Vacation Scheme Student Review

by Stephenson Harwood

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4/5
  • The Role
    4.1
  • The Company
    4.5
  • The Culture
    3.1

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • I did several vacation schemes with different City law firms, and this one was by far the best. I was given lots of different work to do, and got to experience 2 departments over the 2 weeks. Daily talks from each of the firm's departments and a few social events also kept me very involved with what was going on at the firm. The work was not always that exciting, but it was a very accurate reflection of genuine trainee tasks, and the work I was doing was always something that needed to be done, so I always felt that the work I was doing was actually contributing something to the firm.

    5/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • 4/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • 4/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • 5/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • I was not legally qualified when I did the placement, so obviously everything I did had to be checked, but I was still set tasks and encouraged to deal with them on my own.

    4/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • 5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • I found the atmosphere varied quite a bit between departments, based on their size and how busy the solicitors were, but everyone I encountered was friendly, from partners through to secretaries and the HR team.

    5/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • The scheme was fantastically well organised: there was a talk on every day, plus other odds and ends like a tour of Lloyd's, a few social events and a talk from the managing partner. Unlike the other schemes I did, I never felt like my time was being wasted by the firm, it really felt like the firm as a whole had put a lot of thought into how to get the most out of the scheme, both from the firm's perspective and from the students' perspective.

    5/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • 5/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Company Parties/Events
    4/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • I was offered a training contract after the scheme, and was thrilled to get it; the firm was unquestionably my top choice after my experience on the vacation scheme.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • There was a strong social scene among the other students on the scheme. We met up for lunch almost every day, and organised drinks after work on a couple of occassions too.

    5/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • The firm's offices are right in the City, so it's going to be expensive.

    1/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • 3/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • 4/5
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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

London

January 2011

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