This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.2/5
  • The Role
    3.5
  • The Company
    3.2
  • The Culture
    2.6

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • For the most part I have found my placement enjoyable to date because of the variety of experience I have gained; exposure to the litigation process, which has been a valuable learning curve and the fact that I am given increasing amounts of responsibility in relation to the cases we handle.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • On first beginning my placement my colleagues provided me with detailed explanations as to the various procedures the department goes through in the litigation process and provided useful and insightful training on the work I was expected to pick up. My colleagues are always polite and civil, often offer praise and congratualtions to others when things go well and show their gratitude when I help them or offer assistance whihc makes me feel like a valued team member. Given the heavy workload, there is sometimes a tendancy to pass on extra work to placement students and expect it to be done with little support or thanks which occassionally makes me feel taken for granted.

    4/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I have limited interaction with management and so have received little support from them but have always found them to be approachable and very thorough on the occassions I have required help or advise. On a daily basis the management at the firm as civil and friendly which reinforces to me how they are available to provide support. The level and quality of the support provided by my supervisor fluctuates and largely depends on his workload and mood. During busy periods I do not often feel the guidance he is able to offer is even adequate.

    3/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • My workload steadily increased during the first few months of my placement and gradually settled at a constant level after the first few months. Urgent work with deadlines is usually completed by me during the morning and more regular work is tasked for the afternoon. A typcial week would see me deal with a higher volume of urgent work at the beginning before catching up on backlog and ad hoc peices of work throughout the rest of the week, although time has to be allowed for unexpected events and lengthier, bespoke peices of work. Generally I am assigned more work than I can complete in the day.

    4/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I feel that the responsibility accorded to me has gradually increased since beginning my placement, though in line with compliance protocols the department has to adhere to. I have noticed with an increase in responsibility colleagues value my opinion more and are always quick to assign new responsibilities to me if I ask in order to further my experience.

    4/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I believe the skills I am acquiring are useful in helping me decide the direction I want to take my studies in and what I plan to do on completing my degree. Development of the skills I use helps me ascertain what it is I enjoy doing and also how I could better approach my studies on returning to university. The training I have received is often very specific to the nature of the job which has meant I gain a very thorough experience. I also feel training on a broader scale will be useful as a graduate looking to enter the legal profession.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The atmosphere in the office is usually relaxed and the open plan style of the building encourages colleauges to be open with each other and to interact.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The placement was well thought out in terms of my role and what work I would be doing, but a high volume of staff left just before and after placement students began with little handover process or support for new starters.

    3/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • Training was very thorough and allowed me to process work individually.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • 1/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • A future training contract is appealing.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • 3/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • Cost of living was not extensive which was benenficial as the firm did not provide a good salary

    2/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • 2/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Staff were encouraged to use a day each year to volunteer for a cause and being situated in the midlands, travelling and access to non-work related activities was quite good.

    4/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

West Midlands

November 2015


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