CMS Academy Review

I was slightly disappointed when the experience couldn’t go ahead as planned due to COVID-19, however I was extremely impressed by the week CMS did provide as a substitute. The week was excellently structured and each element of the week made clear in advance. This meant each day we knew exactly what was going on and when. To me, this is important in virtual events as it keeps everyone focused and the time used well. I was most surprised by how interactive the week was given how hard it can be through computer screens. There was lots of ways to engage such as break out rooms via zoom, short quizzes and question times via the chat function. This made the experience much more human and enjoyable. One thing I would have liked more of was the chance to chat more informally with other participants. This way it could have been easier to make personal relations with other people following similar pathways to myself.

There were several tasks throughout the week where CMS would ask for our opinions and feedback. I felt they showed a genuine interest in what we had to say and thoroughly engaged with our ideas. Discussions were full and questions were asked which gave the impression that CMS really valued what we had to say. In addition, the schedule was very full during the Academy meaning no time was wasted. This made me feel as though my time was valued by CMS and that they wanted to interact with me fully.

As stated, the programme for the experience was distributed prior to it taking place. This made it clear exactly what was planned and meant I felt comfortable in what I would be doing. The team were very clear on who we should contact and how we should do it should we have any problems. This was delivered verbally each day and in writing in our programme. Before each task begun we were given an explanation of it and how we should go about it. Details such as time limits and groups were made clear. If anyone did have a questions it was easy to communicate and full answers were always provided. The team done an excellent job at providing guidance and help where needed.

With the academy being moved online I can definitely say it helped to hugely develop my online etiquette. Small things, from muting my microphone to communicating clearly and confidently over chat, were developed. Furthermore, the information provided by some of the people and clients I met virtually was invaluable. One aspect that really stuck with me was the more human advice given. It was very interesting to hear people’s stories and how they got to where they are now. This type of advice can often be hard to come by if you don’t know anyone in the industry, so I felt CMS were great at providing this aspect. It is the kind of advice you can’t find online so it was really beneficial.

The structure of the academy was fantastic. The programme was delivered in advance. Each day had a clear breakdown of what would happen, with relevant time stamps included. An introduction was delivered each morning to run through the plan and introduce any people of importance. A run down of the day was also provided at the end of each day. It detailed what we had accomplished and learnt. It was delivered via an artist who took notes of the day and drew comic like sketches. This was a great and very creative way to summarise each day. Any time something may have went wrong or plans had to change it was communicated to us meaning I never felt in the dark or confused.

The atmosphere seemed very positive and up best for the majority of the online academy. Every person I interacted with was engaged and pleasant. CMS done a great job at encouraging us to take a break when allocated and drink plenty water. They also had sessions throughout the week where we would be encouraged to stand up and stretch and think about something for a few minutes. This was a great way to break up sitting in front of a computer all day and definitely made focusing easier. Due to the academy being moved online it is only natural that there may not be as much of an atmosphere as there could have been in real life. This is just due to the lack of body language and ability to speak with people more individually. However, I do feel that CMS really did try to keep the atmosphere positive at all times.

The academy was more group work meaning there wasn’t much in the way of personal training. It was more information on how to do a task generally than targeted to one person. Furthermore, we didn’t really need training for what we were doing as it was pretty straightforward. Where advice/ information could be given it definitely was. Feedback was always given overall on each task which was useful to take in and try apply to your own circumstance. However, there wasn’t much personal feedback until after the week had ended. I understand that this is due to the nature of the academy and the fact it was online this year so I wouldn’t say it is a negative aspect at all.

The academy focused on the business of law more than life as a trainee in CMS. This meant there wasn’t much focus on what a full time role would look like within the firm. It did however give a good insight into the type of firm CMS is and the people it employs. The culture of the firm was clearly expressed through the tasks and the people we met. A very positive atmosphere was given off which made CMS come across as an attractive employer.

The culture of the firm was encapsulated throughout the whole experience. It was clear from the start that CMS really valued its early talent and tried extremely hard to make the academy work in such a difficult and unpredictable time. So much effort was put into the experience which reflects CMS’ hard work ethic. CMS also delivered sessions on the firms culture and had people from all different areas informally speak to us about their experiences. This meant we could ask our own questions to help develop our understanding of the firm. It proved that CMS were approachable and human, which is something law firms often come across as not being.

CMS done an excellent job at getting a variety of speakers from all different areas of law and from various career paths. It was so interesting to hear how people had gotten to their current roles and what advice they would give to someone at our stage. Furthermore, they gave us an insight into law as a business which again is something that is rarely offered by firms at an experience stage. It made the aspect of a career in law more exciting and showed me areas I never really knew existed.

I think it was extremely generous of CMS to have paid us for the week we spent in the virtual academy considering it was all online. We were not required to travel anywhere or complete strenuous amounts of work for the week. The sum was again very generous for the four full days that we spent with CMS. It definitely reinforces how the firm really do value the time and opinions of the young talent they take on.

There were plenty opportunities to network with employees of the firm. CMS done several sessions where we got to meet and speak to people from the firm. These were more informal which made it more relaxed and easier to ask questions. The employees were very good at giving full answers with lots of advice. They also done a couple sessions with clients of the firm which was very exciting. It meant we could see exactly what it was like to work with the CMS and what kind of partner they were.

There wasn’t much opportunity to socialise with other participants outside of the work we done in groups. There was one scheduled virtual drinks which took place at the end of a day. We were put into random groups where we could chat and see how everyone was finding it. It was optional for how long you stayed on for so there were a few people who left. CMS did however take on this feedback and create another session at the end of the week for anyone who wished to stay on and socialise with others. This was very good of them and meant we could round up our weeks together in a more informal environment. I understand with it being moved online it is much harder to create social events. Some suggestions myself and other participants had was to maybe include some sort of quiz night.

There was quite a lot of information given by employees on what sort of activities they could get involved in. An array of employees was selected which meant more scope was given of what was available. Employees I spoke to seemed very knowledgeable and passionate about some of the activities they had gotten involved in. They were eager to chat about them and offer answers to our questions. It came across that there is so much opportunity within CMS to get involved in other activities outside of work.

I would definitely recommend this to a friend. Although it was online it was extremely interactive and equally informative. There was lots of varied activities completed within such a short time which made the week invaluable. Nothing was too full on yet it was challenging and engaging. It had the correct balance between information, activity and break which can be difficult to achieve through a screen. Not once during the week did I feel bored or like I was just being spoken too all day. The experience and the way it was so jam packed and brilliantly delivered in such a strange time spoke volumes for the firm.