Student Review

It was a really positive introduction to the firm, especially as the vacation scheme was intended to run for 2 weeks instead of 1. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to learn more about the culture of BCLP, as well as looking at case studies of the work that you have completed in the past. The only drawback was the technical issues, but as I said on the scheme that was largely due to my own connectivity and the other issues were quickly resolved.

Couldn't have done a better job. My trainee buddy was fantastic at reaching out and answering my questions, as well as inviting me to join him in a couple of different meetings. This allowed my understanding of working in law to develop but also showed a very proactive nature in making sure I was able to make the most of the scheme which I am really thankful for. It was also fantastic to hear from Segun as London's Managing Partner. That really showed the openness of BCLP and that you go above and beyond in your work.

It's hard to comment on the guidance and support as we weren't in the office, so support on the tasks we were set obviously was much harder. However, I would add that in the various sessions we did get support and guidance that could be added to the tasks we were set. For example, the Real Estate case study of the Walkie Talkie could be applied to the RE task.

Again, it is difficult to develop skills as we weren't in the office with a supervisor. However, I would say the information we received about the firm was very useful to apply in our partner interviews to show why we were interested in the firm. Additionally, if we are unsuccessful in this application cycle, we can apply what we have learned to future applications.

The structure was perfect. The balance between contact sessions and 'free-time' allowed us to develop our knowledge of the firm in a guided manner, but also to show proactivity and engage more with those areas we had an interest in learning more about.

The atmosphere of BCLP was very open, engaging and enthusiastic. This was even more impressive as the scheme had to take place virtually and so it becomes harder to maintain that atmosphere. However, all of the presenters were really passionate about their work with your firm and that was clear from how they came across in their presentations, as well as their openness to talk to students and answer more questions afterwards.

As noted before, it wasn't really possible for us as students to be "trained" on this scheme due to the scheme being run online. However, that is not the fault of the firm, and I found you did still invest in developing us as best as you could in these circumstances. For example, I was asked by the Real Estate team to listen to a KPMG webinar to feedback advice for a client. This developed my understanding of their client's needs and also of the range of work a lawyer will do.

Having a trainee buddy was really beneficial here. He was able to tell me about what the firm was like to work for, and the responsibility that he received during his own trainee contract so far. In addition, I was also reached out to by a couple of members of the Exeter CATs team who shared their own experiences, and I think this is another way in which your firm went above and beyond on this scheme.

I knew from my research that one distinguishing mark of BCLP is your firm's culture. This is something that also came across very well during the scheme itself. Everyone we heard from was really enthusiastic and willing to answer a range of questions from us, but also to have us email them afterwards and follow up. As all of your team are very busy at the moment with all the work they have to do, seeing that investment in us as students really showed the culture that was one reason I applied to BCLP.

I was already set on a legal career by the time I had applied to BCLP, but this scheme really confirmed that for me. Being able to work with such a range of clients and as part of team stretching across multiple jurisdictions is something that really appeals to me and learning more about how you are continuing to grow your firm was very valuable as a result.

I was paid £400.

Given the situation, the opportunities to meet other people from the firm was really impressive. Following each of the presentations, we were encouraged to follow-up with any questions we had. In addition to this, I think the trainee buddy was a very useful addition. They provided a personal insight into the work of the firm, and also invited us to join in on their meetings, creating opportunities to meet others within the team.

The social was really fun and a good way to meet some more of the team in an informal setting. There was an issue that led to me not initially being added to my group, but it was quickly resolved. The networking lunch was also really useful to meet a couple of extra trainees and find out more from them about the work they were doing and their own experiences with the firm.

Trainees have a number of socials during their TC, allowing them to meet with other members of the firm in an informal setting. We were also told about the sports teams as additional opportunities get involved with outside of the office.

Absolutely. It was simply a very informative, enjoyable and interesting scheme that provided an insight into a fantastic firm. I learned so much about innovation within the legal industry, as well as various steps that BCLP is taking to maintain its advantage over competitors, as well as the work it has done and the glowing recognition it has from this.