RateMyPlacement
I was involved with research and attended meetings with partners and lawyers to expose myself to their work.
Participating in sessions, research tasks, advising clients and lawyers, and drafting.
Completing various tasks for my supervisor, including research and drafting of legal documents as well as networking with various lawyers in the Clyde & Co team.
Mixture of presentations, networking sessions, and opportunities to undertake and experience real work in the department to which we were allocated.
I completed tasks given to me by my Supervisor and other members of the department. I was sitting in healthcare, so this involved summarising documents, drafting instructions to experts, drafting reports, and taking minutes of meetings. I interacted with a number of people from the firm in different departments and across different levels. We had scheduled presentations and workshops to learn about different practice areas and parts of the business.
We were assigned two departments each. Every day we would meet with our supervisors and discuss the tasks we had been allocated. The firm allowed us access to their systems, so we were aiding on real cases. There were also firm wide talks and networking sessions set up. Examples of tasks include meeting notes, report writing, research tasks and writing memos on cases.
Day-to-day tasks involved typical trainee tasks such as taking attendance notes, research tasks and proofreading. I also sat in on a trial and took a transcript of what was said. In terms of interactions, I had daily contact with my supervisors and also scheduled calls with other people outside my department. The vacation scheme also entailed graduate recruitment sessions about Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and interview tips.
This week I have completed a variety of tasks. I have undertaken a case review where I summarised changes to the law surrounding the SAAMCO principle I did this by reading the judges’ decision and comparing it to other case law and highlighted the main areas of departure. I have also completed a research task looking into the duty to present material facts to an insurer. I enjoyed this task as I was able to apply my research to a current case and really see how my research would be used in practice. I did this by accessing legal databases and cases and comparing different judgements and directions. I have also undertaken diarising tasks where I set up event notifications for court deadlines. I have drafted a letter to a client with regards to the definition of a claim and at what point notification of a claim has been made. I did this by using legal databases to define the term claim and then looked at case law and academic literature to give explanations of the definitions in practice. I have researched cases using westlaw on construction fire deficiencies and how the area of fit for purpose warranties has evolved in recent years.
Spent two weeks with a department at the firm. Conducted a range of tasks to support the team and gain an insight into the kind of tasks lawyers conduct on a day-to-day basis.
The beginning of the first week involved an introduction to the firm and various informative presentations. On a day-to-day basis, I reported to my supervisor who gave me different tasks such as: research, drafting and proof-reading.
A variety of tasks were involved, ranging from proofreading to carrying out legal research. The firm is extremely supportive and have paired each student with a trainee buddy who helps at every step of the way. The scheme also involved socials including a painting night and a cocktail/mocktail making social, before preparing us for our final interviews due to take place at the end of the scheme, for the training contract.
Sitting with one department, you are set a variety of tasks by your supervisor (an associate) and buddy (a junior lawyer/trainee) at the firm. The day starts at 9:30 and ends at 5:30. I found that I worked past this time. We were set presentations, due diligence and research tasks. A highlight was being able to contribute to real clients work. In some departments, there was the option to attend court and listen to client meetings.
I worked closely with my trainer buddy and supervisors to assist on their research/drafting tasks, as well as attended various training calls to learn more about the firm and how they operate.
I spent two weeks at Clyde & Co on their summer vacation scheme, undertaking work within one of their corporate departments. We attended several workshops during the course of the vacation scheme and learned about the work within different departments, the growth strategy of the firm and their commitment to CSR. Work within the department involved a variety of tasks, ranging from drafting emails/letters, research, proof reading, attending client calls, and assisting with bundling.
Two weeks conducted virtually from home. Entailed a combination of events organised by the Early careers team and work set by the respective departments, culminating with a training contract interview at the end. Events included department talks, pro Bono and CSR talks, networking and socials (such as a cocktails and painting class)
All students were allocated departments, I was in financial institutions directors and officers (FIDO). There were various events (including brilliant socials) organised by Graduate Recruitment which were aimed at helping us get to know Clydes. These included insights into corporate responsibility & inclusion, an overview of some of the departments and partner talk about strategy. The rest of your time is spent with your department. They give you real work to do, which is really varied!
The vacation scheme was virtual and required me to complete set zoom calls about different areas of the firm e.g. The climate change group along with completing work assigned by my supervisor e.g. reviewing a lease and catching up with my trainee buddy.
The two week vacation scheme revolved around networking, lectures from department members and undertaking actual work for the department I was sitting in. Time spent on these activities was split roughly 33% on each. The work was stimulating, ranging from administrative tasks to bundling, sector reports and legal memorandums. We also had two socials, which were fun.
Completing work to assist in departments and being assessed for a Training Contract
