Vacation Scheme Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual experience. I was unsure how the week would work given we were supposed to spend 3 weeks in DLA offices however I was very impressed with what the graduate team put together for us. Even though I was sat in my kitchen I genuinely felt like I was able to get a real feel of the kind of environment DLA Piper have created at their offices not only in Leeds but all over the globe.

Obviously it was incredibly difficult for everyone to be included and to provide my input especially at times when all the applicants from UK & Ireland were in one session however the team really compensated for this by providing smaller sessions with just the people from your chosen office. In these smaller groups I did feel that the staff ensured everyone got to speak and raise any questions if they wanted to. I also thought the small games/quiz that were included made everyone feel more involved and included.

Again this was difficult as this had to be done virtually however the team made sure that they were contactable at all times therefore if you were struggling to log on, had any urgent queries or had any worries or concerns at all that they were always there for you. Further, it wasn't just the graduate staff that made themselves available. Everyone we spoke to was more than happy for us to reach out to them via linked in or email if we had any queries.

I think the whole idea that something of this scale can be done virtually and so successfully was so impressive and something that I will carry with me in my career. The fact that DLA didn't let the current climate affect their plans and also that they continued to put the placement on at all just shows how invested they are in their future employees and this is something that I want to use in my career to always go that extra mile to make sure you have done everything possible to ensure a plan carries through.

Extremely well structured. Again I was so impressed at what the team managed to put together for us all. They made sure that it was never do serious they always made us feel at ease, I specifically loved the way [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] put us at ease with the fact we are at home and not to worry if the window cleaner pops up or children or pets interrupt as this was all normal life now. I always loved the way they still involved their current trainees in providing support, quizzes and Q&A's.

It really was brilliant. Every morning the graduate team had a huge smile on their faces and always welcomed us in the morning with such an upbeat attitude that you felt ready and welcomed for the day. All of the trainees and all the staff were always happy to discuss and made such an effort to answer as many questions as they possible could even though they understandably have incredibly busy schedules. I really did enjoy the experience and it more than made up for the fact we couldn't attend in person.

We were able to ask every staff member we came into contact with more or less this question and each time even though we received a slightly different answer everyone was so enthusiastic about the workplace and you really felt that they were happy and comfortable working there. You could tell just from speaking to people virtually that DLA is a really fantastic lace to work in an environment that really does care about their employees.

There was a whole session on the wellbeing and support groups/charities that DLA are invested in and I thought this was really helpful to have in. understandably we only had a week to squash all this in but I think that was a really important session to include. It really shows how the firm is invested in ensuring employee wellbeing is at the forefront of everything they are trying to achieve. They really managed to show off the company's culture even through just speaking to those involved.

Everything was really valuable content that came out of the experience. The content on deciding my future career path was particularly important as I really felt by the end of it that DLA was a place of work that I would truly enjoy being a part of. Everyone person that we met was so enthusiastic and even just within a week we were able to learn so much about the firm. After the vitual experience I was certain that DLA would be a perfect match for me.

I was really surprised that DLA paid us for this experience even though it was done virtually which again shows how important the wellbeing of their staff or even potential staff in this case is to them. they clearly didn't have to do this and yet on top of that they were providing food vouchers as well to ensure no one in any circumstance felt like they were missing out. I was very impressed with how they handled salary and extras for the week.

Yes even though this was done virtually I really felt like I got to know people, especially those applying for the same office as me. It was so lovely to meet my group for the presentation also and even though we never met in person I really got to know the girls in my group which makes it even more exciting now that I know those girls I will be started my training contract with and also so much more comfortable starting with people I know.

We did learn of lots of opportunities outside of work. I particularly enjoyed hearing about the numerous health and wellbeing societies that you can be involved in at DLA. I think it was really important that we heard about all these experiences and it also showed how much DLA want to be inclusive and diverse and that this is really integral to their values. they also mentioned all different activities that take place throughout the firm that I would love to be involved in.

I definitely would. Hopefully in the future a virtual experience like this isn't needed as of course it would have been wonderful to visit the London office and meet people in person however if it came to it I certainly would recommend the experience. The firm and the graduate team still managed to provide a full insight to the firm and provide all the information needed to make an informed choice of firm. there were never any questions that weren't answered.