CMS Academy Vac Schemer Review

I was part of a cohort of other Vacation Schemers, there was an agenda set out for us for activities each day. we completed simulated tasks supervised by a member of the Talent team. We worked in groups, got to know each other and members at the firm at networking events. We met clients, did presentations. Overall, it was a great experience and a great opportunity to get to know the firm and its people.

I further developed my networking through the frequent networking events I improved my prioritization skills through the simulation task. I improved my teamworking skills by doing group presentation tasks I improved my overall knowledge of the legal industry through the various talks that were held. I learned ways to manage my mental health through various workshops I improved my writing skills as well through an extremely helpful workshop on business skills. Overall, it was an incredibly helpful experience.

No I wasn't as it was a virtual remote internship, I would've liked to have more responsibility, but i believe this was due to cybersecurity concerns. Nonetheless, some of the tasks gave us tremendous responsibility as we were able to give suggestions and talk to CMS clients directly which was an insightful and invaluable experience. I think when vacation schemes become in person again, there will be more responsibility for potential vac schemers.

I was given support for some tasks. However, the great thing about the experience, I think was that we always worked in groups, so our ability to work together and bounce ideas off of each other gave me a lot of support as well. I think the tasks were not too difficult so not a lot of guidance was necessary, it was more about how we chose to perform the tasks. The firm was also always listening to our feedback, which was really great.

CMS is a very friendly firm. The atmosphere was very open, and collaborative. They seemed like they were really receptive to others' ideas and feedback. They were very open and helpful to whoever needed support. There were lots of activities to help improve our mental wellbeing as we were all working from home. We had lots of networking chats so it does feel like the firm really values developing relationships. Overall, CMS seems like a great place to work.

I really enjoyed my experience at CMS. It was a great experience even though we were all anxious about whether or not we would get the TC. I was able to meet lots of people that I still keep in touch with. The environment and atmosphere was fairly relaxed, not too stressful. And I honestly had fun doing the simulation tasks. It was an incredibly insightful experience. Perhaps one criticism is that I would have liked to have gotten involved with some real technical legal work .

Yes

I would say make sure to tailor your application specifically to CMS, let others have a read of your application and give feedback before sending it off. Submit your application as early as possible. Talk to people at the firm before submitting. Really understand the culture of the firm before applying. Practice your interview skills as much as possible. Prepare as much as you can. And when it comes time for the assessment center, relax and be yourself.