Vacation Scheme Review

The week-long vacation scheme with CMS was very enjoyable and provided a good insight into the work and culture of the firm. Even if it was fully virtual, we were able to have meaningful conversations with people at the firm at all levels, from trainees to the CEO. The organisation also meant that no two days were the same as activities ranged from an extremely realistic simulation of a project deal to more social virtual networking with people at the firm.

The vacation scheme included all CMS offices, so more than 100 people were present. However, the firm did its best to value each of us in a difficult situation, as the scheme was virtual. I personally felt this through the small virtual groups that were set up during and after every activity to reflect on what we had learned. While 1 on 1 interaction with firm employees wasn't possible because of the nature of the situation, the firm made sure to show us their appreciation for sticking through the vacation scheme during difficult times.

Guidance and support during the scheme were heavily impacted by the virtual nature of it. Again, it was impossible to offer 1-on-1 mentoring which would have been the case if the scheme was in person. On the other hand, the activities and the talks were well prepared and a lot of work was done behind the scenes to make sure we were at ease in what we were doing. While more personal interactions with the firm would have been appreciated, the situation made this impossible and the firm adapted to this.

The activities offered by the CMS vacation scheme were different from any other scheme I have heard of and had a strong impact on my understanding of the legal professional work as opposed to my law degree. Talks such as one with a top in-house solicitor for a UK multinational and in-depth interviews with CMS clients made the scheme stand out. This also gave us different perspectives on the job of a solicitor which didn't necessarily come from inside the firm, like in most other vacation schemes.

While again, the structure suffered from the virtual nature of the scheme, the firm created a good environment to learn about them and the professional world of an international law firm. The Zoom breakout rooms allowed us to interact with each other and reflect on different activities. Also, the week was structured so that each day had a precise theme that linked all of the activities of the day, making following the talks easier and more insightful.

The atmosphere was rather informal and casual. It allowed the vacation schemers to interact with each other and with the firm without the weight and pressure of an international law firm. This atmosphere also radiated from all the people at the firm from trainees to partners who showed a willingness to speak and discuss with us which made us feel valued and made the scheme more insightful. Overall I felt like we were appreciated at the firm.

The investment and work to prepare the week from the firm was massive and allowed the activities and talks to run smoothly and provide important insights for the vacation schemers. While training and development regarding actual work were not possible as the internship part of the programme had to be cancelled because of restrictions, the investment in growing our understanding of the firm but also of the legal world was important. Overall however more personal investment rather than to the whole cohort would have elevated the experience

The vacation scheme allowed us to perfectly understand the pros and cons of a full-time role as a trainee for CMS. Through extended networking and informal chats with trainees, we were able to ask all the questions and insights into the role and what the people that were there felt about the firm and the culture. Furthermore, through the week I was able to get a grasp of the culture of the firm which is a key aspect in assessing a role with it.

While company culture was not easy to understand, I think that the scheme truly allowed us to get an idea of whether the firm was right for us or not and if we saw ourselves taking up a role with it in the future. This came out from the many networking sessions and talks. Some activities such as the daily stretching and reflections showed me the firm is invested and devoted to its employees and lawyers.

On the one hand, the fact that the internship part of the vacation scheme was cancelled strongly affected how much we were able to understand the role of a trainee and if such role in a corporate law firm was made for us. However, given the situation, the content provided to us was helpful in getting a more concrete idea of the kind of work that is done at all levels and if it was made for us. A longer piece of work, whether real or fictitious would have elevated this experience.

CMS paid for the one-week vacation scheme as previously agreed and as a result of the two internship weeks getting cancelled. The pay was perfectly adequate for the type of placement especially since no real-life work was done given the circumstances and given the online nature of the scheme. Because of the online nature of the scheme, I did not have to be reimbursed of anything so I'm not aware of what the firm would reimbure if the internship were to be in person.

Multiple opportunities were provided to meet people at the firm. Multiple talks were given to present the different departments of the firm in which we were in smaller groups that allowed us to ask any questions we had and get a good feeling of the type of lawyers at the firm. Furthermore, informal networking sessions were also organised where vacation schemers would rotate in discussions with trainees and associates giving an opportunity to network effectively.

The social events opportunities were strongly affected by the forced virtual nature of the scheme which didn't allow for any in-person event. This was standard for all vacation schemes and the firm did its best to organise enjoyable events while not making them mandatory not forcing anyone to follow. These provided an opportunity to network over drinks even if all virtually and the people at the firm looked like they were enjoying their time with us

Multiple pro-bono activities were presented showing the firm's action inside of its communities and beyond. These ranged from humanitarian to community-based and are very dear to the firm's values. Over the networking sessions, we were also presented with the multiple social opportunities available to employees of the firm, such as in sports. The firm also disucssed about the multiple groups it has for people in minorities and in under-represented groups, giving these a voice in the firm's structure.

I would personally recommend the CMS Vacation Scheme to a friend as its main attribute was to give me an insight of the professional legal world that I did not have before, even if the internship side of the scheme had to be cancelled. The scheme also showed me a side of the firm that is impossible to grasp from leaflets or the website and for that I think it is crucial for anyone interested in CMS or similar firms.