Insight Day Participant Review

by Vinson & Elkins RLLP

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

Rating

3.3/5
  • About You
    3.9
  • The Company
    3.4
  • Everything Else
    2.5

    About You

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
  • The insight day was enjoyable. There was ample opportunity between sessions to network with people from a healthy range of universities. The firm brought us to the sky garden of 20 Fenchurch Street (the Walkie Talkie). The overall experience was informative and useful as the presentation sessions were focused on providing specific information about the firm relevant to student research and applications.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
  • I felt valued as many fee earners from the Training team were present for all sessions to encourage conversation and supplement presentations by offering relatable insight and advice on how to use the information from those presentations. The whole Graduate Recruitment team was present throughout the programme to answer questions.

    5/5

  • 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
  • The level of guidance and support was helpful in answering questions which arose during preparation for the commercial awareness and negotiation skills workshop, in which two teams per negotiation acting for vendor and purchaser in an acquisition. Associates guided each negotiating group as to how finance can be raised, how different types of purchases work, the different ways these can be used to achieve a definable end goal and how to apply and respond to negotiation tactics.

    4/5

  • 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • The negotiation skills workshop lasted two and a half hours and was very comprehensive. The graduate recruitment team explained how the application process differed from those of other firms and the motivations for this, which were encouraging. Two sessions which gave good individual support were the trainee Q&A and the marketplace presentation of different core practice areas and sectors.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 5. How well structured was the insight?
  • The insight was very well structured. It had a good mix of presentations covering different areas of interest such as the firm's distinctive characteristics, how its people worked with each other, and how to develop commercial awareness by reading the business press. It also had interactive sessions (the negotiation workshop) following these, allowing me to apply what I have learnt immediately.

    4/5

  • 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
  • I thought the firm was a good learning environment as trainees interacted freely with partners owing to the small size of the office. This meant fee earners at all levels could give comprehensive perspectives on how tasks are performed at these levels. The firm was also keen to show its fun side, bringing us (there were about 70 participants) in their private lift to the sky deck of the Walkie Talkie.

    4/5

  • 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • The firm engaged several partners in delivering its commercial awareness and business skills interactive presentation. This was structured around a case study, exploring stakeholder interests and interpreting information and opinions in news resources to arrive at defensible conclusions to chart the next course of action. I think this was a good skills session as it mirrored their work and what would be expected of a trainee.

    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?
  • The sessions provided good insight about what working for the firm would entail. The application presentation explained how the training contract worked and how trainees could obtain work. The sector and practice area marketplace provided good information about how doing day-to-day work differed between departments. The office tour and trainee discussion were helpful in seeing how these were demonstrated, as the tour was not rushed but involved discussion and questions.

    4/5

  • 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
  • 4/5

  • 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
  • It was adequate. The interactive sessions allowed different people working in the firm to provide different insights on how they got to where they were in the firm, e.g. being from an English or US law background, practicing in different firms and jurisdictions, and what motivated them to pursue a career with the firm.

    3/5

    Everything Else

  • 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?

  • 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
  • There was a lot of time for this at the end of the day, at the department marketplace interactive session lasted over an hour. Most departments were represented by five people at different stages of their career so questions could be answered from different perspectives. The firm's support practices were also all present and this was particularly helpful in understanding their distinct role in the firm (as compared to how their practice would be structured in another firm).

    3/5

  • 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
  • 3/5

  • 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
  • 3/5

  • 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
  • 3/5

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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

London

May 2018


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