Vacation Scheme Review

The scheme was run very well, with activities on every day, and often after work too. Such activities included talks on the different departments, Q&A sessions and quizzes with the other people on the scheme. It was good to be able to get involved on many different levels, including the social side of things.

I mostly felt valued during my time there, with research tasks being set for me which were subsequently being used by the lawyers to advise their clients, Whilst some of the work seemed superficial and time-filling however, this is only to be expected when you're a student with little relevant legal skills.

During my first week, I received all the guidance that I could have wished for, and this allowed me to do my tasks to the best of my ability. I felt comfortable asking questions whenever I was unsure. In my second week however, my supervisor was much busier and thus unable to give the the support that I would have liked when doing the tasks that they had set me. This had the effect that i did not understand the task being set for me, and did not complete it to a satisfactory standard. Ultimately this is the reason that I did not convert my vacation scheme into a training contract, which is hugely disappointing and somewhat unjust, so it really depends on who your supervisor is as to how much support you get.

My legal research skills were tested hugely during my time here, be warned, it's not an easy ride once you've secured the vacation scheme. However, I feel that this is beneficial to me given that my degree turns on my ability to research the law, analyse it and apply it.

Very well, at the beginning of the scheme I was given a brochure with a timetable in it, a map, names of others on the schemes, and other useful information. Each day we were kept busy from 9-5 with talks, workshops, networking etc. The HR department was fantastic, and strived to give us every opportunity possible to get the most from the scheme.

Everyone was very positive and friendly, with the only downside being that some people whose job it was to be supervising you were too busy to do both that and their job, which was detrimental to the atmosphere during my second week. I met many people from different backgrounds, fulfilling different roles within the company who were always happy to chat to me.

Whilst this was a vacation scheme and thus nothing like actually working there, I was still able to gauge what it would be like, given that some days I would finish at 9pm, having been asked to do something at 5pm (when official office hours were until 5:30pm). I could also watch what the trainees, associates and partners' hours were like, and it was obvious that they all worked very hard.

From what I experienced, I was able to get a good understanding, It is difficult to tell how much it would change were I to actually work there, but I do believe that they tried as hard as they could to convey the culture to us throughout our time there. The values of the company were often reiterated and incorporated into activities which we did.

I was paid £350 per week for my time there, which seemed fair given that I was definitely taking more than I was giving, given my level of legal experience. However, I was not reimbursed for expenses which would have been nice, and I was not taxed correctly, but whether this is the company's fault or not I do not know.

All the time. This was the area where the company shone. There were many networking drinks where people from across the firm came and spoke to us over drinks and canapes. I also had the opportunity to go to talks put on by the firm, such as Brexit talks with leading journalists and businessmen, and a talk by Frank Gardner on disability, all whilst in the presence of partners of the firm.

Yes, I attended the Whitechapel legal advice clinic, attened various talks, and learnt about the clubs and societies which the firm has, I also was taken out for lunch many times, and shared drinks after work with trainees there, all of which was good experience. Socialites include skiing, tennis, netball etc, and would have been great to get involved with.