Vacation Scheme student Review

I had a fantastic time - the work I received was varied, interesting and was designed to test my intellectual capabilities and argumentative skills. People were willing to talk to me about their specific practice areas if I was particularly interested in a niche practice, going out of their way to set me work in those areas or to provide me with an insight into what they did. The vacation scheme really felt tailored to my interests and needs, and allowed me to carry out challenging but interesting work in the company of genuinely supportive, warm people.

One of the best things about the firm is that the people were extremely friendly, and it didn't feel as though there was any set hierarchy which made me feel comfortable in asking questions and initiating conversations. This was also helped by the fact that nearly everyone operated an open-door policy, and all staff and fee-earners were generous with their time even though they were busy. When I was set work, it was made clear to me how it would be used and the purpose it would serve within a bigger picture - this made me feel like a valued team member, despite the fact that I was only in each department for a week.

The guidance I received was excellent, and I was made to feel very comfortable in asking for it when necessary. All my questions were answered promptly and thoroughly, and my supervisor from the first week even gave me detailed feedback on a part of a task that I choose to redo in the second week. My trainee buddies and supervisors were very approachable, friendly and always ensured that I received thorough feedback, accompanied by a copy of the same task done by them to compare what I had done.

The tasks I was set provided an accurate insight into the work a trainee would have to undertake, equipping me well for the realities of the job in the future. The feedback I received helped me to tailor my work specifically for the needs of a client as opposed to writing 'University-style' essays or problem question answers, helping me develop the skill of rigorous practical application of legal principles to facts in a concise and direct manner, avoiding jargon and unnecessary flowery language. This is an excellent skill to have gained in itself, but will help me in my final year of Law school, and inevitably will help me in pursuing a career as a solicitor.

The 'Focus On' sessions providing talks on certain practice areas were very well structured to slot into our working weeks. One tiny criticism is that these sessions sometimes ran over the time allocated, which then required a shifting of priorities or change of original plans, but these were normally easily accommodated. Other than this, my work in the department was well structured to reflect the realities of day-to-day working schedules within that practice area. I was given plenty of time to complete each task, with ample time to clarify doubts and ask questions beforehand.

Really wonderful - people worked very hard, but encouraged me to go home by 6pm, putting emphasis on the need for rest and having outside interests and commitments. There's a real sense of camaraderie amongst those who work for the firm, and those who participating in the vacation scheme, and a willingness to support and help someone despite the fact that they were technically our competitors. The team spirit of each of the firm's departments (especially Disputes & Investigations) really stood out - evidenced by the strong friendships that lawyers and staff have made within the firm.

All members of practice teams who set me work invested considerable time in setting, explaining and looking over the tasks I had completed. We were given our own desk space, login and Taylor Wessing packs to aid us in completing work over the course of the two weeks, and allocated two people per department specifically to look after us and oversee our personal development. Overall, I thought this constituted an excellent level of personal training.

We were fully immersed in the day-to-day life in the firm. I was invited to attend training sessions and external talks held for lawyers, such as the one given by a senior member of the CPS on cross-border cooperation in investigations, and an interactive presentation on early conciliation proceedings in employment claims. In addition to this, trainees and supervisors regularly asked me to have coffee with them, helping me to feel at home and to understand the friendly, team-centric ethos of the firm. All in all, my involvement in events and meetings beyond what is 'set' as a minimum for the vacation scheme enabled me to appreciate exactly how my day-to-day working life at Taylor Wessing would be like.

The structure of the vacation scheme and the attitude of all the employees and partners I had the opportunity to meet gave a clear impression of the firm's culture, what it values in its people and what it values in its work. This was particularly the case with the presentation task we were set - 'What's next for Taylor Wessing? - making us explore the firm's strategy, working culture and values in depth in order to come up with ways in which it can adapt to the changing legal market.

My vacation scheme experience with Taylor Wessing helped cement my desire to work in this particular sector. This was my first in-depth exposure to life at a large City firm, and Taylor Wessing enabled me to get hands on experience in completing team and individual tasks, research and drafting. This really helped me to ascertain which skills are required to excel in this career, and to assess whether I have these skills and to get an idea of how I can work on them.

We were reimbursed adequately to cover rent and food prices in London for the two weeks we stayed for the vacation scheme. Moreover, I was pleased to find out that I would be reimbursed for my travel to attend the vacation scheme assessment centre. As I was travelling from Madrid (I was on my year abroad), this made things considerably easier and I was able to be much more flexible with when I could travel back.

There were plenty of such events. Things kicked off with welcome drinks with partners, trainees and associates on the first day. This continued throughout the two weeks, with lunches, presentations and meetings providing the ideal environment to talk to other lawyers and staff members in an informal and relaxed setting. A particularly good example is the Pride drinks held on the final day, where I was able to meet and talk to, amongst employees, heads of charities that the firm heavily sponsors.

The social events were really fun, and allowed us to get to know the trainees in a bit more of a relaxed setting and to gauge how well we'd fit in with the firm. I enjoyed that the social events were based around something 'constructive' such as making cocktails and playing ping-pong, which helped us to engage with people around us and to work as a team. The networking opportunities were also ample; drinks with colleagues and partners provided an informal setting in which to ask questions and get to know senior members of the team.

Yes - I was given a good insight into the well-rounded opportunities the firm provides outside of work. For instance, a Pro Bono programme is run every Wednesday (which a limited number of vacation scheme students were allowed to attend), and several team members for training for a firm triathlon and others were preparing to go to Amsterdam, Korea and Singapore with their work. This was also complemented by the great number of talks, presentations and workshops on offer by the firm to all employees.

Most definitely. Despite the reputation of City working environments to be cold and competitive, my two weeks with Taylor Wessing were a fantastic and warm experience. We were fully engaged in the practice teams, helping to contribute to their work and being entrusted with complex, confidential and interesting cases that we otherwise would never have been able to gain an insight into. The people chosen to participate in the vacation scheme are invariably as warm, friendly and chatty as those who make up Taylor Wessing's workforce - you are almost guaranteed to make friends who help you really make the most of the social and professional opportunities you are presented with.