Vacation Scheme student Review

It was extremely insightful - it certainly helped me to confirm my passion and excitement for the law, in particular practicing at Taylor Wessing. I had fun learning more about how a corporate firm works, the kind of work they do and the different interdepartmental approaches which still achieve the same overall result.

Everyone at the firm was very welcoming, from the cleaning and catering staff to partners. The work I was involved with was real work in relation to real clients, which made me feel part of a team. The collegiate approach in the firm was reiterated to me when a woman in the toilets commented that she hadn’t seen me before and welcomed me to the firm.

There was a massive amount of support for everyone on the vacation scheme from all angles. Talent had stated from the beginning and continued to emphasise that we should contact them if we had any issues. However, I’m sure I can speak for most of us by saying that it was hardly necessary since there were so many support options available for every individual, including: buddies, supervisors and trainees.

Massively. From the perspective of a second year law student, I know I will go into my third year with a new insight and level of skill development which I didn’t possess before my vacation scheme. It has been invaluable to see how some of the aspects I have learnt apply in practice.

Extremely well structured. I was thoroughly impressed by how well organised the whole two weeks were; if there were glitches I certainly didn’t know about them! There was continued communication between us and talent about events going on so I felt kept up-to-date. It was clear that Talent had thought about what sort of things would be of most use to us.

Absolutely buzzing. It was clear that everyone at the firm was genuinely excited to have us there, which made for an extremely welcoming experience. It was also clear across the board that everyone thoroughly enjoyed the work they did, which made it a pleasure to observe and work alongside them.

I felt that individuals went out of their way to give me feedback and/or expose me to work that they thought would be useful for my personal development. Both the time and efforts that people chose to place on me was certainly appreciated, and I definitely have benefitted from it.

I think this was one of my most significant take-away points from my experience at the firm. Spending two weeks fully immersed in the Taylor Wessing environment was truly the best way to gain a full understanding of what working life at the firm would be like, both in terms of the work and the kind of people I would’ve surrounded by.

The vacation scheme has given me a much more fuller understanding of the culture, whereas my previous conclusion had been based only on glimpses. I had the opportunity to spend time in different areas of the firm; despite the differences between them the overarching cultural aspects remained the same: approachable, client-focused and driven.

It was extremely useful for me as it confirmed that the Law is in fact the right career choice for me. In regard to the particular area, the day’s events allowed you to decide whether working in your assigned department was for you. Combined with daily sessions focusing on different departments, there were plenty of opportunities to discover areas of interest.

I was paid for the duration of the two weeks.

There were loads of opportunities to network with people across the firm, from trainees to partners. This ranged from informal drinks to more formal lunches and dinners. The range of people I met only served to help form a more clearer picture of Taylor Wessing as a firm, one that I could see myself working in.

As I mentioned, the perfect range of informal and formal events meant that we we able to meet a wide range of people who were so easy to get along with! It helped give us the opportunity to impress, but also to find out more about the range of roles around the firm. The fact that we were able to attend some events already existing for the firm was useful because we could witness everyone in their natural environment.

In talking to the trainees in particular, it was clear that there is lots to get involved in if one is open to the opportunities, whether this is pro-bono work or sports clubs. There are also a range of groups for different activities, along with committees that everyone can apply to be a part of.

I would say to any friend that the two weeks will fly by, but they are a life-changing experience that you are very unlikely to forget. The exposure to the firm for such a prolonged sustained period is invaluable and will really help you to determine if the law, in particular at Taylor Wessing, is for you!