Vacation Scheme Student Review

It was really good to get to know some of my fellow future solicitors and build a network. The events arranged during the scheme were fun, however there were almost too many and it detracted from the scheme itself. I also was made to feel very uncomfortable in my second seat when informed that people in the department had been commenting to each other about my appearance and presentation, which as a young vacation scheme student is rather intimidating and unnecessary. I also feel this is unprofessional and this made the second half of the scheme less enjoyable.

The firm didn't go out of its way to make vacation scheme students feel valued, however certain individuals such as my first trainee buddy really did make me feel valued by giving me worthwhile tasks and feedback where possible, She also took the time out to really explain tasks to me, where I found that others simply reeled of a list of instructions using legal terms which was difficult to follow.

Where possible both my principals offered guidance, as did my 'buddies', however I felt often that people at the firm forgot that vacation scheme students hadn't necessarily had any experience of a commercial law firm before.

The scheme was a fantastic opportunity to develop some of the crucial skills that I will take forward into my career. These ranged from more legal specific skills, to networking and more interpersonal skills.

There was a very clear timetable of events and talks that were organised for the vacation scheme students throughout the scheme.

From about halfway through the scheme it felt very uncomfortable, since the social events were overshadowed by individuals from the firm revealing they had been asked to 'keep an eye on certain individuals,' which was rather unprofessional. As previously mentioned I also had a rather unpleasant experience in my second seat which meant that I was extremely apprehensive about going into the office.

The firm spent a lot of time and money organizing events that would contribute to our personal development. We were given the opportunity to take part in a mediation, and having feedback on this from a partner was really constructive and valuable. The firm also ensured that in the first day of the scheme we knew what we were getting into, and prepared us well for the 4 weeks. The length of the scheme helped ensure that there was enough time to get a really wide cross-section of skills based workshops and practice area specific knowledge.

The insight seems to be an accurate reflection of the company, and a clear and truthful account was given by all of their working life and the tasks they undertake on a daily basis.

The firm advertised that we would be reimbursed £400 a week, which although initially seems a lot, once you take into account accommodation and travel expenses, leaves you with little for food and living costs. This is also before the tax was deducted from our reimbursements, which meant that in the end individuals were getting between £300 and £350 each week, which many had not accounted for.

Yes. I managed to keep up with all those who I had come across right through from my assessment day to the end of the scheme. I also met with a number of individuals and got an insight into various practice areas that I did not experience first hand.

The events were good, however the 'Partner Dinner' evening could be improved since you were topped up with alcohol without even knowing, and the dinner didn't include any carbohydrates, so people were unable to pace themselves adequately. The firm should look to change this. The other events were varied and fun, however perhaps there were too many as a lot of the vacation schemers had a long commute, and often the events ran until late in the evening.

Yes, I attended a cricket match between the firm and Deutsche Bank. It was also good to chat to some of the employees about what they got up to outside the firm.

I feel that throughout the scheme, a completely false impression was given of what the firm are looking for. The feedback I was given was not particularly insightful and did not seem to support the decision made. It also took 3 weeks for the firm to 'compile' feedback, despite the fact that a decision had surely been based on this compilation 3 weeks earlier. Certain individuals within the firm were also unprofessional during the scheme, and I left feeling unwelcome. I also spoke to graduate recruitment since in my feedback form there were statements that were untrue (which I believe were used to make a decision) and in my feedback session almost a month later it seems these statements had not been amended. Overall I feel I had a negative experience with the firm.