Vacation Scheme Review

As far as legal work is concerned, Taylor Wessing is involved in some of the exciting sectors. I was able to actively take a part in drafting contracts and reviewing investment provisions for tech-focused companies, which was a great experience. As always, some of the tasks tend to be less interesting than others, but the work environment was very friendly overall, so I did enjoy my time there.

The people are what make this firm really stand out from the rest. Having gone to some other open days and internships, I didn't find anywhere as welcoming and open-minded as Taylor Wessing. All trainees and associates took time out of their day to give me feedback on my work and advice on how I can improve, which was exactly what I was looking to get out of the vacation scheme.

As I mentioned previously, all trainees and associates took time out of their day to give me feedback on my work and advice on how I can improve. I would first receive a task via e-mail, then ask some questions to clarify any uncertainty, then submit my work to the relevant person, and finally schedule a meeting time for feedback.

Although law is very different in practice than it is in academia, the skills I developed during my vacation scheme at Taylor Wessing will prove to be very useful in my studies. As I will be taking Company Law as a module next year, various elements of my work in the firm's Corporate and Private Equity departments will become relevant. Already being familiar with key terms and commercial context will probably give me quite an advantage.

The organisation by the graduate recruitment team was quite simply fantastic. We were able to select 2 seats, one for each week, in a department of our choice. In addition to the work given to us by trainees and associates, we also had to prepare a group presentation on the future of the legal sector, which was a really useful exercise of teamwork and organisation. There were many socials organised for us, including drinks, dinner, cocktail-making, and ping pong. We were also able to have a group visit to the Royal Courts of Justice, which was a great experience.

The work environment was friendly, and our socials were great fun. We got to know each other really well by the end of the vacation scheme, and there was no barrier of communication between us and the firm's trainees/associates. I was even invited to watch the Euros by one of the firm's partners (unfortunately, England lost the game!), which was very enjoyable.

Although there was no formal training of any kind, we were very much involved in the firm's day-to-day work. In addition, we were able to attend daily presentations by the firm's trainees, each one focusing on a particular practice area. This was incredibly useful in terms of determining which ones we might be most interested in. In terms of professional development, we received feedback from trainees and associates for each of our tasks, including both commendation and areas to improve.

During the vacation scheme, it definitely felt like we were being treated as trainees, which allowed us to work on various different tasks. The only aspect which we did not have much exposure to, as is inherent with the nature of a short internship, was the reality of long work hours in the legal industry.

Taylor Wessing's friendly work culture, as well as its focus on future industries, was very apparent during the vacation scheme. People were very open-minded and forward-thinking, and the atmosphere was mostly non-hierarchical. This was something that I could have never observed without actually going and working at the firm for 2 weeks.

Almost every single event we had allowed us to meet various members of the firm. During work, we were able to collaborate with trainees and associates. During socials, we were able to discuss with each other, as well as any trainees who were present. During drinks, we were able to network with trainees, associates, and partners, even including the managing partner!