Our application window for the Hassans’ Summer Programme is now open. 

During our Summer Programme, you will sit with a Partner or Associate, as you take on real 5 star work for 5 star clients. Alongside presentations and activities, you’ll explore our practice areas, and experience life as part of the Hassans team.

You’ll also network with other students, partners, associates and trainees. We consider our Summer Programme as an extended interview for our Training Contracts, so you will have plenty of opportunities to showcase your qualities and talents. The programme includes:

• 2 weeks insight into what life is like as a Hassans trainee.
• Hands-on experience of our practice areas, including drafting contracts, attending meetings with clients or partners, carrying out research, or attending court proceedings.
• Taking part in a moot, where you will get the opportunity to display your research, writing and advocacy skills in front of our moot judges, who are partners and associates.
• Participating in a workshop run by our real clients, who provide an insight into their businesses and give students a legal task to complete.
• Opportunities to network and to ask the kind of questions that will help you decide if Hassans is for you.

Who can apply?

You are eligible to attend the Summer Programme if you are undertaking a law degree or completing a non-law degree but with the hope of completing a conversion course. We also welcome applications from postgraduates in law, and applicants who have, or are currently completing the Bar, GDL or SQE. There are also some spaces available on the programme for Year 13 students who have a firm offer to study law starting in September 2026. You can access the full Summer Programme Guidance Notes for this Programme here.

Is there a Year 12 Programme this year?

Yes, we run a specific week of work experience placement aimed at Year 12’s as part of the Summer Programme working in partnership with local secondary schools. All the details of how to apply and what you need to submit are included in the full Year 12 Guidance Notes.

Key Dates:

• 2 week undergraduate Summer Programme: We are accepting applications for the Summer Programme (running every 2 weeks from Monday 29th June 2026) until Sunday 22nd March 2026. 

Apply here

• 1 week Year 12 Work Experience: We will be accepting applications for the Year 12 Programme (1 week starting Monday 10th August 2026) until Tuesday 31st March 2026.

Apply here for the Year 12 Programme.*

*Please ensure that you read the Yr 12 Guidance Notes as there are specific details on how to complete the application form.

 

Learn more about our current trainees:

 

David Vargas-Arias – 1st year trainee. 

What was your your academic route to becoming a trainee?

My academic journey into law has been unconventional but ultimately enriching. After completing an LLM, I pursued a year of postgraduate study in music, an experience that strengthened my creativity, discipline, and problem‑solving skills from a completely different angle. I later transitioned back into law through the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and then undertook the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP. Although it wasn’t the traditional straight-through route, the diversity of my studies has given me a broader perspective and a more adaptable mindset, both of which have proved invaluable in legal training. Before joining Hassans as a trainee, I worked for three years at a crypto hedge fund and also spent time paralegalling in Spain. That combination of legal, commercial, and cross‑border experience has helped me integrate quickly into the firm’s work.

What has your your experience of Hassans been to date?

At Hassans, I began my training contract in the Corporate & Commercial department, which immediately immersed me in transactional work, commercial contracts and fast-moving client demands. It was an exciting introduction to the firm—full of variety and requiring strong time management, attention to detail, and the ability to work across multiple matters simultaneously. I am now sitting in the Private Client team, where the work is equally dynamic but involves a different kind of complexity. Here, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with clients across corporate governance, Trusts, financing transactions and general commercial advice. The shift between departments has shown me just how broad and stimulating legal practice at Hassans can be, and it has pushed me to develop the versatility and responsiveness that the firm expects from its trainees.

What does it take to be a great lawyer, in your opinion?

I believe a great lawyer needs a strong blend of technical knowledge, commercial awareness, curiosity, and professional resilience. Technical knowledge ensures accuracy; commercial awareness ensures relevance. But it’s curiosity, the willingness to ask questions, explore new angles, and understand the wider context, that often sets excellent lawyers apart. Equally important is reliability: being someone colleagues and clients know they can trust, both in terms of quality and consistency. Finally, adaptability is key; law, markets, and client needs all evolve, and the best lawyers evolve with them.

Any advice you’d give to current students?

Don’t feel pressured to follow a single “correct” path into the profession. My own route was unconventional, and in hindsight, the variety has helped rather than hindered me. Explore your interests, build experiences that genuinely excite you, and stay open to opportunities, whether academic, professional, or personal,  that develop transferable skills. Also, seek out environments where you can observe real legal work early on; it helps confirm your direction and gives you a head start when you eventually begin training. Most importantly, stay curious and keep learning-law rewards people who are proactive in their growth.

 

Georgina Feetham – 1st year trainee. 

What was your your academic route to becoming a trainee?

My academic route for becoming a trainee was not traditional. For my undergraduate I studied Philosophy and Psychology at the University of Warwick as I enjoyed developing my understanding of fundamental questions regarding existence, human nature, knowledge, and values. Due to this course, I realised I particularly liked critically analysing a topic, unpicking it, and developing effective arguments. Consequently, I decided to do the MA Law course at the University of Bristol, as this course offered the opportunity to students with an undergraduate degree in any discipline to pursue a career in law. This is akin to the Law Conversion Course offered in many institutions but offered a greater depth of study and comprehensive legal training. I had a fantastic time during my studies at the University of Bristol, and as a result, I went on to do the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law, which provided insights into a legal career beyond the academic. This course equipped me with the necessary legal knowledge and skills to succeed in legal practice and prepared me for the challenges of qualifying as a solicitor.

