First Step Scheme Review

A&O First Step was a great experience and offered first year law students a valuable insight into this Magical Circle law firm. The graduate recruitment team was so helpful, and the early insight that they give you into the Vacation Scheme application questions is invaluable. I really enjoyed the experience, particularly the opportunity to re-connect with university students that you met on your first day of the programme.

We received a great deal of much-needed guidance when it came to applying for future vacation schemes. This included early insight into the questions that would be on the application form before they were released. We were also given a talk by a partner who was involved in graduate recruitment informing us of interview tips and where most potential applicants tended to slip up.

The business game and negotiation exercise will hopefully help in the future for assessment days. Most valuable however was the opportunity to re-connect with students that we had met on the first day of the scheme and share experiences that we had had with applications or other law firms.

Very well structured - both days were action packed with useful activities.

Naturally the law students all seemed quite nervous at the beginning, but A&O tries very hard to be as welcoming as possible and puts you at your ease through some early ice-breakers.

On the first day there was a negotiation exercise and on the second day there was a business game, modelled on what would be handed to a prospective trainee at an assessment day.

The buddy programme allowed a small taster into the daily workings of a law firm in one particular seat and during networking events the lawyers were more than happy to tell you about their work.

Meeting the faces behind the firm name will definitely make a difference when applying for vacation schemes as you are aware of the collegiate, inclusive atmosphere that the firm projects.

It gave us a taster into life as a commercial lawyer, although perhaps more time spent shadowing our trainee buddy would have provided a greater insight.

Reimbursed for travel expenses.

There were networking events on both days around lunchtime and afterwards with drinks.

It was very enjoyable talking to a range of different lawyers working in various seats and the food is always great.

Yes - we found out about the pro bono initiatives that A&O encourage their fee-earners to take part in.

Yes, definitely.