Vacation Scheme Review

I really enjoyed my 2 week vacation scheme at RPC, which I did not really expect.

Other students there and the staff were very friendly and approachable. I felt comfortable and valued working there.

Lots of guidance throughout the scheme and tasks I had to complete were well explained. Assigned trainees were available whenever I was unsure of something meaning I always had somebody to ask.

The skills and knowledge were a great insight into the practical work at a commercial law firm. Not stuff that would be particularly helpful for my degree, possibly helpful for the LPC though.

We knew exactly how the 2 weeks would be structured from day 1.

A good atmosphere in the office and lots of fun during the social events they planned for us.

Not that much invested, but not much was needed either. 2 trainees being assigned to each student was enough for us to train and develop, I was constantly busy with tasks.

I gained a real understanding of how working there would feel in the long-term. 2 weeks was surprisingly enough time for me to get a real insight in the firm.

Again, I feel I have really gained an understanding of how the firm operates as a whole and its overall work culture.

With a constant flow of work you get a rough idea of the kind of work a trainee lawyer is expected to do, and this will help you decide if a life as a lawyer is for you.

My travel costs were not reimbursed, but the firm provided us with enough credit to have lunch at the canteen for the duration of the scheme, as well as paying for our dinners and drinks whenever there were social events

Lots of networking events were provided for us, in fact perhaps too many.

There may have been one too many networking events with the associates and partners, but I gave this the highest score because the social events with the trainees were very well organised and extremely fun.

I found out quite a few things that the firm's employees do outside of work, although some of this was found out through asking rather than being told.

I found this scheme very helpful and enjoyable. The people are very friendly and I learned a lot, so I would definitely recommend this, particularly to someone who has not been on a vacation scheme before or has not tried working at a commercial law firm.