A&O First Review

I found it really enjoyable, particularly the negotiation skills exercise which allowed us to work together and learn the value of good communication skills in a business environment and the importance of being prepared to compromise and prioritise our interests.

I felt that the trainees were keen to give us a good insight into their roles, and explain as fully as they could what they were doing. It is hard on a single day to feel particularly important, but the graduate recruitment team definitely made it clear that A&O First is just the first step in a long process, and that everyone matters to the firm, regardless of their level.

It was a very structured and supported day, with two hours spent with my own trainee buddy gaining a personal insight into the firm and her own experiences. It was great to be able to speak to a range of associates and people within the firm to understand how the different practice areas collaborate.

The day had a particular focus on commercial awareness, which I feel is something lacking in my academic studies. I took away a far greater understanding of legal issues in a business context, which will definitely aid me in vacation scheme applications and hopefully my career beyond.

There was a clear timetable which ran smoothly and without hitches. Everything was well-scheduled, enabling us to fit a great deal into a very short window of opportunity. The graduate recruitment team had clearly put a lot of preparation into the day, which definitely meant we were able to learn as much as we could and interact with as many people as possible in the brief timeframe.

The trainees were highly enthusiastic, and keen to get across the friendly and welcoming culture of the firm. It was a great opportunity to meet like minded students from other universities across the country, and discuss shared ambitions and interests. Everyone from Allen & Overy made time to make us feel welcome and valued, despite their own large workloads and packed schedules, which really demonstrated the importance of development and support within the firm.

Further to the First scheme, the firm offered me the opportunity to work as Campus Executive for them this year. In this role I have attended a further day at the office and had frequent contact with the firm and graduate recruitment team in particular. I feel that this access to the firm is a valuable resource to me in future applications. Furthermore I am able to contact the firm with queries regarding my application and goals, and they are keen to aid me in improving my chances at succeeding in obtaining a training contract with them.

Although there is obviously a limit to the amount which can be gleaned from a single day and follow up seminars, I feel that I learned a good amount about the role of trainees on a day to day basis and the kinds of transactions which they would be involved in in varying practice areas. I hope in my penultimate year to undertake a vacation scheme which would give a greater depth of insight into the practical content of the work involved in a training contract, and the role of an associate after qualification.

Even a single day in the Allen & Overy office makes clear that it is a supportive and friendly atmosphere, yet one in which the lawyers continuously challenge themselves and strive to find new and innovative solutions to complex problems. The collaborative approach between partners and trainees made it clear that there is not a sense of distinct hierarchy, with the more senior members keen to aid in the development and growth of the trainees. Everyone is keen to work hard and put in long hours, but at the same time there is a sense that they don't feel that this is an obligation they resent.

This day provided me with a good insight into the path of commercial law in general, and clarified that this is the route I want to pursue. It gave advice which would be useful and applicable in applications to any major commercial law firm. It also made me confident that Allen & Overy as a firm is somewhere I can visualise myself working and would hope to target when applying for vacation schemes and training contracts.

I feel this was adequate; the firm was giving up their time to offer us insight into what they do and a great deal of people took time out of their busy schedules to talk to us and show us round. It was clear a large amount of organisation had gone into the day. I was grateful travel expenses were paid, as I would have been unlikely to have been able to attend had this not been the case.

Over lunch we ate with current trainees, who then gave us tours of the offices. We spent two hours individually with a trainee buddy finding out about how they came to A&O and their role within their current seat, which was really useful to gain a first hand perspective of the challenges faced by a trainee lawyer coming into a large firm. We were able to keep in contact with these trainees to receive future advice and help with the application process from those who had recently been through it.

As a Campus Executive, I have stayed in good contact with a number of the others on the scheme and regularly communicate with them using social media to update each other on the success of various firm events and initiatives in our own universities. We are all looking forward to attending the Christmas party at the London office to catch up, which is a fantastic idea for us to enjoy ourselves but also strengthen our business connections.

The lawyers we spoke to had some experience of various pro bono schemes which employees can get involved in, which I personally am keen to pursue should I succeed in a career in commercial law. I enjoyed hearing about the range of these available, and the different spheres in which employees can make a difference to those lacking the financial capacity to seek legal help. They also told us about various other opportunities within the firm, such as playing for sports teams whatever your level of ability, and using their gym for personal workouts but also classes.

As first year schemes go, this is one I am so grateful to have taken part in! Although the scheme is short and I would have loved to spend more time at the firm, the level of contact established with A&O is incredibly valuable and I feel like there are a number of ways I am able to follow up on and maximise the potential of the experience. If people are contemplating a career in commercial law, this provides good insight into the practical side of the work and how to improve your own commercial awareness to make you a more appealing candidate.