Student Review

I enjoyed the insight immensely. It was the right balance between knowledge and proactivity; on the one hand, being presented with an overview of the firm and its work from various employees (including partners, solicitors and trainees), as well as being given information about the legal profession more generally, was an excellent source of knowledge about this career. On the other hand, the Graduate Recruitment members that we met, and who guided us through the entire process, were thoughtful and responsive; they created activities that were engaging and intellectually stimulating, whilst also organising a fun event to conclude the scheme.

On the whole, the members of Graduate Recruitment that oversaw the scheme were frequently there to ensure that we understood our roles and how the process worked. This kind of approachability made me feel immediately welcome at the firm. With regards to my specific department, I was extremely grateful to have been so warmly received. My trainee made regular checks with me in order to make sure I was well and occupied; I was introduced to the rest of the team who were kind enough to take a moment from their work to say a few words of welcome, which was generous of them; and anyone who I hadn’t been introduced to made an effort to seek me out themselves, which made me feel like a truly valued (even if very temporary) addition to the team.

I received a great amount of support, notably from my supervising trainee. He ensured that during my time at the firm I was comfortable in my office, and that I had met all the relevant people within the department. Making regular checks on my work, he was open to and eager to assist with any queries that I had regarding my task or the firm in general. He also took the time to buy me a coffee at the end of the first day, which was not only very welcoming but also an informal opportunity for him to tell me any information I needed to know. The solicitor I shared my office with approached me just as kindly, whilst several other members of the department – including a partner – took the time to sit and talk with me about their experiences, the profession as a whole and what work in this particular Simmons & Simmons department involved. I truly valued this informative and friendly wealth of support from such a broad range of employees.

The information I received was diverse and useful in different ways. Firstly, the presentations of the first day were a great way of getting a broad insight into the legal profession as a whole, which was useful. Yet this was also very tailored to Simmons & Simmons, as opposed to being skills relevant in all aspects of this complex career. These presentations therefore helped hugely in giving an overview of Simmons & Simmons in its entirety, which I found gave a personal feel to the firm. Secondly, meeting with employees from diverse sectors at a lunch meeting was an excellent way of getting an idea of what the firm does more specifically, the kind of work involved in each sector or department, as well as who works where and what they enjoy about their respective fields. Lastly, my allocated task within my specific department was not the most active role nor the most straightforward way of gaining a deeper knowledge of that particular field; however, the information was there if I chose to delve into it, which I did and found it to be very illuminating. Moreover, I was able to discuss the cases that caught my interest with fellow employees, which was an informative angle that is unique to this kind of work experience. The people I met were the source of most of the knowledge I garnered, and their advice and experiences will certainly both aid me in future applications, enable me to better understand what it means to become a solicitor, and what it means to be a Simmons & Simmons solicitor in particular.

This insight was excellently structured, for even though the scheme lasted only two days it was diverse and informative. The combination of presentations, group activities and individual work offered me a great range of legal experience. Moreover, I was not only given greater (if not brief) experience of my department and what work in that department involves, but I was also able to meet most of the people who work within it. If given another day, perhaps my work could have been even more in-depth and informative. I was also pleased by how many people I was able to meet across the firm, in many different fields. Consequently, I was very impressed by how the Graduate Recruitment team were able to pair me with solicitors and trainees working within the preferred fields that I highlighted in my application. The amount of work and effort the team put into the scheme was palpable, and I got the impression that they were frequently present and engaged in making the experience as fruitful as possible for everyone involved.

The atmosphere was welcoming and sincere, a difficult balance but well executed; the legal activities were serious when being performed and yet everyone involved retained a sense of light-heartedness afterwards. This combination of professionalism and friendliness gave me a real sense not only of what Simmons & Simmons looks for in its employees, but also a sense of what it would be like to work in this firm. My department reflected the same dynamic; the working atmosphere was serious and all members were engaged in their tasks, and yet most of them found the time to talk with me, which created a balance of sociability and co-operation. The final event was also a huge success since everyone was enthusiastic, involved and approachable, whilst I was also able to meet even more people from across the firm. This solidified the sense that Simmons & Simmons operates within a balance of legal expertise and interpersonal care.

