Vacation Scheme Student Review

A week-long virtual work placement. Each day, students attended seminars and completed tasks within a different department of the firm. The departments included corporate, finance, commercial advisory, disputes, tax trust and estates, will trust and estate disputes and complex personal injury. At the end of the week, students undertook a final assessment which included an interview and scenario-based discussion.

Personally, I developed my knowledge in the areas of corporate, tax and wills disputes which I have since developed further on the LPC. The tasks we were asked to complete were challenging but fair, such that we had a chance to learn a little about the respective area of law for that department.

It was slightly useful. However the format of the vacation scheme was not necessarily the best. There were few opportunities for 1-1 time with practitioners and there were far too many candidates clamouring to ask questions in an attempt to stand out. Disappointingly, the tasks given in each department were not assessed despite the time and effort candidates put into completing them.

Generally a positive working culture. However candidates did not have any real opportunity to work within departments to properly meet or get to know the legal team/practitioners. In that sense, there was not a proper opportunity to really understand what working at the firm would feel like. That said, the writer appreciates this vacation scheme was undertaken virtually in the midst of a pandemic.

To echo my thoughts above, I enjoyed learning a little more about the practice areas but felt let down by the fact that the considerable effort spent on tasks was not assessed for the purpose of making TC offers. Although feedback was given and apparently fed back, I feel that emphasis should be placed on candidates work throughout the week, rather than simply on the assessment tasks which are severely limited in scope for assessment.

No

If you are invited to the firm's work placement and wish to secure a training contract, ensure you focus your energy on the assessable tasks rather than on the legal work you are set throughout the week. Ensure you are clear on what practice areas the firm covers and understand the firm's strategic objectives and its work towards ESG goals.