Vacation Placement Student Review

The insight was great - I felt I got the opportunity to experience what it was like to work at the firm full time and the team was very friendly. I was made to feel very welcome and there were lots of events organised throughout the placement to increase your exposure to the firm.

I felt very valued during my time with the firm. The team allocated me lots of varied work and I was trusted with some really interesting matters. I definitely felt like I was getting a hands on experience and that my input on matters was welcomed. Additionally, being invited to out of work events by colleagues made me feel like a part of the team.

I was allocated a supervisor and a buddy and received regular guidance and feedback from both. I was also able to direct all my questions to them during the placement and they were able to respond effectively or direct me to where I could find the relevant information. Additionally, I felt able to ask all members of my team for guidance when required.

I felt the skills I developed during the placement will be extremely relevant to both my further studies and my career. My research skills improved hugely. Not only am I now more able to digest large pieces of information and extract the relevant pieces, I am also a lot better at navigating key legal resources such as Lexis and Westlaw. This definitely helps me as I go on to my honours year and start my dissertation. I also improved my networking skills.

The placement was well structured. As students were allocated across different departments we would all be working on different projects and different types of work, so the structure of your work was dictated by the department. Regular meet ups and lunches/socials were scheduled, and this allowed us to meet members of other teams and catch up with what we had each been working on.

The atmosphere of the placement was very friendly and welcoming. Everyone within the firm made a genuine effort to welcome the summer students and ensure they helped make our placement enjoyable. Whilst some of the work was challenging and tested our skills, I felt very well supported and able to ask for help when it was needed. All in all, it was a very friendly place to work.

The firm are obviously making a genuine commitment in graduate recruitment in terms of allowing students to pursue a paid placements. There were networking lunches and the opportunity to meet people who worked throughout the firm. Additionally, the placement was a great opportunity to gain vital skills required as a trainee solicitor and thus enhancing our employability in general. I felt that it was a genuine effort to help us in the process of finding a traineeship.

I definitely felt the placement helped me understand what it was like to be a full time employee. It was easy to see the firm's values reflected through the work done in all departments. We were doing the day to day work we can be expected to do as a trainee which was an excellent insight into life as a trainee with the firm. Additionally, we worked the same hours as our teams, giving us a true reflection of the day to day work at the firm.

It was easy to see the company's culture whilst on placement. They really invest in their values and are supportive of staff in the workplace. There were many opportunities to see the voluntary work the firm does and also to explore the initiatives the firm has for diversity and inclusion. The company culture was further demonstrated by access to a few after work social events which really allowed us to see the investment the firm puts into its employees.

The content of the scheme has been extremely valuable. I have had the chance to experience an area of law that I had never studied before or considered as a career path, and learned how it worked in practice. I think it has been great to see the practical approach to law - it is totally different from learning it as university and it has therefore been really valuable in ensuring I want to pursue a career in law.

We were paid well for the scheme.

There were many opportunities for networking throughout the placement. The first day was a full day induction and we met lots of people from many different locations and departments, and all the Scottish Vacation Placement Students were there so it was a nice opportunity to meet them. Additionally, there was a networking lunch with representatives from each department. There were also evening events where we had the opportunity to meet trainees and qualified solicitors.

They were really well organised and facilitated lots of interesting discussions.

I did, and twice during my placement I attended touch rugby with the firm. In addition, there were many other after work events we were invited to.

I would definitely recommend this Vacation Placement to anyone considering a career in commercial law. There are lots of opportunities to make valuable connections with people at all levels of the profession and to develop the skills necessary for a career in law.