Vacation Scheme Review

I really enjoyed the entire vacation scheme. It was extremely well organised, the departmental talks were really interesting and insightful and all the socials were so much fun. We were really made to feel welcome in the firm and everyone was very friendly.

I would say that I felt really valued during my time at the firm - we were given proper work to do which would have been done by trainees and there were lots of opportunities for feedback throughout the scheme so we could build on previous pieces of work. It meant that we felt like we were actually contributing towards the work of the department and really helping rather than being set blanket vac schemer tasks.

There was a lot of guidance and support during the scheme. We each had a trainee buddy which was great as it was someone that you could ask for help without feeling incredibly silly. We also had a supervisor who was more senior like an associate and this was really good in getting an idea of their experience of the firm - especially as many had gone through a similar process and trained here too. The first day was particularly helpful as it was a day of admin and organisation meaning we knew exactly who to contact if we needed any help throughout the 3 weeks.

I currently study law and I would say the skills I've developed have meant that I can see it as a practical application rather than just purely academic discipline. This makes it a lot easier to learn and study when you know how it is put into practice - it's also reassuring that it's not all black letter law! We also had a presentation skills session and networking which was really useful in terms of gaining valuable experience to use in the future.

It was really well structured. I liked that it was 3 weeks because it meant that it wasn't too long that it seemed to drag on or take up a significant proportion of the summer holiday but long enough to get a real insight into the firm and actually get involved in the work. We had 1.5 weeks in each department we sat in which was a good amount of time because it gave us a couple of days to get to know people and settle into the department whilst still leaving enough time to get involved in the work they were doing. The social activities were really great and spread out through the 3 weeks meaning it never felt too much but was a really nice release from work and a way to relax.

The atmosphere was really great. I'd say it was my favourite thing about the scheme and something which I think is really unique to Baker's. All the vac schemers got along so well with eachother and have become good friends which is just a sign of how open and friendly the firm is. There was no air of competitiveness between the vac schemers and this was largely because the firm don't encourage that at all and in no way pit the vac schemers against eachother. All the trainees were really happy to talk to the vac schemers about both the work they were doing in their departments and what Baker's is like as a firm to work in which made a big difference. The main thing I found was that everyone seemed to really enjoy their jobs, was passionate about their departments and great friends with the people they worked with which made for a great working environment.

Baker's really made sure that each person got involved and they gave us a number of skills sessions at the beginning of the vacation scheme, for example how to use certain legal databases and where to find information. We also had a presentation skills session and a session on client pitching - both of which were really invaluable and an opportunity I didn't think we would get. We also took part in a networking session with American Express which was both fun and really helpful.

The vacation scheme was great in replicating what it would actually be like to work at Baker's. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming all the time and seemed genuinely happy to get involved with the vac schemers and make time to include them - whether this be in the departments, at lunch or at the social events. The vacation scheme also allowed time for us to take breaks from work and meet different people in other departments to really get a feel for the firm as a whole which I thought was really beneficial.

I was paid a salary which way covered my expenses and has meant I can save some to go travelling!

The social events were definitely one of the highlights of the scheme. We had multiple drinks evenings, a curry night, firm summer party, bowling/karaoke and a trainee summer party all during our 3 weeks at Baker's. These events were really great in terms of getting to know the other vac schemers outside the formal work environment and also getting to talk to the trainees on a more informal basis about what it's actually like to work at Baker's.