Vacation Scheme Student Review

I enjoyed the insight a great deal. I think it did a great job of giving us a glimpse into the culture and type of work that Taylor Wessing does. The people are warm and friendly and it seems like it would be a great place to work. I think that the vacation scheme was a good representation of what it would be like to work there.

During the vacation scheme I felt extremely valued both as a person and as an employee. The work that I was assigned was used in a meaningful way and I was able to learn a lot from that. Also, people took the time to get to know me and it showed that the firm really values its people.

I received an incredible amount of support during the vacation scheme. From partners to associates to trainees, everyone I met had my best interests in mind. People were open to answering any questions I had and were willing to give advice. I was impressed by how many people reached out to me to just sit down for coffee and have a chat.

The knowledge that I gained on the vacation scheme was incredibly important to my future career and my future studies. I was surprised at how much I learned in only two weeks and I think that's a testament to how well structured the vacation scheme was and how willing people were to explain new concepts to me.

As I mentioned before, the scheme was really well structured. On the first day we had a full induction that introduced us to the scheme and taught us everything we needed to know in terms of logistics. Throughout the scheme we also has 'Focus On' sessions which gave us an insight into each of the different departments in the firm.

The general atmosphere was very friendly and warm. You could tell that the people in the firm knew how to work hard but they also were able to maintain a laid back atmosphere. For the most part there was an open door policy which made everyone, even the partners, very approachable.

I thought that the firm did a great deal to invest in us as employees and further our personal training. I think that the amount of time that was put into the Focus On sessions and how willing people were to answer our questions showed that they really cared about our development.

I think that the insight was representative of what it would be like to work at the firm full time. The amount of contact that we had with the trainees gave us a really good idea of the kinds of tasks we would be asked to do. The only thing that I did notice was that some people seemed hesitant to disclose how long they would typically work for which, at times, came off as disingenuous.

I think that the amount of contact that we had with trainees and associates allowed us to get a good understanding of the company culture. Everyone would also refer to their colleagues as their teammates or their family members which was really nice to see.

I think I already knew that I wanted to be a solicitor so this scheme only helped solidify that decision. On the other hand, the scheme made me realise that I have many more interests than I thought I did at the outset. Although I still want to practice commercial law, I can now see myself qualifying into several different areas that I had never even considered before.

There were plenty of opportunities to meet trainees at the company organised socials after work. I really appreciated this aspect of it, however, I was hoping that there would be more opportunities to meet associates and partners from different departments of the firm. Despite this, there was quite an open door policy so even if you didn't get to meet someone at a networking event or social, you always had the option of stopping by their office or asking them to join you for a coffee.

The social events were a lot of fun and a really good way to meet people from around the firm. As I mentioned above, I had hoped that there would be an opportunity to meet a more diverse range of people from throughout the firm.

Yes, the trainees were really good about explaining the different sports, clubs, and opportunities there are to get involved with outside of work. As a part of the scheme, you also had the option to go along to Blackfriars, which was the pro bono initiative that Taylor Wessing runs.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend. I had a great time during my two weeks. I worked hard but I also met some really great people that I can now call my friends.