Vacation Scheme Review

The Linklaters Vacation Scheme did a great job of balancing work with social events, as well as making us feel welcome and providing us with a positive work environment.

Everyone that I did work for seemed to really appreciate my work, which motivated me to work even harder.

We had a principal and trainee buddies to guide us and show us the ropes, as well as presentations on the firm's key practice areas, so that we would have a deeper understanding of the firm and its work.

I felt that the skills I've developed over the course of those four weeks will be valuable for my time training with the firm. Furthermore, one are of law I experienced is one I will be studying in my degree next year, and I thus feel more confident and prepared for that module.

We were given a timetable on day one. Unforeseen incidents caused events to be rescheduled, but that was communicated to us promptly. Overall, the scheme was very well structured, balancing work with social events.

Everyone working there was extremely friendly. In addition, the students on the scheme did not see each other as competition, but as colleagues, and we bonded over the course of the scheme.

Our training came in the form of on-the-job experience with guidance from our principal and trainee buddy; we were also given presentations on the firm's key practice areas, giving us a deeper insight into the firm and its work. We also participated in sessions which aimed to cultivate softer skills, such as confidence, speaking skills, emotional intelligence, etc.

The work we undertook during the vacation scheme was a good insight into the type of work the firm does. Furthermore, we could see the workload of our trainee buddies and how they dealt with it, giving us a deeper, and perhaps more accurate, insight into trainee life at the firm.

Four weeks at the firm was the right amount of time to gleam an accurate view of the firm's culture. In addition, we spent a day mentoring young people from a local school, giving us first-hand experience of the firm's stance on Corporate Social Responsibility and its "Good Neighbour" policy. We were also given a talk by the Managing Partner regarding the firm's vision and strategy.

The experience confirmed my interest in this career path, and especially in the firm itself.

We were paid on a weekly basis.

We were given the opportunity to network with other employees of the firm during many of our social events; some were geared specifically towards encouraging us to network.

The networking opportunities were fantastic: the venues selected were excellent, and everyone from the firm was open, friendly and easy to talk to. Other social events were also excellent: they varied greatly, from Escape Rooms to cooking dinner, and gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better.

Through contact with the firm's people, I gained an insight into such activities. I was also able to use the firm's gym. These, however, were not the focus of the vacation scheme.

Absolutely. The four-week scheme was long enough for us to gain a deep and genuine insight into the practice areas we sat in. The scheme was enjoyable, as the work done was appreciated, everyone was friendly, and the students in the scheme bonded together. If someone was considering applying for this opportunity, I would encourage them to do so, as it was an extremely rewarding experience.