With the amount of time that I was given at the firm, all employees were concerned with my training and development. The focus of the members of my particular department was largely to do with my interest and progress within the legal profession. This in itself was valuable, for I was exposed to a wealth of opinion, advice and feedback regarding the career path and my own development, as every employee who took the time to talk to me had a different experience to share. The fact that they took this time away from their work shows their investment in my progress. However, with only one day in the department, my training as a particular kind of solicitor was not able to be in-depth, for the limited time I had meant limited experience. Yet everyone from partners to trainees to the Grad Rec team were keen to invest in my enjoyment and to ensure that I would take as many benefits from the experience as possible.

This experience divides my insight, with regards to a role within the firm, in two: a great general insight and a lesser specific one. In general terms, I got an excellent insight into what the firm seeks in its employees and if I fit that profile. I found that all the people involved exhibited an openness and approachability, as well as intellectual aptitude, which really drew me towards Simmons & Simmons as a firm. Moreover, the range of people I spoke to gave me an idea as to how varied work at this firm can be, and how each role has a different interest and appeal. However, because I spent a day in my allocated department, whilst I obtained a wealth of knowledge from the people there, in terms specific knowledge about the work involved (such as its intellectual necessities and breadth) I did not have enough time to gain a profound insight. It was from the people I met that this slight gap was filled, and I owe my knowledge to the time they invested in me, which was generous.

The insight helped me understand company culture on all fronts. The first presentation gave an overview of what culture Simmons & Simmons is trying to achieve, whilst meeting the people who work there was a direct insight into how that initiative is being effectuated. Being able to see the office gave me a great insight into the physical workspace, which I found vey useful in ascertaining my response to the culture; to me, it is important to feel comfortable in a working environment in order to produce good work. Moreover, the lunches and networking events gave me the ability to meet as many people from the firm as possible, which reinforced the general image of a friendly yet dedicated and sharply intellectual mentality. The experience within a particular department was also useful, and I found it the best way, in giving me the opportunity to see how this culture operates in terms of carrying out legal work.

The day was valuable for it not only taught me what general things to be aware of in the legal profession, but also how to best approach this career as a student. The activities and the people I met reinforced my knowledge of what legal work involves, and was valuable in giving me a sense of what kind of tasks suit me and which ones challenge me. Most importantly, the advice I received from the employees I met was personal, varied and honest, which was the best help in both giving me an insight and consolidating me interest in the legal career

There were many and they were diverse, which I greatly appreciated. These included a lunch with supervising trainees, as well as a meal with groups of solicitors from across the firm. Moreover, the final event at Bounce involved bounteous pizza, beers and ping-pong, which was light-hearted and fun, as everyone was engaged in the activity and in networking. Even the initial ice-breaker event involved a game that encouraged all the interns to find out information about one another; this introduction was effective, and by the end of the two days I felt like I was familiar with almost everyone involved. In my experience, I also found that working in a department was an excellent way of networking, for it offered me the opportunity to demonstrate my aptitude for work.

I was impressed by how my supervising trainee truly made the most of my presence in the office; he made sure to get to know me properly, and introduced me to most of the department. I was also approached by other team members, as well as encouraged to speak to other important individuals. I found the final event was hugely fun and useful, for it combined trainees from various departments who were each familiar with a member of the insight schemers. This familiarity helped for as interns, after the ice-breaker, we were all friendly with one another and were therefore able to meet respective supervising trainees with greater ease. It was impressive how everyone, including myself, enjoyed each one of the events.

I found out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work firstly through the presentation that Grad Rec held towards the end of the scheme. Having done the legal work experience, the mention of other opportunities that the firm encouraged was in-depth, and any questions were well answered. I also found that the final networking event was hugely beneficial in becoming aware of activities outside of work; the combination of a broad range of people and an informal atmosphere encouraged the conversation to steer towards personal interests and opportunities to nurture these interests. For instance, I was able to find out more about the firm’s involvement in art, which was fascinating and mirrored my own enthusiasm.

I would recommend this insight to a friend, for by completing this survey this scheme is shown to have ticked all the boxes. I have had so much to say about the experiences I gained, which touch upon my interests and gaps of knowledge regarding the legal profession as a whole, and Simmons & Simmons in particular.