Vacation scheme deadlines

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Deadlines for vac schemes in 2025/6

Many firms will have multiple deadlines, running schemes at different times of year: you shouldn't gain an advantage from doing any one particular scheme with a single firm, but some may have different characteristics to others. Some firms look at applications on a rolling basis, so you should apply as soon as possible after applications open.

While we endeavour to keep our information as up to date as possible, deadlines do occasionally change at the last minute, so please check firms' websites to be absolutely certain of deadline dates.

Some (smaller and mid-size) firms don't have a formal vac scheme, but do offer informal work experience (often to both university students and sixth-formers). The application process for this kind of work experience is usually informal and happens on a rolling basis. Information can usually be found on a firm's website, but if you can't find out if a firm offers work experience it's worth phoning or emailing them. Firms which adopt this approach include Hodge Jones & Allen and Leigh Day.

 

September 2025

12

Ashurst (Winter)

12

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Spring)

12 

Sidley Austin (Winter)

28

Norton Rose Fulbright (Winter)

 

October 2025

10 

 

Hogan Lovells (Winter)

10

Penningtons Manches Cooper (Winter)

17

 

Dechert (Winter)

24

Covington & Burling

26

 

White & Case (Winter)

27

Burges Salmon (Winter)

31

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (Winter)

31

Taylor Wessing (Spring)

 

November 2025

23 

 

Dentons (London)

28

 

 

Mishcon de Reya

28 

Taylor Wessing (Summer)

30

Davis Polk & Wardell 

December 2025

1

Baker McKenzie (Spring)

1

 

Skadden, Arps, Meagher, & Flom

3

Linklaters

4

 

CMS

5

Macfarlanes

5

 

Slaughter and May

5

 

Sullivan & Cromwell

7

 

Dentons (Milton Keynes)

7

Latham & Watkins

7

Norton Rose Fulbright

10 

 

Willkie Farr & Gallagher

12

 

Ashurst (Summer)

12

Goodwin

12

Hogan Lovells

14

 

Kirkland & Ellis

14

Weil, Gotshal & Manges

16

 

Mayer Brown

31

Dechert (Spring and Summer)

 

January 2026

1

Baker McKenzie (Summer)

1

Cooley

1

Mills & Reeve

2

Farrer & Co

4

Akin

4

Paul Hastings

5

Birketts

5

Burges Salmon (Spring and Summer)

5

Clyde & Co

5

Forsters

5

Morrison Foerster

5

Squire Patton Boggs

5

Trowers & Hamlins

6

Addleshaw Goddard

6

Reed Smith

6

Watson Farley & Williams

8

HFW

9

Sidley Austin (Spring and Summer)

9

Penningtons Manches Cooper (Summer)

11

Gateley

11

Vinson & Elkins

12

RPC

12

Wedlake Bell

12

Withers

14

Travers Smith

14

VWV

15

Charles Russell Speechlys

15

Osborne Clarke

16

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Summer) 

16

Covington & Burling

16

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

16

Hill Dickinson

21

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

30

Northridge Law

30

Stephenson Harwood

31 

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (Spring and Summer)

31

K&L Gates

31

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe

31

Ropes & Gray

31

Stevens & Bolton

31

Ward Hadaway

31

Wilkin Chapman Rollits

 

February 2026

6

 

Russell-Cooke

9

 

Marriott Harrison

15

 

Simmons & Simmons

17 

Bevan Brittan

28

Devonshires

 

March 2026

31

Ashfords

31

Howes Percival

31 

Wilsons

 

 

Find out what to expect from vac schemes in our feature: What is a vacation scheme?