Trainee lawyer Review

I really enjoyed the insight, it gave me a really comprehensive picture or what it’s like to work for the firm. I also was able to do real work and contribute to cases.

I felt very valued. I was asked for my opinion on issues by trainees and associates and lots of the staff took their time to introduce themselves to me and make me feel apart of the firm.

The guidance and support was fantastic. I had both a supervisor and a trainee buddy whom I could ask questions to. Also,we were introduced to the library and IT support which we could utilise if we were stuck with those sort of issues.

I was able to increase my analytical skills in the workplace which are crucial for a history degree. Also, the insight developed my confidence and ability to talk to a wide range of people which is an extremely important skill for studies and employment.

The scheme was fantastically structured. The graduate recruitment team worked hard to balance social activities, working on the floors and networking events. The team carefully planned the scheme and to ensure that we were able to do some tangible work on the floors and get a real chance to see what being a lawyer is like. The structure of the scheme was a lot better than other schemes I have taken part in!

The general atmosphere was great. Everyone was friendly and approachable. The trainees were very friendly and even arrange for us to go for drinks we themwhen the scheme finished! I found the working environment really collaborative and the non-hierarchical structure was clearly evident. The firm does not have the atmosphere of a ‘stuffy city firm’ which a lot of other firms in London do.

The firm allocated each vacation scheme participant a personal trainee and supervisor who were on hand to offer guidance and train us. The firm also ran information sessions on the different practice areas and the work the firm does. The firm invested a lot in supporting our training and development.

The insight was instrumental in helping me understand what being a trainee would be like at RPC. I was able to complete tasks that trainees undertook such as drafting, proof reading and not taking. The insight also allowed me to speak to trainees and newly qualified lawyers to understand what being a trainee is like and how the firm supports you during your training contract.

The insight allowed me to see first hand what the culture is like. The firm certainly supports the rhetoric it uses on its promotional material: it is forward thinking and friendly. I witnessed senior lawyers considering the different options of carrying out tasks. Further, the firm was very friendly. Everyone was willing to help you and talk to you, this made the experience extremely enjoyable.

The scheme re affirmed for me that I definitely would like to be a lawyer, particularly in a litigation heavy firm such as RPC. It was confirmed that I would like to work in a slightly smaller city firm where the trainee intake is lower. Further, the culture of the firm really suited me.

I was paid for this insight.

The firm ran two social events, a mini golf night at Swingers and a meal close to the offices overlooking the river which was particularly beautiful on a summer’s evening. There was also ‘speed networking’ sessions from the commercial and insurance practice which enabled us to fire questions at trainees from these areas to understand in more detail the type of work they do. Lastly, there was a networking lunch in the middle of the scheme with employees across the from including partners, support staff and lawyers. This was also a fantastic experience to understand more about the firm.

The networking opportunities were very interesting and gave me a great opportunity to understand more about the firm. I particularly enjoyed the speed networking sessions as they were relaxed sessions that encouraged us to ask anything we wanted. Therefore the environment was more welcoming and relaxed than formal question and answer sessions.

There was lots of opportunities to hear about the social activities outside of the firm! We learnt more about the house system, where each employee is allocated a house, either Reynolds, Porter or Chamberlain and social events are organised. Also, we learnt about the employee ski trip which is organised every year.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend, if they had an interest in the type of work that RPC does. The scheme was well balance, organised and it gave me a fantastic opportunity to do real work and therefore understand what a trainee lawyer does every day. Most importantly, there was plenty of opportunity to ask questions and talk to lawyers.