Vacation Scheme Review

The winter vacation scheme at Allen & Overy was a fantastic experience. Everyone we met, from the trainees to the graduate recruitment team were all extremely welcoming. I was beyond surprised to see how inviting even the most senior of partners were. The events that the firm put on for the vacation scheme students exceeded my expectations, from the ice skating to the dinner at the gherkin, it was a wholeheartedly enjoyable experience. The vacation scheme also offered a unparalleled insight into what life would actually be like working at A&O and I honestly have nothing bad to say about it. The other students were really sociable and down to earth and I was surprised at how diverse the students and in fact the whole firm was.

The graduate recruitment team did a great job at making me and everyone else feel valued. The whole team were delightful and it comes as no surprise that they have won so many awards in recent years. Everyone I met was willing to chat to me about what I was up to and help me whenever necessary, even when they were snowed under with work. The amount of time people spent helping us was evidence of the commitment the firm makes to ensuring its vacation scheme students get the best experience possible.

One of the best things about the vacation scheme is the level of support and guidance. Not only do you have a trainee buddy who you can talk to about anything you are unsure of, but everyone also has a supervisor, much like you would as a trainee. This supervisor gives you work and provides any support you may need during your time at the firm.

During my vacation scheme we were extremely busy and time management was essential to juggle the various commitments. This has proved huge valuable in planning revision for my finals. Moreover the amount of information I received about the firm was incredible, there truly is no better way to get an understanding of how the firm operates and whether you will fit in.

Arguably the best aspect of the scheme was the structure. There was a whole itinerary for every day and everyone was kept very busy. Personally this was great for me because I much prefer to be busy learning as much as I can than being sat around doing nothing- especially considering the winter scheme was only 8 days long! It was great to have a planned itinerary that we received on the first day because it allowed me to plan what I was doing each day as well as to see what events the firm had planned for the evening. I really can't exaggerate how well planned and seamless the whole scheme was. The social events were a real highlight and a great way to relax and get to know the other students.

I think it has come across from my previous answers that I absolutely loved my time at Allen & Overy. The atmosphere was fantastic, you really can't understand the collegiate nature of it till you actually experience it for yourself. Maybe I was fortunate with my supervisor and the other students I met, but I really would encourage everyone to apply to this scheme because I learnt so much and had a fantastic time.

The firm provided us with as much training as we needed for our time on the scheme. Our first day was spent learning everything we needed for the remainder of the scheme. Moreover throughout the experience we regularly listened to talks from different aspects of the firm (such as the pro bono department) which really highlighted how much the firm was devoted to giving us a proper insight into the real life of an A&O trainee.

There is nothing better than spending time at the firm to gauge whether you would fit in, however what I will say is that regardless of what type of person you are, the sheer diversity and number of people working at the firm almost guarantees you will find like minded people. I think the graduate recruitment team had also structured the scheme so that we received as much of an insight as was possible into what trainee life would be like.

Immensely. You read all the legal press and you hear everyone else's experiences but until you step foot in the door it doesn't really mean much. It is only after spending a few days at the firm that you realise the true culture of the firm. It is undeniably one of the friendliest law firms I have ever visited- I didn't encounter a single unpleasant individual.

I think the insight was hugely valuable in helping me decide what I wanted to do in terms of a future career. It cemented the view that I wanted to be a commercial lawyer and that I wanted to work at a top tier firm. However mostly it showed me that a job at A&O would be a fantastic opportunity surrounded by fantastic people.

Yes, the itinerary provided many options to talk to others working at the firm. We had a whole afternoon devoted to networking with various departmental representatives and every day there was someone new to talk to about their experiences of the firm. Moreover it was widely encouraged for vacation scheme students to make themselves known to those lawyers in their department and thus networking was a vital aspect of the scheme.

The social events were much better than I expected. On multiple occasions we had beautiful food and fantastic entertainment. I was beyond impressed at how much the firm was devoted to making the scheme as enjoyable as possible. My friends got so jealous when I used to tell them what I was up to in the evenings- and this was supposed to be work!

Yes we were told about all aspects of the firm- we truly did receive a 360 degree tour of everything the firm does and has to offer. Moreover there was even opportunities to get involved in such things during the scheme, for example some students accompanied lawyers who took part in the pro bono aspect of the firm to gain an insight into that side of Allen & Overy.

I would recommend this insight to everyone, I can't see a single reason why anybody would not apply to this.