Summer Vacation Scheme Student Review

Taylor Wessing's vacation scheme was excellent throughout; each seat during the week was well organised and well supported, with trainee buddies and supervisors able to really engage with vacation scheme students and offer them helpful advice on our careers, tasks and the industry as a whole. The social events and the atmosphere throughout was genuinely fantastic!

I believe everyone felt highly valued during our time with Taylor Wessing. We were all given tasks which contributed towards real work and essentially, to an extent, treated as if we were trainees at the firm in terms of the quality given to and expected of us. We were made to feel welcome and treated as valuable contributors to the firm's work and future.

You could approach more or less anyone at the firm in order to receive guidance, support or assistance. Partners would make as much time as trainees to discuss current affairs or our own careers with us, and give us their insight into the matter at hand. You could comfortably approach those in other departments to discuss whatever you were interested in.

The skills I developed in terms of time management and undertaking practical legal work was invaluable. Working as a cross-departmental set of vacation schemers in order to create a presentation for delivery on the final day of the scheme was a fun and challenging task which involved engaging organisational ability and communication within the group. The supervisor appraisal meetings were extremely useful in identifying areas for improvement, meaning I will be able to improve on the suggested areas going forward. All the information we had access to about Taylor Wessing was very useful in developing an insider insight into whether we would like to work with the firm - the answer for myself and many others was a definite yes.

The vacation scheme was really well structured. I was offered my first and third choices of seats during the scheme and was able to experience some highly interesting and relevant work to my career interests. The daily work we were involved in was self-structured towards the deadlines we had been set, and was interspersed with seminars presented by all the practice areas at the firm to give us a depth of insight into all the work Taylor Wessing undertakes.

The general atmosphere throughout the insight was great in both the working environment and the social one organised after work. Everyone at the firm itself and on the scheme was highly pleasant and enjoyable to talk to, and there were very few negative moments whatsoever during the two weeks we spent there!

Taylor Wessing invested a huge amount of time and effort ensuring we were given the best feedback possible from a range of sources. The seminars, high quality of the work we were given and the feedback systems put in place ensured we were able to evaluate our performance at every stage. Moreover, the firm made the greatest effort possible to ensure we knew what being a trainee and then associate at Taylor Wessing would involve so we could make the best possible career decision.

As one of my supervisor's stated "The work we give you on the vacation scheme is similar to that which we set and expect of a new trainee with the firm" The role was a great piece of preparation for understanding what life at hte firm would be like, and we were able to observe others in their daily work to gain an understanding of the realities of the role too.

Having spent time with the firm on an First Year Open Day as well as other social events in the lead up to the vacation scheme, Taylor Wessing is everything it brands itself on: forward-thinking, open, innovative, ambitious and people-orientated, aiming to maximise the internal and external relationships it is striving to develop. It is a brilliant working environment.

Invaluable. I would recommend to anyone would wanted to pursue a career in commercial law with Taylor Wessing or another firm to seek a place on the vacation scheme, as it's the most informative stage of beginning a career as a commercial solicitor.

I was paid £275 per week for the duration of the scheme.

A variety of opportunities. The firm hosted a welcome drinks on the first night and a social event each week in order for us to meet and spend time with our peers and trainees with the firm. I was invited for coffee at other times, able to speak openly with my supervisor about their experiences at the firm and chat to partners whenever I asked and they were able. Everyone who presented a seminar to the cohort was open to follow up questions via email and in person.

As above, the networking opportunities were highly present and available for those who sought them. The social events were extremely fun as well! We were taken to a cocktail making class and dinner during the first week, and during the second taken to a ping pong bar called Bounce nearby to the offices! Brushing up on your ping pong skills is highly recommended.

The firm discussed the social events each department undertakes as well as the Pro Bono clinic down at Blackfriars where the firm contributes on a regular basis, as well as the other CSR initiatives the firm is involved with.

100%. If you are considering a career in commercial law and Taylor Wessing interests you, I would certainly recommend spending 2 weeks at this firm - it was an invaluable learning and life experience.