Vacation Scheme Review

I really enjoyed my week with Shoosmiths. My placement gave me a great insight into the firm and its culture which will be useful for future training contract applications. Everyone made me feel welcome and I was given plenty of work to do which meant there was never a dull moment. I enjoyed being challenged by the tasks that were assigned and feel like I have learnt a lot.

A lot of people took the time to speak to me and welcome me to the firm which was great. I was given a variety of work by my host which she was completing herself so I knew I was given real tasks to do. A lot of my work was subsequently used and I felt like I was making a real contribution even though I was only there for a short amount of time.

My host gave me a lot of advice about my placement and what the firm looked for. Whenever I completed a piece of work she would set aside some time to talk through it with me. Graduate recruitment were also in contact throughout the week. If I ever needed anything, there were plenty of people I could ask.

I found it useful to apply my theoretical knowledge of the law to practical scenarios. It was interesting to provide succinct advice and research rather than the long and detailed answers I'm used to giving at university. I also enjoyed learning how to interact with clients and my colleagues.

Before my placement, I was informed which department I would be sitting in and who would be my supervisor. On my first day, I received an information pack outlining what would be expected of me and the tasks that I would be assigned.

The atmosphere was really friendly in the office. I liked the open plan set-up because it allowed me to interact with a variety of people and easily ask for advice. It was also nice that the team would regularly bring treats to the kitchen for everyone to share.

I received feedback on every piece of work that I completed and shown where to improve for next time.

It was useful to experience the culture at Shoosmiths rather than just read about it on the firm's website. I was given a flavour of the type of work I would be completing if I was a trainee.

The open plan environment meant that I could easily network and meet with other employees. I would often sit with different people at lunch time.

While I was taken out for lunch on one occasion, there were no official social events scheduled which is one of the only criticisms of the placement.

I would definitely recommend a placement with Shoosmiths to anyone considering a career with a national law firm. The firm is really friendly and the calibre of work was challenging.