Summer Vacation Scheme Student Review

by A&O Shearman

Best Student Employer

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
    4.0
  • The Culture
    3.9

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I found the internship fantastic, it gave a really great insight into the firm, the work was interesting, the people welcoming and the social aspect brilliant.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • Feedback was given throughout the placement and it was obvious that real attention was being paid to how we found the experience and how we could improve our own performance.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I was amazed by the amount of time and effort that was given up by my supervisors to help mentor and advise me throughout my time at A&O. My trainers were open, honest and frank and I really valued this.

    4/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • It varied to quite a great extent. I always had something to do but the extent to which I felt the work I was set was substantive and of importance varied. In terms of working hours, this too was changeable - occasionally I'd get out bang on time, and on other days I'd get out at 10pm.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • As above, this varied - obviously given the nature of the work and an interns lack of experience there is a limit to the responsibility that you can be given. There were times when I was certainly given grunt work, this game in particular from the trainees, but on other occasions I felt that the work I was doing had a large impact on the final product.

    4/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I think that my experience at the firm certainly will help me if I am to do other law placements, its relevance to degree studies and so on is however limited given that I do not study law.

    3/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • It was certainly not a 'fun' office, but given how focussed and dedicated the employees were the atmosphere was very positive and welcoming and there was no hint of a competitive or toxic atmosphere. That said, there is certainly high expectation and there will always be that individual who appears to take an active dislike to interns.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The organisation was fantastic, we had the opportunity to be properly introduced to all aspects of the firm, which was particularly useful given that there was only the opportunity to sit with two different departments. There were plenty of evening events, as well as networking opportunities and pro bono activity.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • I thought the investment in terms of training and development as a whole was made by the entire experience and the opportunity you had to interact with trainees, associates and partners alike - in this regard the investment was large. That said, the level of formal training was not substantial but I imagine this is due to the relative brevity of the scheme compared to its equivalent in the banking and financial services industries.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised Canteen

    Sports and Social Club

    Company Car

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    National Travel

    International Travel

    Financial Bonus

    Company Parties/Events

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Above 25 days holiday

    Working from home

    Healthcare from home

    Healthcare/Dental

    Travel loan

    4/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I would love to receive an offer from A&O of permanent employment. On top of all I have previously mentioned, its location in Spitalfields Market is not to be forgotten. It's brilliant to be close enough to the city to feel a part of the corporate world and yet to have the vibrance of Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Hoxton on the back door. However, given the Magic Circle's commitment to the old SRA code I will not know whether or not I have a job offer until September of next year. This is the largest negative factor of the scheme

    3/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • Yes, there were plenty of both informal and formal events throughout the placement to get to know both other Vac Scheme students and employees.

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The cost of living is high, but this is to be expected in London. Socialising on official events was close to free as A&O were generous in their provision of food and drink. Going under your own steam is expensive but again, this is central London.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Amazing, but you'd expect nothing less

    5/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Plenty, A&O had sports teams from all different disciplines from badminton to sailing. However, given the brevity of the scheme no one was involved in this as far as I'm aware. Many people made use of the free gym though, and it was good that we were involved in a half-day of pro bono work outside the office as well. On top of this, there is a large focus on international secondements

    4/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

Commercial Law

London

July 2015


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