Legal Intern Review

I really enjoyed working with the firm. I was made to feel like a part of every team I joined immediately. My managers, supervisors, and colleagues were all ready to support me, meet for 'virtual coffees' and answer any questions I had. The firm listened to my needs and responded, for example I mentioned I prefer having a more technical understanding when handling tasks, and each of my managers ensured to provide this or introduce me to someone who could. HR were always eager to support me, and responded well to any feedback I had. This was the first job I've consistently enjoyed waking up at 6am for!

I felt incredibly valued. When I completed tasks, my managers always shared them with others outside my department and ensured to inform them it was my work product. I was asked for my input and opinion regularly, and often managers would respond to any questions I have by organising meetings with experts in the area. I genuinely felt like a part of the team, from the corporate communications I was included in, to being introduced in meetings.

My managers and supervisors continuously checked in on me, often engaging in nearly daily chats to keep up to date with how I was doing and discuss any tasks I had been set. When I had questions, often supervisors would guide me in finding the answer myself so I could better understand the topic. We were also provided, buddies. My buddy provided insight into work both at the firm and within the banking and finance industry. Further to this they guided me on potential post-graduate studies I could pursue in light of my interests, and in response to me telling them I had an interest in data privacy, provided me with an extra task I was able to complete throughout my time with the firm.

The workload varied day to day. The only reason it may have seemed a lot was simply because we were in charge of our own calendars and often because we were remote there was a tendency to organise a lot of networking sessions too. The work was varied and it depended on the seat however managers always encouraged us to log off at 5 pm and checked we were okay before setting additional tasks. Our workload was dependent largely on how much we wanted to take on, and how comfortable we were with long hours. I definitely took on slightly more because I was enjoying the learning experience however I have colleagues who logged off at 5 nearly every day.

I was given a lot more responsibility than I expected since the internship was run remotely. I was often asked to complete research tasks before key meetings, and my notes were then circulated within both the members of the legal team on the transaction but also the business unit. I was always provided with tasks that had direct relation to live issues, even if they were not directly needed which meant that I developed insight into the work the firm does. Generally, however, I completed tasks my managers genuinely needed doing. I definitely felt like an employee.

I was provided with a plethora of excellent technical and professional skills that will undoubtedly provide me with skills that are long-lasting. The firm provided a week of technical training and sessions on a plethora of soft skills including professional communication skills, presenting skills and document review skills. Further to this, at the beginning of the internship, we were asked if we had any particular goals for the internship and the team supported us in achieving these. Each of my managers made a conscious effort to provide me with a variety of work to develop my skills holistically. I received constant feedback and feel far more confident entering the corporate world having worked with the firm.

It would be higher however, as we were working remotely it was a little more difficult to gauge the atmosphere of the offices. That being said each team I joined had regular social events and team meetings enabling me to put a face to each name. The teams were all incredibly social and it felt like employees at the firm were more than just colleagues but were friends with one another. I also had the luxury of zoom calling someone who was in the office who gave me a sneak peak and it seems professional yet social. I was also informed (by lots of people) the firm maintains a very clear open door policy and catching senior members of staff to ask questions is incredibly easy.

The work placement was incredibly well organised considering the circumstances. Every week we had both smaller sessions with just my intern cohort and larger sessions with the entire EMEA cohort. There were no days in which I did not have contact with another member of the office and both professional and social catch-ups were arranged. We had both mid-internship and end of internship reviews which provided structure and the platform to note any goals was easy to navigate. Further to this the system was easy to access, and quickly set up meaning I was able to focus on the internship itself. I believe there must have been extensive communication by both HR and my department to ensure that the internship was seamless and for this I am incredibly grateful. Whilst it would have been amazing to be in the office, we lacked nothing by being online, we were given a plethora of opportunities, networked with some amazing individuals and attended some amazing sessions including with [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyPlacement Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions]

The firm treated us as if we were long term employees, providing us with professional training from experts within the firm as well as external organisations. We attended sessions run by The Smarty Train, as well as being provided with LinkedIn leaning and Headspace. Further to this we received extensive financial training and developed a strong technical understanding of financial products such as derivatives and bonds. The firm had no issue providing us with extensive support despite only being interns.

We have not been informed yet as to whether we have a job offer with the firm, however I really pray I do. The firm is incredibly warm, kind and technically excellent. My colleagues over the summer were incredibly impressive, boasting excellent careers and fascinating lives. The work/life balance was perfect for me as a candidate and the work was a good pace. Further to this everyone at the firm seems to have been with the firm for a substantial time (from 5 years to 25 years) and have all praised the work, I was incredibly impressed.

I engaged with the interns in my immediate cohort daily and interacted with other London interns regularly. We had a number of social events in order to ensure that we were having regular social interaction. Further to this interns made an effort to make group chats and LinkedIn pages. Subsequently, I made a number of friends outside my direct group which was really important to me. Everyone was super welcoming and I've definitely left with some good friends.

yes we were able to partake in a volunteering event, mapping areas that were not visible on normal maps. We were also encouraged to organise intern events and the internship was concluded with a social where we completed an online escape room. Events run by the network groups were also advertised amongst interns including both speaker events and social events outside of work hours. These were super fun and gave me a chance to network with interns and colleagues who had similar interests and passions to me.