Student Review

I really enjoyed the variety of the A&O First scheme; being able to talk to trainees and associates, do work shadowing and gain a useful insight into the application process in such a short space of time made the insight really engaging and enabled me to get a really good feel for the firm.

The frequent opportunities to actually ask trainees and associates questions meant that I really felt that the firm wanted to ensure that we had as much exposure to people at the firm as possible. I thought that the A&O merchandise we were given was also a really nice touch and added to the overall experience.

I think that the guidance given on the application process was very clear and well structured. Sometimes firms can make the application process seem very mysterious, but I think that knowing the way in which the criteria will be applied and the process our answers go through has given me a lot more confidence in applying. The trainee buddy system is a really positive aspect of the scheme - and although I have seen it in place at other firms, it has never been a particularly notable or successful aspect of my experience of a firm before. However, the way in which the scheme supports and structures your relationship with your buddy really allows you to develop a relationship with them, and I will definitely be staying in contact with my buddy for advice and guidance throughout my application.

I think that the information I received throughout the scheme was extremely valuable in terms of both affirming my decision of a career in law in general and in giving me the necessary information to be able to tailor my future applications to A&O to give me the best chance of success in the training contract application process. I think that the focus on skills development through the negotiation exercise on the first day and the due diligence challenge on the second day was a particularly useful part of the scheme, both in allowing me to develop the required skills and also giving me an idea of how to improve further before being in an interview situation.

I thought that the structure of the insight lent itself well to enabling a variety of areas to be covered, which was a really positive aspect of the scheme for me. If possible, I would have liked some time to have been set aside to go through the solutions/marking method for the due diligence challenge, because there was some uncertainty in our group as to some of the answers and it would have been nice to look at the solutions to see where we were going wrong/whether we had been correct.

The atmosphere at the insight was really energetic and dynamic - something that came from the grad recruitment team, trainees and the other A&O First Students. I think that the opportunity to chat informally with the trainees really allowed the friendly atmosphere of the firm to come across, and the team exercises were enjoyable because they allowed us to share ideas and gain insight from other students at a similar stage in their career.

I felt that the firm was really invested in my career generally, not just in my future with A&O. By focusing on skills development as well as giving information, I really felt that I had gained a lot from the day that could not have been attained from simply attending a talk or reading the firm's website. The fact that the firm sets you up with a trainee buddy who is a much more informal link means that you have someone to discuss any reservations you might have, which I think is a really positive opportunity since it can sometimes feel a bit like you have to be very careful about expressing any doubts about a career in law or the firm you are visiting.

I felt like I got a very good idea of what it would be like to be a trainee at the firm, but I don't think there was as much focus on the longer-term career path. I'm not sure that this was a particular issue for me though, as given the length of the programme it was more important to me to understand what I would be initially signing up for if I were to get a training contract.

I think that the insight gave me a really good feel for the firm. It can be difficult to differentiate some of the magic circle firms, but speaking to trainees and associates allowed me to see the kind of people at A&O, the relationships they have with each other and their superiors and the overall experience of working there.

I think that as I was already decided on my career path, the scheme wasn't particularly influential in this sense. However, speaking to trainees did open my eyes to different areas of law that I hadn't considered before, which was a valuable insight. I think that the scheme would be really useful for someone who was uncertain about a career in law.

I think that it would have been nice to have had a more informal evening social event - although I understand that the scheme is being changed slightly next year to incorporate this. There were networking lunches on both days of the scheme and the drinks at the end of the last day gave a good opportunity for an informal chat with trainees and to speak to other students on the scheme.

There wasn't really any discussion of other activities outside of the 'normal' working day. I would have liked to have had a bit of information on pro bono opportunities at the firm and how trainees can get involved in the programmes and to have known about opportunities for playing sports with firm teams etc. I understand that such opportunities are available but this wasn't really highlighted on the scheme.

I would definitely recommend this scheme. I think that the fact that the event is split up into separate days was a great feature which enabled me to feel like I was establishing a more ongoing relationship with the firm and the information given throughout was really useful and much more than you can gain from reading the website. The application process is good practice for actual vac scheme/training contract applications and does not require psychometric testing e.t.c