Intern Review

By the end of the insight, I had no doubt that CC was the place that I want to work at after I graduate. Every other work experience I am undertaking from that moment on has been in order to strengthen my profile so I can work there! It was so informative, not only about the firm but about commerical law in general. It was very useful for someone like me who is from a non-law degree.

It was daunting as the majority of my cohort were from Oxbridge, did law and walked the walk and talked the talk. The graduate recruitment team and other trainees were form similar backgrounds to myself so that helped me feel at ease. They did make us feel accomplished for getting on the scheme. I think a lot of us forgot how much of a privilige it was to have gotten the space - they kept trying to boost our confidence and they succeeded.

We recieved support from the graduate recruitment team about how to apply to the Vac Schemes and Training Contracts so leaving the scheme, I have a better idea of what they are looking for and how I can improve to get to that standard. Meeting trainees, NQ's, and partners gave a breadth of insight. No matter what level the colleagues were at, they were all eager to answer what ever questions you had and support you, even when the scheme ended.

I learnt so much about high profile commerical law. I learned things that you cannot find on the internet. The importance of networking stood out and now I feel very at ease about speaking to new people and being able to sell myself. There were workshops for development. I did well on a communication workshop and got recognition for it. They taught us how to present ourselves with confidence and poise. Those are skills you'll need in eveyr walk of life.

Very well structured. 2 months before we arrived we were told about a trip to Paris and told what documents were needed, so that helped everyone keep organised. When we got there you could tell a lot of planning went into it. We recieved our actual schedule for the week about 3 weeks before the scheme. CC's grad recruitment team organised different departments to come and talk to us, they had good devlopment workshops, networking events, a trip to Paris and really really amazing socials.

AMAZING. Everyone was so nice. Its the best atmosphere I've ever seen in an office enviroment. The colleagues are very outgoing and helpful. They are all different but have the same level of confidence. Thats why they say there is a certain type of CC person. Working there would be an extenstion of university, purely because of the way everyone gets along and their appreciation of a good social life.

Well, I thought the scheme was going to lead into a guaranteed vac scheme, which is what I wanted. But upon arrival we were told that due to new regulations, we were eligble to apply for the training contract but would not be reffered for the vac scheme. I applied and didnt get it. My feedback said it was because of my Watson Glaser test scores and my commercial awareness scores from my application to the first year scheme - we didnt get a chance to redo them. Therefore I didnt get a TC or a vac scheme... Even though, by the time the scheme came around and finished my commerical awareness was definitely on par! I feel like using old scores is both unfair and pre-emptive. They should let us do it in 2nd year.

It really did give me insight. I got a good idea of working hours, holiday, benefits. And people were open to telling us any downsides so we got a really clear picture of the firm. They also got a speaker from BPP Law School to explain how the timeline of the GDL and the LPC.

It gave a clear picture of the company culture and I love it. There is a really diverse group of colleagues and everyone is quite laidback compared to other firms. They also have good policies on maternity leave and have a strong initiative on diversity. We also learned about their pro bono projects and they give trainees the opportunity to head their own projects.

I'm certain that I want to do commercial law and from the workshops and talks they gave I think my skill set matches up with the work they do. I also love the importance of working with really high profile clients and high profile deals. They made working at CC seem very achievable especially since we had made it that far.

The salary was about £280 after tax for the 5 days. And they reimbursed me after, about a month later. They made all the steps really clear and gave us the chance to get financial support if you are eligible for the goverment bursary for university. The one you get if you have a low household income. I get a full bursary so it was really useful that they paid me and gave me expenses back. I'm shocked that some firms dont do it!

Networking opporunities every single day in the form of socials and meals. Spoke to so many people during my time there. You were able to ask about their journey, what work they do and even how much they earn! They didnt seem to mind, in fact they found everything enjoyable. You could tell they wanted to talk to us and help.

The one that stuck out to me was a Ping Pong social in a place called Bounce in Shoreditch. I thought it would be boring but we got there and had a private booth. They organised team games and there were people who were on their TC and vac schemes so we got to chill and ask as many questions as we liked. There were loads of food and alcohol and CC really LOVE to indulge!

Yes there are many volunteering and pro bono opportunities. 2 trainees told us of a non-profit business they had started giving solar power to vilages in Ghana. They are really making an impact and have a lot of responsibility. Colleagues have the chance to get involved in things like that or local volunteering such as school work.

I would but its really competitive. I'd recommend everyone going for it and being yourself and you may surprise yourself. In my interview I was very forthcoming with patches in my knowledge. Although this hurt my chance of getting a TC (i didnt know at the time), my interviewers were really receptive to my honesty and they valued the other transferrable skills I had gained such as working in Lipsy in Lakeside. So go for it, and be sure to sell yourself. Dont be afraid to admit to weaknesses but express self-awareness and a desire to learn more and turn those weaknesses into strengths.