Vacation Scheme Review

The placement was fantastic. I was given realistic and challenging work which allowed me to develop useful skills for future placements. I was required to analyse documents, conduct legal research and spent lots of time getting to know people within the department in which I worked, making me feel at ease.

The people I worked with were all friendly and welcoming. I never felt intimidated by the thought of approaching someone for help. Everyone was approachable and often had interesting work for me to complete. I felt valued and like a member of the team throughout the entirety of my placement.

I received enough guidance that I was not struggling with tasks to the extent that I could not complete them, however I was not overly helped which challenged me to learn new things. I was provided with resources such as online databases, a library and professional support lawyers to aid with my tasks, but there was very much an emphasis on independent work which I found was an appropriate balance. There was help when I needed it.

I am educated through problem based learning and so already had knowledge of analysis factual scenarios. The placement for me was a chance to put a lot of the legal knowledge that I have acquired into practice in context. I can now go back to my degree with useful knowledge of a range of topical industry issues.

I was provided with a timetable weeks in advance of the placement which helped me prepare for my time at the firm. I knew exactly where I had to be at all times and never felt like I was a hindrance. The placement was clearly well planned and structured.

Friendly, welcoming and supportive. I was made to feel like a real trainee, given tasks which were appropriate for my level of education yet challenging. The open door policy helped me feel confident in networking with the people in my department. There was a genuine feel that colleagues wanted to always help each other out where they could.

There were two workshops within the placement which were intended to assess our abilities but were an opportunity for us to improve our skills. One was run by an external postgraduate education provider and was a negotiation workshop. It was both enjoyable and informative and I definitely learnt things that will be of use to me in the future.

I felt like a full time trainee. I was completing similar tasks and socialised with full time employees during lunch and after work. I was really made to feel like a part of the team. I found it easy to settle in and the week went extremely fast due to the friendliness of the department.

As well as the work side of the placement there was also a social side. It helped me get to know the kind of people that the firm employs and I soon found that the range of people is vast. I networked with people from a range of backgrounds and felt as though there was a real culture of appreciating people for who they are.

The placement confirmed that I would love to work at the firm. Having already decided that I would like to work at a commercial law firm, it is very much about the culture of firms that is important to me. Walker Morris had the culture, experience and clients that I am looking for in a future job.

I was more than adequately paid for my time at the firm.

There were a number of social events throughout the week where I had the opportunity to network with a range of people at the firm. I got to know trainees, solicitors, directors and partners. All were friendly and there was no one that was ever to busy to talk to you or offer you guidance when you needed it.

The social events were great fun. In the middle of the week we went to a venue where food was provided and we played table tennis and pool with full time employees. It was a chance to let our hair down and get to know the people we had been working with on a more personal level.

I was informed about a range of things that employees can get involved with out of work. From charity events and organisation to sports teams there were numerous opportunities for the lawyers at the firm to give something back to the community or enjoy time outside of work with their colleagues.

Definitely.