Vacation Placement Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my insight at Walker Morris, the week was very well organised and the firm went above and beyond to create a true insight into what life at the firm would be like. This allowed me to see if Walker Morris would be a firm which would suit me, and in turn to allow them to see if I would fit in there.

I have experienced a lot of legal work experience, and my time at Walker Morris was the first time I had felt more like a colleague by the people I was working with rather than a work experience student. As such I was praised for good work and received constructive criticism also. Nothing I did was ever thrown in the bin, or seen as 'busy work'; in fact I was contacted by my supervisor the week after leaving the firm following up on research I had done, demonstrating its value to the firm.

Everyone in HR and in my department were very supportive throughout my week at Walker Morris. My supervisor and trainee buddy made a lot of time to guide me through why the tasks I had been asked to do needed to be done in a particular way. And both partners within my department made the effort to engage me in a discussion about myself and the firm, which was fantastic given their busy schedule.

The skills I developed through my time at Walker Morris will obviously help me in negotiation exercises etc in my final year at university because I have the real world grounding in how things like that should work. Beyond this the general legal skills I have picked up will help me massively when I start a training contract to apply my legal knowledge from university to real clients.

From the first five minutes of arriving at the firm we all met the other people on our insight scheme and knew where and what we would be doing for the rest of the week. In particular I think that structuring a casual night in Leeds city centre for the scheme, trainees and others from the firm was a great opportunity to engage with each other on a more personal level and made the rest of the week more relaxed.

The general atmosphere throughout the week was excellent, with the firm making an effort, particular with the social events throughout the week to make us feel at ease. Our whole cohort got on well which really helped the week pass by with ease, especially during our group exercise. I also felt at ease being allowed to join in general conversation within my department, and have a laugh with members of staff and my supervisor.

Throughout the week I was supported by conversations with my supervisor, trainees, other associates and even partners as to my own development throughout the week. The company went to the effort of bringing in BPP law school to run one of our group sessions, demonstrating a commitment to developing the skills we will need in our careers.

The firm brilliantly portrayed what a training contract within the firm would be like, and working beyond that. The variety of work I undertook showed me how varied day to day life can be within a department and they trusted me to organise my own time to undertake multiple tasks at once and prioritise myself as appropriate, rather than give me one task at a time.

The combination of the freedom the department I sat in to all give me work however they saw fit, as opposed to one supervisor giving me work from a pre-approved list allowed me to see the working culture of the firm which is one clearly based on rewarding hard work. Beyond this the pre-organised and spontaneous social events throughout the week allowed me to see the variety of people at the firm and how they interact within the firm culture.

I had already decided that I wanted to pursue a career in commercial law prior to coming to the firm. However the week allowed me to see not only that the firm was an excellent fit for me but that also the general culture and quality of work Leeds as a whole can offer made it the ideal choice for me to choose to focus my career, rather than London.

I was paid £175 for the week which more than paid for my travel expenses to and from York where I stayed in my student house. Other people on the scheme said the payment was substantial enough to cover hotel and food costs for the week.

I met new and different employees every day I was at the firm. I met and worked with new people within the department throughout the week who worked different days etc. But I had the opportunity to network with different trainees on four of the five days. Three of these were informal chats over drinks but there was also the chance for a more structured Q&A which allowed everyone in our scheme to ask questions.

The social opportunities were fantastic throughout the week, there was a networking lunch on the first day which allowed us to break the ice with each other. Adrian, one of the trainees, fantastically organised our social events for the week, taking us out for drink which helped us get to know everyone and feel welcome. The firm also payed to hire out a room at Roxy Ballroom for the night which was a brilliant night, with even the graduate recruitment partner staying late and playing pool with us all.

I didn't find out much about the events that employees can get involved with outside of work. They were mentioned but there was not a lot of time dedicated to it. I know that many of the employees socialise with each other, particularly on a Friday, but know much less about structured events such as sports clubs.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend. The insight was one of the friendliest and best structured schemes I have experienced, in a sector that can often be intimidating and daunting. I would recommend the firm to anyone who wants to experience a regional firm or just wants to see what different law firms can offer them.