Vacation Scheme Student Review

by Shoosmiths

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.2/5
  • About You
    4.8
  • The Company
    3.7
  • Everything Else
    4.5

    About You

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
  • I had a fantastic week at Shoosmiths. My Placement was a great insight into the culture of the firm and I can honestly that Shoosmiths' lawyers are truly friendly and down-to-earth people. I had plenty to do throughout the week, including a mini assignment and project. There were also many opportunities to engage with people from throughout the firm and I felt that everyone was very willing to give time to talk to me. I also got to experience the social side of the firm when I was taken to lunch on Friday and drinks after work.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
  • From the beginning of my first day I felt a valued member of the firm. I was tasked with real work for real clients. It was great to be given this kind of responsibility as a Vacation Scheme student. Whenever I completed a task my trainee supervisor made sure they allocated time to chat through it with me and provide feedback. I also felt that I could always ask questions about the work I was carrying out.

    5/5

  • 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
  • I received a lot of guidance and support on the tasks I was set by my trainee supervisor. As mentioned previously, I felt that I could always ask questions about anything that I was unsure about. I also received a call during the week from a member of the Graduate Recruitment team to check how I was getting on and to find out if I had any questions. The mini assignment and project were, however, very much independent tasks and therefore I was not given a lot of guidance on these.

    5/5

  • 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • The skills that I developed during my Placement week will certainly aid my progression on my undergraduate programme and further my confidence in my own abilities. I know that the skills I learned will be directly transferrable to any legal career. I undertook a wide variety of tasks that tested many different skills from organisational to presentation skills. I also received some very useful tips about application advice and general advice about how to pursue a legal career.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 5. How well structured was the insight?
  • I felt that Graduate Recruitment had planned my week thoroughly. I was always busy with either work to do for my mini assignment/project or other tasks set by my department. I received task sheets that guided me through my assignment/project. I had clear deadlines for these tasks and received emails throughout the week reminding me of when things were due. I was lucky enough to spend my week in two different departments - Corporate and Commercial. I was introduced to my trainee supervisors from these departments at the beginning of the week which made the transition from one department to the other very smooth.

    5/5

  • 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
  • I found the atmosphere in the office to be open, friendly and approachable. The atmosphere was quite relaxed in comparison to that which I experienced at a city law firm. People were genuinely interested in me and my background which made me feel welcome and a part of the team. I found people of all different seniority levels throughout the office to be easy to talk to. I really liked the open plan office. I feel that it added to the friendly and non-hierarhcical atmosphere. It made it very easy to work collaboratively with different people from across the office.

    5/5

  • 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • 3/5

  • 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
  • 3/5

  • 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
  • I was able to gain a good insight into the working culture and atmosphere of the firm. The opportunity to experience work in two different departments enabled me to realise that the open and friendly culture is consistent throughout the firm. I genuinely found everyone to be very welcoming and the firm lived up to its expectations.

    5/5

  • 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
  • 3/5

    Everything Else

  • 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
  • Each Vacation Scheme student is paid a set amount for the week.


  • 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
  • I was invited to lunch on Friday as an opportunity to meet more trainees from across the office. This was a great way to network and ask questions in a relaxed environment. I was also invited to drinks on the Friday after work as a member of the office was leaving. It was a nice gesture to be included in the drinks event.

    5/5

  • 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
  • It was good to be able to get involved in some of the networking/social events that took place throughout the week. This further added to my insight into the culture of the firm. It was also a great way to meet people from across the office and not only to chat to people in my department.

    4/5

  • 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
  • From spending lunch times with trainee solicitors I was able to find out about the work/life balance. Employees are encouraged to engage in volunteering and charity work. Each employee is allowed to take one day a year to participate in pro bono activities. There are a variety of events that the firm puts on to raise money for charity such as Mufti Friday, sponsored bike rides and table tennis competitions.

    5/5

  • 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
  • I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend. I would encourage all those interested in applying to national law firms to apply to Shoosmiths. Shoosmiths stood out to me as a very high caliber firm who takes the interests of its employees very seriously. It is also a fantastic opportunity to learn and apply new legal skills.

    5/5

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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

East of England

June 2017


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