Have you attended a Hassans’ Summer Programme?

I was fortunate enough to gain work experience at Hassans during the summer of 2020, when Covid was fresh and lockdown was initially lifted. I was able to get experience in a plethora of different litigious matters from corporate insolvencies to private legal disputes between family members. I also participated in a moot and can remember the topic put to me vividly – it concerned whether the government’s imposition of mandatory lockdowns was a proportionate restriction on fundamental rights. This, of course, was extremely relevant at the time and an interesting debate to have. The experience was critical in convincing me to pursue a career in law as I found myself being excited about the work and feeling fulfilled.

What has your your experience of Hassans been to date?

I started working full-time as a trainee at Hassans in September 2025. The experience thus far has been invaluable. I have been fortunate enough to work under brilliant lawyers, such as Grace Lima, Shane Danino, Claire Pizzarello, Gillian Guzman KC, Darren Martinez, Daniel Feetham KC and Nikhil Nagrani, who have all imparted on me different skills and have been nothing but supportive and essential for my legal development. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to learn from such brilliant, experienced, but importantly kind, practitioners.

And finally, any advice you’d give to current students?

My sole advice to such a student is to keep working hard – it will pay off in the end.

 

Ari Schischa – 1st year trainee. 

What was your your academic route to becoming a trainee?

After taking a gap year in Israel, I completed an LLB in Law at London South Bank University, graduating with a First-Class degree. I then took a further year out, during which I completed several internships at international law firms in Israel, in addition to undertaking a two-month stint with the Hassans Private Client team, which allowed me to gain early exposure to cross-border legal work and different practice environments, In September 2024, I returned to London to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the University of Westminster.

Have you attended a Hassans’ Summer Programme?

I took part in the Hassans Summer Programme at the end of my second year of university. The programme provided meaningful, hands-on exposure to legal practice and went well beyond observation-based work. During the programme, I assisted a partner in advising a globally prominent digital assets company on the regulatory scope of its activities under Gibraltar’s Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) framework. This involved analysing regulatory requirements and understanding how the framework operates in practice. As a result, I gained a strong grounding in crypto-asset regulation and real knowledge of the underlying technologies, which proved invaluable and gave me a significant advantage when returning to the firm.

What has your your experience of Hassans been to date?

My experience at Hassans to date has been extremely enjoyable. I have particularly valued the level of responsibility afforded to trainees at an early stage. This has included leading calls with international clients independently and assisting with high-level drafting work in the re-domiciliation of assets for ultra-high-net-worth clients into Gibraltar trust structures. The work has been both intellectually demanding and commercially focused, and I have felt trusted to take ownership of matters while receiving appropriate guidance from my supervising partner. In addition, the firm’s well-organised Trainee Development Programme and the strong trainee culture have made the experience both rewarding and enjoyable.

What does it takes to be a great lawyer, in your opinion?

In my opinion a successful trainee lawyer takes ownership of their work and approaches every task proactively. Technical ability is essential, but it must be combined with commercial awareness, attention to detail, and the willingness to take responsibility. When this is coupled with ambition and a strong work ethic, it will allow you to consistently add value and develop quickly.

 

Maria Chumillas – 1st year trainee. 

What was your academic route to becoming a trainee?

I obtained my undergraduate degree in Law and Criminology from the University of York before completing the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law in Leeds.

What was your experience on the Summer Programme?

My experience on the Summer Programme was extremely valuable. It was a great opportunity to network and immerse myself in the firm’s culture, while also being exposed to a broad range of legal sectors as we took part in activities that required different skill sets.

I had the chance to work closely with lawyers at all levels on real client scenarios as well as collaboration with other students on certain activities. This provided genuine insight into what being a lawyer involves on a day‑to‑day basis and helped me confirm that a legal career was the right path for me.

And how has your experience at Hassans been like to date?

I am currently undertaking my Corporate and Commercial seat as part of my training contract, although I have also had the opportunity to work on Private Client work with the Tax team. The breadth of work at Hassans is one of the things that truly sets the firm apart. This variety has greatly expanded my understanding of different practice areas and supported my development as a young professional.

What does it take to be a great lawyer in your opinion?

The legal field is also constantly changing, so it is important to continue learning and adapting.

A great lawyer needs a strong foundation of legal knowledge as well as interpersonal skills. It is also important to pay attention to detail, while also maintaining strong commercial awareness by understanding both the legal issues and the client’s objectives.

And finally, any advice you’d give to current students?

My biggest piece of advice is to gain as much practical experience as possible. Summer programmes can offer a genuine practical insight into the profession beyond academic studies. They allow you to work alongside leading practitioners and observe real legal work taking place in Gibraltar.