Vacation scheme student Review

by Shearman & Sterling LLP

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

Rating

4.3/5
  • About You
    4.0
  • The Company
    4.7
  • Everything Else
    4.0

    About You

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
  • 8 - It was a good experience as I was able to learn about the practice areas that I was not even sitting in. I was also not excluded from working on current cases because of confidentiality which was really appreciated.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
  • 8 - I felt really valued because the work that I did was important and used. Even though it was re-drafted and changed sometimes I understood that this was a given. I was also aware of the difficulty in giving me work that actually had value but wasn't too complicated for me to do.

    4/5

  • 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
  • 8 - I was able to ask any questions that I wanted and have them answered in detail which I liked. When I did not understand work it was explained to me but even when given work I was given a bit of background anyway.

    4/5

  • 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • 8 - I was given an article to read that I hope will be helpful for my module next year which was nice. It has also allowed me to see how the theory side of contract law comes out to play practically which was insightful.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 5. How well structured was the insight?
  • 10 - We got the maximum experience in the practice group by being allowed to stay there throughput the two weeks which was good. I also liked how most of the talks were in the morning leaving the rest of the day to get involved in the practice areas. The handover meetings with the buddies were a nice way of making us feel like trainees.

    5/5

  • 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
  • 8 - It was rather busy so there were a few closed doors however people genuinely seemed approachable and took time to talk to you if they were not too busy. It was a nice environment to be in and people did go out of their way to be friendly.

    4/5

  • 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • 10 - They really made sure we had as much time as possible in the practice areas and that we liked where we were sat. They also ensured that we had talks from all practice areas and even from a client which was unique.

    5/5

  • 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
  • 8 - There was a good balance of trying to expose us to the work of a trainee but at the same time understanding that we were only on a vacation scheme which I understood so I did not do too many nights past 6pm but when I did I knew that it was because I was doing something important which was a good experience.

    4/5

  • 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
  • 10 - Spending a fortnight allowed me to see the firm when it was busy and when it was not so busy and how people behave during various periods. Sitting in people's office was also a good exposure to the way that people communicate and the relationships that are formed.

    5/5

  • 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
  • 10 - It allowed me to understand the type of working environment that I am interested in and see whether or not the lifestyle was for me just from talking to different people and observing them work. It made me sure that it is for me.

    5/5

    Everything Else

  • 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
  • I was paid £325 for each week which was nice as I probably would have done it for free anyway.


  • 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
  • 7 - There were opportunities to network during the socials and lunch with the buddies. I think it would have been good to have lunch networking opportunities with people at different levels of the firm just for broader exposure.

    4/5

  • 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
  • 10 - They were really good and the trainees that attended were really fun and able to give us their unique perspective of the firm which was nice. It was also nice to talk to people less senior who remembered being in our position not too long ago.

    5/5

  • 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
  • 5 - This depended on who you spoke to especially the trainees that we spoke to and whether they chose to disclose such information but there was not a talk or information given on this as part of the scheme.

    3/5

  • 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
  • 10 - I would recommend it as each firm has a different culture which is really important when selecting a place to do a two year training contract. I really enjoyed it here and I would love for other people to get the same or better experience.

    5/5

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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

London

July 2015


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