Intern - Legal services Review

by Sandwell Council

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

Rating

2.9/5
  • The Role
    3.5
  • The Company
    3.1
  • The Culture
    1.6

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • The internship was enjoyable mainly because it was realistic. I was treated like a full time employee and had my own role with different responsibilities.Working in a local authority however means that it was not completely in tune with the younger employees or graduates but nevertheless the HR team was very supportive and encouraging of providing feedback to improve the programme for future candidates.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • My colleagues definitely made the internship the best. My manager was incredibly supportive and engaged with me; there is no hierarchy at the council and you are always able to reach out to others. I was never treated as just the intern and was always made to feel apart of the team through different events or even social evenings.

    4/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • My manager was always my first point of contact and was responsible for allocating me work every week and so the guidance I received was always useful and necessary in order to avoid mistakes and assist me on my learning journey. They actively encouraged me to ask questions even if they were stupid because otherwise it led to more serious errors. I was never left to my own devices on any occasion and was given various contact details in case I needed assistance.

    4/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • The tasks were as such where cases were ongoing and so there was never a dull day where I would be twiddling my thumbs; they always gave something and there always was opportunities to ask others if they required assistance. I had my own email set up and a calendar which gave me responsibilities and deadlines. There was also a main internship project alongside my departmental role which meant I was pretty much always busy and working on something. The thing that sets you apart it actually having the confidence to ask for more responsibility.

    4/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was definitely given a lot of responsibility especially when I was thrown in the deep end on some occasions and it did throw me off however, these were the key learning experiences for me. They are usually hesitant to give too much but if you can show commitment and drive they definitely give more tasks to allow you to get a fully immersive experience of the department you are in. Of course there are some point where you get more mundane tasks but it is all a part of the process and sets you up for more important things such as understanding the task ahead.

    4/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • The skills I have obtained and developed during this internship have been next to none! I have come away with a realistic and useful perspective which will be very beneficial for future employment. It has allowed me to recognise the difference between academic study and actual legal practice. It is not often that you get to experience work at a Local authority and it will be a talking point in my interviews.

    3/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office atmosphere was very varied, some teams more busy than others and hence more chatty compared to my team which was more focused and quiet. Everyone is helpful though and there is no employee you cannot approach unless you can clearly see they are very busy. It is quite fast paced on some occasions and so some days it is quite empty whilst on other days it is busy. It is all open plan and the office is quite old and dated interior wise.

    3/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The internship programme was well set up in terms of organising the main project for the interns and giving valuable training days however I cannot say how other departments managed each intern. My department (legal) was definitely organised and all colleagues were aware of my role and the assistance I was offering. However, the nature of litigation meant there were some times were things did not go entirely by plan but by necessity e.g last minute hearings etc but the structure was there and my manager was always checking in to ensure I was content with the team(s) I was working in.

    4/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • The HR team arranged for training and briefing days in the internship to assist and guide us through our time. We were given various training activities to partake in in order to reflect and develop our skills in the workplace. We were given a personality test as well along with expert analysis and advice as to what we were best at and what roles these strength were suited to. It was very useful and were given all the information to take home and use for future job interviews.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Working from home

    3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • The Local authority is definitely a very valuable place for employment offering great opportunities for development however the roles are limited but there is a graduate programme available yearly. Unfortunately for me, the team I wish to work with as a graduate is not offering roles through the grad scheme so I did not apply this year but this does not mean that prospects will not arise in the near future.

    3/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • The social scene was not really that exciting because most of us were quite busy it was difficult to arrange something we could all go to. Sandwell is also not really a social scene. There were events set up by the council however it was not really something that would appeal to young interns. Im sure if we were given the opportunity we could have made a social event happen for other interns/grads but this will have to be considered for the future.

    2/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • I did not move out for this internship as I lived in a commutable distance. Sandwell itself is not a very expensive place to live and I am sure the cost to rent a room or flat nearby would be fairly reasonable. The social scene again is not really 'alive' in Sandwell but Birmingham city centre is very close by (train journey of 10 mins) so it does have very good links.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • The nightlife is very poor in this area this is probably because the city centre is not really that difficutl to get to from there and so most people would go to birmingham. The area surrounding the council is quite dim and more residential if anything. Most students on the internship would likely avoid it as it it not really a student area at all.

    1/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There were not many activities to get involved in and I think this is due to the short amount of time I was employed otherwise there is likely to be quite a few opportunities made available. I think most opportunities are from what colleagues want to organise themselves rather than the council and the interest is not really that high from our department because of how busy and sporadic working hours tend to be for most of them. In the midst of all this I did not find any opportunities.

    1/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

Commercial Law, Legal/Law

West Midlands

October 2017