & Overy.
1. Online Application
You will be required to submit an online application which details your work and education history.
You will then be sent an email which will contain a link to complete an interactive assessment. The assessment will include verbal and numerical reasoning items and two short motivation questions to complete via video. The interactive assessment is untimed and should take around 45 minutes. The interactive assessment is designed to provide a realistic preview of what you may experience as a trainee at Allen & Overy as well as give us an insight into your motivations.
You will need to complete your application and interactive assessment ahead of deadline.
You can read our preparation tips to Situational Judgement Tests or take a practice test.
2. Interviews
If your application is successful, the next stage will be an Assessment Day comprising of two one-on-one interviews and one written assignment.
The first interview is based on a commercial case study, where you’ll have time to work through a brief and prepare a short presentation to deliver to your interviewer. This will be followed by a discussion on the key points from the case study.
In the second interview, you will be asked a series of questions based on scenarios you may encounter as a trainee.
3. Offer
After your interviews, we will review your performance and aim to get back to you with a decision as quickly as possible.
Regardless of the outcome, we’re committed to providing constructive feedback on your interview performance to help you going forward in your career.