In this blog, Akmar, a second-year History student at University College London and LEAP mentee, gives an insight into how he secured a summer internship with a prestigious litigation boutique compared to the traditional vacation scheme.
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I found applying for vacation schemes to be an often demanding and rigorous process, with each stage testing a different skill set, all while balancing personal responsibilities as a carer. At the same time, I wanted more hands-on professional legal experience to strengthen both my practical skills and the quality of my future applications.
In turn, this meant navigating slightly altered application processes, where the emphasis, as in this case, was solely a written application and interview. What really helped me was taking the time to understand what these roles were really looking for, and tailoring my approach accordingly.
Developing such a successful, targeted application strategy really came from my involvement with LEAP, which provided a strong foundation in identifying what legal employers are assessing and how to evidence this effectively!
Application process
Finding legal internships beyond the widely advertised vacation scheme required me to be proactive in my search. This meant thoroughly researching opportunities either provided by the likes of social mobility charities or identifying firms that may be overlooked by the usual student pursuing a training contract. For example, I made use of:
- Aspiring Solicitors
- upReach
- The Brokerage
While the above tend to have specific eligibility criteria, I also discovered a number of other opportunities through independent research (e.g. competitions which if won would result in legal experience) coupled with meaningful networking to learn about often missed opportunities. In this instance, I discovered the internship through a social mobility charity, The Brokerage.
At the application stage, I was specifically not told the name of the firm, but only a job description and that it was a boutique specialising in Litigation, Investigations and Arbitration. This meant that, unlike vacation scheme applications where prior engagement with a firm is often essential and valuable, I had to rely on the role description alone to structure my application.
As a result, I focused on demonstrating a genuine interest in the work and practice of law itself, alongside the transferable skills I could bring, rather than expressing a superficial interest in the firm’s work specialism or culture itself. This required an evidence-based approach, using examples to really support each point I made. For example, I drew on my experience drafting a legal document and its relevance to dispute resolution, particularly where such documents may be relied upon in contentious contexts to express my interest in litigation.
Similarly, when addressing competencies at the interview stage, I focused on demonstrating skills through specific examples rather than simply restating or affirming the job description. This approach not only strengthened the overall quality of my written application, but also made my interview responses more natural and convincing, as they were grounded in my own experiences!
What does the scheme involve?
As the scheme runs the majority of the summer, approximately 7 weeks, it’s an excellent opportunity to integrate into a professional legal environment and develop the relevant skills to assist me in my long-term goal of securing a training contract!
Throughout the internship, I’ll be looking forward to duties such as:
- assisting with legal and other research;
- proofreading legal documents and correspondence;
- assisting with court filings;
- participating in administration support for hearings and/or client meetings;
- providing general support to the London office partners and staff.
Some helpful tips!
- Treat the job description as a checklist for the cover letter. Focus on what the role is really asking you to evidence, and make sure you address each point clearly!
- Use specific examples for motivation and competencies. Anchor your answers in evidence (e.g. 5–6 examples that overlap with multiple competencies), and structure them clearly using the STAR Method. Make sure you don’t memorise entire sentences as you want to come across as authentic.
- Prepare meaningful questions, research your interviewers where possible, and tailor questions to their work. This helps to make the interview at times more conversational than simply a formulaic exchange.
- Stay calm and adaptable in interviews. Having composure goes a long way, especially when faced with unexpected questions…often you can answer them better than you think.
- Understand the role in practice, go beyond the job title, and be clear on what the day-to-day involves (as a trainee/intern) and how you are going to be able to contribute effectively.
Support from LEAP
As part of LEAP’s first cohort of mentees, I found the three-stage mentoring programme really helpful in my success, both in securing this internship and progressing to assessment centres at other firms. Each session’s clear focus, coupled with personalised feedback, helped me to refine both my application writing and approach to later-stage assessments.
An especially valuable aspect was completing a mock case study and competency interview with my mentor. Their guidance on how to improve articulating my motivation for a career in law, by aligning my experiences with the role, has made my interview responses more structured and confident!
Overall, LEAP strengthened both the strategy and substance of my applications, while also making the process feel far less daunting through consistent, personalised support. A massive thanks to LEAP as well for developing by far the most helpful, personalised application guides I’d ever seen, which I find myself coming back to every time I open up an application form!
leaplegal.co.uk 