Vacation Scheme Student Review

I enjoyed the insight a lot. I enjoyed the varied nature of the insight. I enjoyed that we got given time to take part in work in our departments but also got involved in talks and presentations to understand the wider work of the firm and the firm's global operation.

I felt that I was valued within the departments I sat in. Those in my departments were keen to give me work and ensure that I felt like I was doing valuable tasks to ensure that I gained a good insight into the tasks I would be expected to undertake as a trainee. I felt that members of the firm at all levels put a lot of effort into ensuring that we gained a good insight into life and work at the firm. Lots of people took the time to speak to us and answer our questions.

Everyone who gave me work gave me guidance on how to complete it well. There was also a lot of additional support, from trainee buddies to the Graduate Recruitment team.

I do not think that the skills I developed will be as relevant for my degree studies. The type of work undertaken was specific to a commercial environment rather than my degree. However I think I learnt skills which will be really valuable for my time training as a solicitor after finishing my degree and for working in a law firm.

I felt that the insight was well structured which allowed me to get the maximum amount out of it. There was a good balance of talks and presentations with time working at our desks. This helped us to get a good insight into the firm and practice areas as a whole, whilst also working on department-specific tasks. This also helped to break up each day and each week. The scheme was relatively long but the structured nature of it meant that it went by quickly.

The atmosphere was good. Everyone was friendly and helpful and everyone on the scheme was fun to be around.

The firm ensured that there were numerous opportunities for feedback, both formal and informal, which helped me to learn from my impression and work in the group as a whole. Everyone I did work for was also happy to give me feedback informally, or prepared comments on the work I had submitted for them. I also felt that my principals were willing to give me feedback on the work that I had done over the course of my time in their departments, to help me to understand whether I was on the right track in my work. Graduate Recruitment also ensured that we had feedback sessions on our previous interviews during the course of the scheme so that we could improve for our final interview.

I think I got a really good insight into how different departments work, what the role of a trainee would be and how the firm as a whole operates. I felt included in the different types of work in the department, for example not just written work but also attending conference calls and interviews. Our was helped by our inclusion not only in the work undertaken by lawyers at the firm but also our inclusion in events, such as group breakfast meetings or after work drinks.

I felt that I got to understand the culture of the firm really well. We were given a lot of opportunities to ask questions of different members of the firm, from the most junior members to the most senior, which helped to gain a cohesive picture of the firm's culture. We also attended presentations on the firm's aims and challenges, which also helped to demonstrate how the firm views itself and its future direction.

The scheme was really valuable in helping me decide on my career. The scheme enabled me to compare the firm to other firms and to understand the differentiating factors. This has been important for me in working out where I would most like to work. Opportunities to talk to people at all levels in different departments helped me to understand how I would fit in at the firm. The opportunities to talk to trainees in particular enabled me to better understand the types of roles I would be expected to undertake and how my work would fit into transactions.

We were paid per week for four weeks.

These were both formal and informal, and both arranged by the Graduate Recruitment team, or as part of our groups. The Graduate Recruitment events provided opportunities to meet with different lawyers at the firm, including partners, counsel and trainees. I also attended evening drinks in both departments in which I sat which helped me to get to know those working in those departments better.

These events were really good. The social events were varied, including a Thames Rib trip, a trip on the London Eye and dinner at lots of different restaurants. These enabled everyone on the scheme to get to know each other really well. These also provided informal settings for us to chat to trainees and learn more about their impressions of the firm outside of a work environment. In-firm events, such as Friday drinks, provided a good opportunity to chat to a range of people in the departments who I had not necessarily come across during my work. These events also enabled me to see how the different departments interact in a slightly more informal context.

Yes - the on-sight facilities for employees, such as the gym, were shown to us. We learned about other sports activities available, for example the firm has a number of sports teams. We were invited to watch, and participate in, a firm cricket match through which we saw one of these activities first-hand. We also learnt about other activities available, for example employees can have music lessons or language classes.

Yes - I think it gave a good insight into the firm but also into the legal profession in general and a variety of different areas of commercial law.