Vacation Scheme Intern Review

I thought that the insight was very helpful and I was given a range of tasks which showed my how much variety was involved in the job. I did feel at times that some of the tasks that I was given were not particularly interesting and did not seem quite so relevant to the job.

I felt valued throughout the week because we knew that every member of the firm was notified of our being there. Some members of the firm had also taken the time to read descriptions of ourselves, so they already knew something about us before meeting them. Furthermore, some members of the firm went out of their way to include us in talks/meetings that were not organised specifically for us, which really helped me feel that I was valued at the firm.

In one of the departments, I felt that I was very much left on my own for much of the time and I was not given a huge amount of attention in terms of the work that I was set. Furthermore, when I asked for help on a certain task, I felt like the answers I was given was very limited. However, in another department, I received extensive support from all members of the team that I approached.

The insight was very well structured, with a detailed timetable of when each of our talks was to occur as well as which meeting room we were supposed to be in. Outside of our talks, the structure of work that we performed in each of our departments very much depended on the department and how busy they were. In terms of the social events, they were well structured and time allocated for them was made known to us in advance. However, I do feel that we could have been told exactly what social events were planned for us in advance of the scheme.

The other vacation schemers were very friendly and there was a good camaraderie between us. This made the atmosphere much more relaxed and friendly, which helped us to work better in our teams. In one of the departments, I felt like the team was not always actively involving me and I did feel slightly isolated in the department.

The firm invested a huge amount into our personal training and development. We were given talks throughout the two weeks on each of the departments and a lot of time must have gone in to prepare this. Furthermore, we also had a lunch with several of the partners in the firm and this showed that even the busiest people in the firm were willing to take time out of their day to speak to us.

I was paid a weekly salary of £275

There were plenty of opportunities to meet other employees in the firm. We met most of the trainees in the firm through various social events as well as within our departments. Furthermore, we were actively encouraged to speak to people throughout the firm as part of our preparation for the group presentation. In addition to this, I was given the opportunity to join another department for tea and meet employees in a completely different department to the one that I was sitting in.

I found the social events very enjoyable, especially when we went to play darts. This allowed us to really get to know both the rest of the vacation schemers as well as some of the trainees. The vacation scheme dinner was also fun and we were able to meet another cohort of trainees and ask more questions. There were other drinks events and lunches which were able to attend to meet more people throughout the firm.

We did find out about the pro bono work that was being carried out by most of the trainees outside of work. although not all of us were able to visit the pro bono centre, we were able to ask the trainees about the work that was done there. I also got to find out about the various sporting events that employees can join from football to softball with other firms.

I would recommend this insight to a friend. I found it very useful in helping me decide whether law was the right career for me and I was also able to meet many people who I was able to get along with very well. I thought that the insight helped me to understand better the culture of the firm and how the people work day to day.