I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the summer vacation scheme - the people were lovely, the work was interesting and the socials were a lot of fun. The three weeks at A&O have gone really fast, and as much as I'm looking forward to catching up on some sleep, I don't want to leave.
I found it extremely interesting and very insightful - giving me a hands on experience of what it is like to work as a solicitor for Allen & Overy and the daily tasks/routines of solicitors. I found it to be very influential and it confirmed my ambition to be a practising lawyer in a City law firm. I will definitely apply for vacation schemes with Allen & Overy, and hopefully a apply for a training contract, based upon how welcoming, informative and exciting the insight day was.
I really enjoyed it, it was a very interesting, stimulating experience and gave me, a non-law student, a huge amount of insight both into the commercial law industry and Allen and Overy itself.
I am usually not very generous with distributing stars, but 9 are certainly justified in this case. A&O really seem to be one of the best graduate recruitment teams in the legal world. The insight day was extremely well planned and organised; communication with the team was great before and after the event. We were able to receive proper work experience by shadowing trainees, which was certainly the highlight of the day. It was also a long day compared to other open days I've been to, including some activities differing from the standard ones.
The Graduate Recruitment team at Allen & Overy did a fantastic job in providing a wonderful, 360 degree snapshot of life within a City law firm. From networking opportunities to other planned activities and events, everything was planned meticulously and provided a wonderful glimpse into the firm and the people whom work there. The department to which I was assigned and the buddy provided to me on day 1 - were also fantastic in ensuring I attained not only a warm welcome, but enquired daily that everything was running smoothly and that any and all work was explained in-depth. Feedback was always attainable.
The winter vacation scheme at Allen & Overy was a fantastic experience. Everyone we met, from the trainees to the graduate recruitment team were all extremely welcoming. I was beyond surprised to see how inviting even the most senior of partners were. The events that the firm put on for the vacation scheme students exceeded my expectations, from the ice skating to the dinner at the gherkin, it was a wholeheartedly enjoyable experience. The vacation scheme also offered a unparalleled insight into what life would actually be like working at A&O and I honestly have nothing bad to say about it. The other students were really sociable and down to earth and I was surprised at how diverse the students and in fact the whole firm was.
The vacation scheme was a great experience overall. Even though the winter vacatiion scheme was a short one, it gave me an insight into the firm, its values and its culture. I was welcomed by the firm and made to feel at home. The vacation scheme allowed me to understand how an international firm works and went a long way in helping me to decide whether a career in such a firm was suited to me or not.
The insight was a great opportunity to find out the the business operates, as well as being a good chance to see what kind of work trainees are given. We were given responsibility to do work on actual matters and split into groups to produce a client pitch presentation. This exercise was a great way of getting to know other people on the internship, finding out more about the firm, its expertise, and experience, and developing research and presentation skills. Over the course of the ten days I went from knowing nothing about high-yield debt finance to feeling comfortable presenting on it!
A&O First Insight was the most enjoyable time spent with a Commercial Law Firm throughout my first year. The diverse range of activities and skills sessions that are completed during your time at the office really help to make the day engaging and enjoyable
The A&O First Programme was an invaluable and very enjoyable experience! It was not just an opportunity to get a better insight into Allen & Overy, and the mechanisms of commercial law, but also a chance to network and boost our confidence concerning the application process for vacation schemes and training contracts.