Vacation Scheme Student Review

I completed a two-week vacation scheme at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's London office from 7 to 17 April, which offered a well-rounded insight into life at the firm and the breadth of its practice. On a day-to-day basis, my time was divided between substantive legal work, firm-wide presentations and networking events.
I was based in the Aviation Finance department, where I assisted on live matters and gained a practical understanding of the work carried out by the team. Beyond my own department, I also had the opportunity to take on tasks in other practice areas, including Corporate M&A and Pro-Bono, which gave me valuable exposure to different types of work and working styles across the firm.
Alongside the legal work, there were typically one to two presentations each day covering the firm's various practice areas, its wider work, culture and key initiatives. These were complemented by regular networking events with both junior and senior lawyers, which provided a genuine sense of how the firm operates day-to-day and the collaborative environment it fosters.
Overall, the scheme offered an excellent balance of hands-on legal experience and broader insight into the firm, its people and its values.

The vacation scheme provided a clear and comprehensive understanding of both the firm's business and the roles available within it. The daily presentations were particularly valuable in this respect, as they covered the full range of the firm's practice areas, its client base, its market position and its strategic priorities, which gave me a strong sense of how the different departments operate and how they interconnect.
In terms of potential roles, the combination of hands-on legal work and networking events with lawyers at all levels, from trainees and junior associates through to partners, gave me a realistic picture of the trainee experience and the progression path beyond it. Speaking with lawyers at different stages of their careers was especially helpful in understanding what day-to-day life looks like in each role and how responsibilities evolve over time.

The vacation scheme gave me the opportunity to both refine existing skills and develop new ones through a range of substantive tasks across different practice areas.
Within Aviation Finance, I prepared a lease summary in relation to a lease agreement, which allowed me to sharpen my legal drafting skills and attention to detail, and to understand not only the meaning of the contractual clauses themselves but also the commercial rationale behind them. I also completed four legal research tasks, three in Aviation Finance and one in Corporate M&A, which enabled me to further refine my legal research skills and develop my commercial acumen.
On a Pro Bono matter, I produced a table setting out insights, information and arguments relating to the four types of charitable structures that can be established in the UK. This task deepened my legal knowledge in an unfamiliar area and developed my ability to present research to a client in a clear, concise and easily digestible manner.
Balancing these tasks alongside the daily presentations, networking events and exercises also helped me strengthen my time management skills, as I often had multiple pieces of work on the go and needed to plan carefully to meet deadlines without compromising on quality.
Finally, I developed my communication and teamwork skills through a group presentation delivered to partners and the graduate recruitment team, which required us to structure our analysis clearly, divide the work effectively and respond confidently to questions. These were further built on through one-to-one conversations with partners and associates, which gave me greater confidence in engaging with lawyers at all levels.

The culture at Gibson Dunn stood out as genuinely collaborative, welcoming and intellectually engaging. From the first day, lawyers at every level, from trainees through to partners, were approachable, generous with their time and clearly invested in our experience as vacation scheme students. Questions were always encouraged and I never felt hesitant to ask for guidance or clarification on a task.
The atmosphere in the office struck a good balance between being high-performing and down-to-earth. There was a clear commitment to excellence in the work produced, but this was paired with a collegiate environment in which people genuinely enjoyed working together. The regular networking events, informal coffee chats and team lunches reinforced this sense of community and made it easy to get to know people across different departments.
I was also struck by the firm's commitment to its people and the wider community, which came through in the Pro Bono work, the diversity and inclusion initiatives and the general sense of pride that lawyers took in being part of the firm.

I thoroughly enjoyed the vacation scheme from start to finish. The combination of challenging and varied legal work, engaging presentations and the opportunity to meet lawyers across the firm made each day genuinely interesting and rewarding. I particularly appreciated how welcoming and invested everyone was in our experience, which made it easy to settle in and get the most out of the two weeks.

Yes

My main piece of advice would be to take the time to genuinely understand what sets Gibson Dunn & Crutcher apart, rather than relying on generic research. The firm has a distinctive identity and being able to speak to this in a specific and informed way at interview makes a real difference.
I would also encourage applicants to be themselves throughout the process. The firm places a clear emphasis on personality and fit, and the people I met were genuinely interested in who I was beyond my CV. Trying to give polished, rehearsed answers tends to come across less well than speaking honestly about your experiences, motivations and interests.
On the application itself, I would recommend being specific and reflective rather than simply listing achievements. Think carefully about why you want to be a commercial lawyer, why Gibson Dunn in particular, and make sure your genuine motivations and interests come through clearly in your answers.
Finally, if you are invited to the vacation scheme, make the most of every opportunity to ask questions, get involved and speak to as many people as possible. The lawyers are approachable and want to help, and the more you engage, the more you will get out of the experience.