Summer Scheme Review

Considerably. It was a very well planned two weeks, with the right balance between centrally organised events - presentations, q and a's, networking sessions - and time spent in departments getting exposure to day-to day life as a trainee/NQ. Everyone I met at RPC - from the trainees to the partners - seemed very invested in making the vac scheme as beneficial as possible for everyone involved. I never felt like I was an encumbrance, or being given stuff just to pass the time. I felt like I was constantly being challenged, and treated as a prospective trainee with the firm, which was a really good experience.

Well this leads on from my previous answer. This was probably the thing that I enjoyed most about my time with RPC. Real thought had gone into structuring the two weeks I spent there. I constantly knew what I was doing, and could sense the rationale for why I was doing it. Trainees were incredibly welcoming and frank about their experiences. The HR team were a constant source of insight, guidance, and support, The associates who directed our work in departments did so in a genuinely thoughtful and worthwhile way - and the feedback they provided at the end of both weeks was really valuable. I finished the two weeks feeling as if a real investment had been made in me.

The HR team provided constant guidance and support. It was always manifestly clear what we should be doing and where we should be, and their insight into the various departments and the structure of a training contract was very helpful. In the departments, associates took the time to explain things to you, put matters into context, and debrief you after meetings/calls with clients, that was really useful. Also the feedback after the first week was very useful - I got some constructive points that allowed me to make better contributions in the second week of the scheme.

As an older candidate, I've worked in offices for a couple of years, so a lot of the basic skills I already had, really. One skill I certainly developed on the scheme was time and expectation management. The most important thing from my perspective will be the information I picked up, as it will inform my decisions about the areas of law I'm most interested in when I start my TC.

Again, think I've covered above. Great mix between centrally organised events, social activities, and insight into day-to-day activity in the departments. Meticulously planned out, never overloaded.

Incredibly friendly, welcoming, challenging and inclusive.

As I mentioned in a previous answer, I felt as if RPC made an incredible investment in everyone on the scheme. In terms of exposure to senior associates and partners, the challenging tasks set throughout the two weeks, and the extensive opportunities for contact and feedback, I felt there were exceptional opportunities for development.

Significantly. The time in departments was very well-managed in this regard. I think the extent of contact we had with the trainees - often outside the office in social situations - was also very useful. There was a really refreshing honesty about all aspects of life at RPC from the trainees, that really helped me get a feel for what it's like to train there.

As I've since accepted a TC with RPC, it was very useful in helping me decide my future career path. To add to that, i

Yes - several opportunities. We spent time in two different departments during our scheme, but there were at least three different networking events where we had the opportunity to spend time with employees from all different levels of the business. I found the "Speed networking" event particularly useful, where in groups of two, we had the opportunity to meet for 5 or so minutes with associates from every department in the firm, which was a hugely insightful and efficient way of getting an overview of everything the firm does.

This wasn't really my area of focus when I was there, but I'm sure if I had pursued this more actively I would have been able to find out more.