Summer Vacation Scheme Review

Day-to-Day working hours were 9am-5:30pm. Tasks were set by supervisors who were assigned at the start of each seat, including daily meetings to consider progress/development on the work that was carried out. Lots of responsibility was given, which was particularly rewarding. Projects included client meetings, drafting, research tasks and more. Interactions on a daily basis came in the form of supervisors, but also trainee buddies who provided useful insights of entry-level trainee understanding.

Skills during the scheme were rapidly developed, aided by the amount of responsibility which was delegated after such little time. Not only were skills developed that were specific to legal work such as the importance of attention to detail, the formatting of legal documents, and an understanding of a client's perspective etc, but also soft skills such as calendar management, holding online calls, workplace skills, IT systems were also structured into the scheme.

The scheme provided multiple opportunities to learn about the business. The two seats which were sat in gave an in-depth experience of two practicing sectors, whilst opportunities to discover and talk about other practicing areas with associates and partners were granted through informal settings such as office drinks. Physical work experience in all potential sectors available was not possible, but this was purely due to time constraints. Opportunities to discuss all roles were still prevalent.

The company culture was excellent and the office atmosphere was incredibly well-balanced without a sense of pressure. Hierarchically, all people were accessible, and there was no sense of anxiety about approaching senior figures in the office with questions or queries about both work of the firm as a whole. All within the office were keen to involve you in projects that they had space on, and had a genuine interest in helping throughout the scheme.

The insight was incredibly valuable in both confirming my interests in the sector of work and the firm itself. The insight furthered my ability to learn from those with greater expertise whilst simultaneously providing me with a platform to demonstrate what I had learned and to show this through live work to a supervisor. The scheme was busy, but this was a positive in allowing for a full appreciation of the firm and its office.

Yes

My main tip would be to fully understand why you are applying to Dentons LLP in particular: What sets Dentons apart? Why Dentons and not another firm? What are some of Dentons' key deals currently? Show that Dentons are the specific firm for you, and be prepared to answer this. When reaching assessment stage, be yourself; the people at Dentons genuinely care about you and your interests, so display this passion as strongly as possible.