Vacation Scheme Student Review

I enjoyed the scheme very much, as it gave me an insight into the firm's various practice areas, and its Pro Bono and diversity commitments. I also had the opportunity to talk to employees at the firm, and find out more about their personal experiences and what drew them to Allen & Overy. The innovation challenge was also great as it gave me the chance to bond with my teammates and get to know them better.

I felt very valued! All my questions were answered, and the Graduate Recruitment team were aware of the time-difference and I appreciated that they took that into consideration when planning the scheme. The REACH buddy scheme was also a nice touch, and made me feel very comfortable at the firm. Finally, the reflection at the end of the scheme showed that Graduate Recruitment genuinely wanted us to think about what we took away from the scheme.

I received a lot of guidance and support through my trainee buddy, my trainer, my REACH buddy and the Graduate Recruitment team. Everyone was very friendly and offered to help me set up calls with people that I was interested in speaking with. However, it would have been great if we could have been assigned a partner mentor in our preferred practice area as it would give me an opportunity to speak to someone who may have offered a different perspective.

The insight into the firm most definitely helped me to make an informed decision as to whether I wish to work at the firm. Doing the innovation challenge also honed my communication, teamwork and design thinking skills. Finally, the corporate task was intellectually stimulating and it gave me an opportunity to learn about the types of work that I will be doing as a trainee in the future, and where are my areas for improvement.

The scheme was well structured, and it was great that they provided us with the schedule in advance so I could manage my time better.

It was great, everyone was keen to learn and people were friendly and welcoming.

I was paid for the week where I attended the virtual vacation scheme. I thought that I was paid adequately, given the vacation scheme was mostly an opportunity to give us a better idea of what it would be like working at the firm, and we did not actually do any real work. In any case, the vacation scheme was a meaningful learning experience for me, and I did not see the remuneration as a big factor in applying for the opportunity.

Yes most definitely! We had the chance to talk to employees of the firm through the innovation challenge, and we could also network with our trainee buddies and trainers. The Graduate Recruitment team also encouraged us to reach out to people who we were interested in speaking to, and even scheduled a Q&A session with an associate from the Disputes team for us. We also had the chance to meet people in the Pro Bono group, and leaders of the diversity initiatives at the firm.

The social event opportunities were fun, and I enjoyed the quiz night. I also appreciated the efforts of the Graduate Recruitment team, since it was difficult to plan a social event virtually, across multiple time zones. I liked that the Graduate Recruitment Team kept the events really casual, and there was no obligation for us to attend the events if it was late in our time-zones. Everyone was included and the Graduate Recruitment Team made it a point for everyone to introduce themselves at the start of the scheme as well, which was great.

Yes, there were talks on the firm's Pro Bono initiatives and the diversity events that trainees could attend.

I would definitely recommend this vacation scheme to my friends. It is an excellent opportunity to get to know the firm better, and make new friends. The vacation scheme was also designed to hone our communication, teamwork and design thinking skills. I also learnt more about the different practice areas of firms, and the types of work that trainees undertake in the City. Finally, you also be considered for a training contract with Allen & Overy!