Vacation Scheme Review

The vacation scheme was a fantastic experience. The work was challenging and interesting, and I had the opportunity to help with cases involving high profile clients. Everyone at the firm was extremely friendly, happy to answer any questions, and keen to offer me as much experience as possible. The social events were well organised and fun, and offered an opportunity to get to know the firm's trainees as well as other vacation schemers.

Everyone I met at the firm, from partners to trainees, made it abundantly clear that they valued whatever work I helped them with and wanted me to get as much out of the scheme as possible. They made it obvious that they were interested in me as an individual, and were happy to answer any questions I had.

The induction on the first day provided lots of guidance for the scheme, and in both weeks, my supervisors and trainee buddies offered a great deal of support, regularly checking up on how I was getting on. I had an appraisal each week with both my supervisor and trainee buddy, who offered guidance on what I could do to improve. As I've said above, everyone was happy to answer any questions and give advice on how to make the most of the scheme.

In terms of my degree studies, I hope that some of the legal knowledge I've gained will be useful on my GDL. Beyond that, the research and analysis skills I developed will assist me throughout my degree, and the experience of being in a professional environment will also be useful.

The scheme was generally well structured, with an induction day, timetabled 'Focus On' sessions, and time set aside for preparing for our presentations. It was always clear when and where we were supposed to be. The only issue with the structure of the insight was that there were more 'Focus On' sessions in the second week and this, combined with having our presentation, exit meeting, and networking lunch in that week, meant that I spent more time in my first week department.

The atmosphere was generally great: everyone was extremely friendly, enthusiastic and keen to get involved. There was no sense of competition amongst the vacation schemers, and generally everyone got on well, not only within the scheme but also with others in the firm. Particularly on the socials, everyone was relaxed and keen to talk about non-work related matters.

We had an appraisal each week with both our supervisors and our trainee buddies, who offered feedback on work we had done both for them and for others within the department, and this was really useful in seeing how I was doing well and where I could improve. Everyone was keen for me to gain experience, and during the scheme I was invited to an employment tribunal and a client networking event.

Speaking to a range of employees throughout the firm made it very easy to see what it would be like to work at the firm full time. I felt that people were genuinely honest about both the positives and negatives of working there - for example, employees were happy to admit that the job involved an occasional late night.

There were so many opportunities to speak to employees, including partners, associates, trainees, and paralegals that the culture of the firm was obvious. Everyone was passionate about their jobs, and therefore keen to talk about them, and this meant that it was clear throughout that the firm's values are actually firmly embedded into the firm's culture.

The vacation scheme absolutely confirmed what I had previously decided about my career path. The Focus On sessions, which were presentations about particular practice areas within the firm, were especially useful in giving me an idea of the kind of areas that I might want to pursue on a training contract.

I was paid £550 in total for the two weeks, which is normal for vacation schemes at firms like Taylor Wessing. For me, this was more than enough because I was living at home and commuting - and lunches were often provided by the firm at the Focus On sessions so I could save on this.

Throughout the scheme, we were encouraged to network and meet employees to talk about their roles, which was really useful given the wide range of practice areas within the firm. Within the departments I sat in, everyone was very happy to chat about the firm and their experiences. We had lunch with the trainees on the first day of the scheme, and on the last day there was a farewell lunch with the partners, so overall there were plenty of networking opportunities.

The social events were great - in the first week we went to a darts club and in the second week for dinner at Madisons, a restaurant near St Pauls. Both events provided ample opportunities to chat to the vacation schemers and the trainees, and were really enjoyable, with lots of food and drink provided. However, both events were quite 'alcoholic', which non-drinkers mights have found difficult.

Various people mentioned activities that were going on outside work - for example, many employees had taken part in a triathlon the previous week - as well as pro bono work and social events throughout the year. It might have been nice to hear a little more about this side of the firm and for someone to give a more formal presentation about opportunities available.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend who wanted to find out more about the profession. It was not only really enjoyable, but also incredibly useful for ascertaining whether a career in law at a firm like Taylor Wessing is right for you. Overall, it was a really positive experience.