Legal Summer Vacation Scheme 2026 (For Final Year Students & Graduates)

Legal Summer Vacation Scheme 2026 (For Final Year Students & Graduates)

Start your legal career somewhere a little different.

PwC’s paid Legal Summer Vacation Scheme is the main route into securing a future training contract with the firm. Over two weeks in July 2026, you’ll work directly with experienced lawyers, gain real insight into business law, and see what legal work looks like inside one of the world’s leading professional services firms.

You won’t just be observing from the sidelines. You’ll join client meetings, carry out legal research, practise drafting, take part in training sessions, and receive feedback from supervisors who are invested in helping you grow. It’s a proper chance to test yourself, build your confidence, and decide whether a legal career at PwC is the right fit for you.

Perform well during the scheme, and you could be offered a training contract, with a flexible start date where possible.

What you’ll do

During the scheme, you’ll rotate across two different practice groups, giving you exposure to different areas of legal work and the wider PwC business.

You could gain experience in areas such as:

• Corporate and International Business Reorganisations
• Digital and Data
• Direct Tax
• Employee Incentives
• Employment
• Environmental Taxes and Regulation
• Financial Services Legal
• Indirect Tax
• Intellectual Property and Commercial
• Office of General Counsel
• Private Business and Deals
• Real Estate

You’ll also complete a series of assessments during the programme, including a business assessment, a written exercise and a case law activity. These, alongside your overall performance on the scheme, will help PwC make decisions on future training contract offers.

Who can apply?

This scheme is open to both Law and Non-Law students.

Law students can apply from penultimate year onwards, including those who have already graduated.

Non-law students can apply from their final year onwards, including those who have already graduated.

You’ll be a strong fit if you have a genuine interest in business law, enjoy working with people, and want to become a trainee solicitor in a firm where legal advice is closely connected to commercial, tax, regulatory and wider business challenges.

What’s in it for you?

This is more than just work experience. It’s a direct opportunity to explore a legal career at PwC and potentially secure a training contract.

You’ll benefit from:

• A highly competitive salary during the scheme
• Real legal work across different practice areas
• Direct experience with client meetings, research and drafting
• Training and seminar sessions to build your commercial and legal understanding
• Feedback from supervisors throughout the programme
• Exposure to PwC’s distinctive position in the legal marketplace
• The chance to be considered for a future training contract

If you’re offered a training contract, PwC will also support your qualification route by covering tuition fees and providing a maintenance grant during your study period.

Training contract study support

Before joining PwC on a training contract, your route will depend on your degree background.

Law degree students will complete a one-year SQE course before joining the training contract.

Non-law degree students will complete a one-year PGDL conversion course, followed by a one-year SQE LLM Masters before joining the training contract.

PwC covers tuition fees and provides a maintenance grant to support living costs while you study. You’ll study with BPP and can choose from BPP study centres across the UK, not just London.

Maintenance grants are currently:

• £12,000 per year if studying in London
• £8,400 per year if studying in a regional location outside London, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds and Manchester

Selection process

The recruitment process is designed to understand how you think, work and approach different situations.

You’ll complete:

1. Online application
2. Complete the application carefully and follow all instructions.
3. Online assessments
4. These assess your cognitive skills, behaviours, natural preferences and reasoning abilities.
5. Video interview
6. This is an on-demand interview focused on how you typically approach your work, studies or previous experience.
7. Virtual assessment centre
8. The final stage before joining the Summer Vacation Scheme.
9. Summer Vacation Scheme assessments
10. During the scheme, you’ll complete a business assessment, a written exercise and a case law activity.

Why apply?

PwC’s Legal Summer Vacation Scheme gives you the chance to experience legal work in a firm that combines law with deep commercial, regulatory and industry expertise. You’ll see how lawyers support clients on complex business challenges, not just isolated legal questions.

It’s ideal if you’re looking for a legal career with variety, responsibility and a broader business perspective. You’ll gain meaningful experience, build your confidence, and put yourself in a strong position for a future training contract.

How to apply

Apply online through PwC’s application process. Make sure your application is accurate, well considered and submitted as early as possible.

Applications can be competitive, so don’t leave it until the last minute. Take time to understand the scheme, think about why PwC Legal appeals to you, and show how your skills, motivation and interest in business law make you a strong candidate.