Vacation Scheme Review

I really enjoyed my time at Shoosmiths. It has simply cemented my desire to work for such an inclusive and caring firm where everybody is very welcoming. I have learnt a lot about myself and feel I have thoroughly thrown myself into every opportunity or task presented to me.

I have felt valued throughout the entire placement. Every member of the firm, despite their position, has made so much time to get to know me and assist me with making the most of the opportunity. I was given valuable work and made to feel part of the team.

I have received a mass of guidance and support from my trainee buddy, supervisor and every member of my team. Many people have sat down with me and discussed each task I completed and ways to improve. They have helped me to take full advantage of the opportunity and learn.

The skills that I have developed during my time such as organizational skills and time management will put me in great stead for many aspects of my life. I now feel I can prioritise a lot better, whilst ensuring every task is completed to the highest level and within time.

The placement was very well structured. We were given an itinerary on the very first day which detailed everything that we had to do throughout the week, whilst inviting us to add to this along the way as we planned meetings with partners or chats with other staff members.

The atmosphere was very inclusive and welcoming. Every person has gone out of their way to make me feel a part of the team since day one. There was not a single person who did not make time for me if I asked, including partners, and I even got invited out for a lunch with my entire team.

The firm has invested heavily in my training throughout the placement. I have had a number of catch up chats with both my trainee buddy and Supervisor who have gone through work that I have completed, and whilst giving me praise when needed, have also provided me with constructive feedback on how best to improve, which I am extremely grateful for.

The vacation scheme has given me hands on experience of life as a trainee with the company. The tasks I have completed throughout the week such as attending conference calls and writing up notes, are real life tasks of a trainee, so there has been no better insight into life as a trainee then experiencing it first hand as I have this week.

Having attended multiple events with the firm, I feel I had a general view of the company culture and that is that the firm is extremely welcoming and inclusive, however, the placement has really reinforced this for me. Every member of the firm possesses a similar culture, and gets on with eachother.

The content of the day has been vital in deciding my future career path within the legal field. Whilst I already had a desire to enter into the profession before attending the placement, experiencing the types of tasks and the fast-paced nature of the work has only made me feel stronger about wanting to become a lawyer, and the way I have handled the tasks set makes me feel that I am good enough to become one.

I was paid for my week placement - equivalent to one weeks wage.

Yes, there were various opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company. We had a pingpong night with drinks with the other current trainees which was so much fun. I was invited to a lunch with all of my team as well as a number of partners from across the country which allowed me to talk with a number of different people and ask them about the firm. To finish of the week we had a lunch with our hosts and trainees which has been excellent for finishing of the week and saying our goodbyes.

All the events that were hosted for us were so much fun and allowed for us to get to know many different people from various different positions in both a relaxed and inclusive setting.

Yes we were told to attempt to involve ourselves with activities outside of work, so I organized a cake sale where all proceeds went to the office charity. This was so much fun and really rewarding.

I would definitely recommend this placement to a friend. It has been invaluable experience as to what the role of a solicitor is, and has really cemented my desire to break into the field. I believe that the experience has also developed a number of key skills which will put me in great stead moving forward.