Vacation Placement Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the placement and as a result I believe I am more commercially aware and I have a fuller understanding of how a fully serviced commercial law firm operates. I was exposed to a wide variety of tasks, which range in the level of difficulty and responsibility. I was kept busy from day of the placement which made the experience pass so fast. Pinsent Masons has an international presence and this was evident in all of my tasks, which made the work interesting and added another level of complexity. Aside from the varied work, all of my team were so friendly and approachable, which made for an enjoyable working environment.

I felt part of the team straight away, which made me feel extremely valued from the outset. The department I worked for were very welcoming, which made me feel at ease from the outset. Once I had completed my assigned tasks, my colleagues were very appreciative of the work, which was very encouraging. Additionally because there is no hierarchical system at Pinsent Masons, it was very easy to approach other colleagues, including partners from different departments. My team showed a genuine interest in me, which made me feel part of the team. For instance, I was asked to present my dissertation to the team, which was an invaluable experience and I was grateful that the whole team took time out of their busy schedules. The positive working environment at the firm was evident from day one of the placement, which emphasises that Pinsent Masons stays true to its values- Approachable, Bold and Connected.

Support and guidance was available whenever through various streams. Graduate Recruitment was extremely helpful from the date of acceptance to the end date of the placement. My Trainee Buddy provided me with an informal insight to the firm and it was really great to have that support mechanism in place. Also, my Supervisors and the rest of the team were extremely supportive and because they were so approachable it meant asking for feedback or for more work was easy. The firm is extremely approachable, which really made other departments very accessible and support was provided office-wide.

I am more focused than ever since completing the placement and I am certain that a career in commercial law is the right path for me. Gaining experience from a highly reputable firm, like Pinsent Masons was invaluable experience, which has made me more commercially aware and I have a fuller understanding of how a commercial law firm operates. I had the opportunity to conduct work for another department, which allowed me to gain contentious experience as well as transactional experience. I am approaching the diploma stage of my university career and I thoroughly believe that my placement with Pinsent Masons has set me up well for undertaking my postgraduate course, as I have learnt various transferrable skills which will continue to utilise.

The placement was well structured from the outset. For instance, the Graduate Recruitment team kept in contact regularly leading up to the placement, as well as throughout the placement. There was an office wide Induction Day, which was extremely beneficial in a variety of ways, as I was able to meet other placement students from different offices. In general, the day was very structured with various presentations from a variety of employees working at the firm. It was also great to learn more about the firm in an interactive way, with the trainees at the Glasgow office. We received a Welcome Pack which was a great addition as it provided information about the frim, the placement itself and the training contract assessment centre included in the placement. A booklet in the pack contained a page dedicated to setting objectives for the placement- this was a really effective tool as it allowed me to clearly set out what I wanted to gain from the experience and allowed my team to be aware of those objectives so work could be assigned accordingly.

The atmosphere at the firm was positive and fun, although this did not take away from the serious nature of the worried carried out by Pinsent Masons. Professionalism was instilled in every employee I met however they were also very personable, which allowed for interesting conversations and discussions. The social aspect of the firm was great- various social events were planned for the placement students throughout the three weeks. During the first week we went out for dinner and cocktails with the trainees and on the last day of the placement I attended the office bowling night, which was a great way to end the placement. I attended various lunches through the placement, which allowed me to get to know the lawyers at the firm both on a personal and professional level. The friendly and genuine nature of employees made for a healthy and fun environment to work in, which made the three weeks extremely enjoyable.

On the first day of the placement IT training took place, which had to been signed off and sent to Graduate Recruitment. The training was in-depth, which made conducting tasks was easier. Throughout the placement, guidance and feedback was given which allowed for personal and professional development. The firm has a well-structured and approachable method of learning and professional development. It was evident that Pinsent Masons invests time into its employees in order to create a successful workforce.

The role of a placement student is much like the role of a trainee, so it was very clear what it would be like to have a full time role with Pinsent Masons. I was immersed into a variety of different areas. On some occasions I worked alongside my Trainee Buddy however on other occasions I conducted work without her, and with another member of the team. I was made to feel a part of the team, which made it very easy to understand what it would be like to work for the firm. Gaining a well-rounded exposure to the firms working environment was a significant factor to why I enjoyed the placement so much and I am grateful that the firm operates in such manner, as it allowed me to experience all working areas of the law.

I came away from the placement with a better understanding of Pinsent Masons. As a potential employee, examining brochures and reading up about the firm is standard, however during the placement I was able to discover, in practice that Pinsent Masons stays true to its values. The ABC (Approachable Bold Connected) values are a key influencers to the firms success- this was evident during the placement. Pinsent Masons has a great atmosphere, which makes for a healthy working environment and also makes it a very attractive company for potential trainees.

The work I conducted for my team was extremely valuable in helping me decided what career path to take in the future. The quality and wide range of work exposed me to various legal matters, which was instrumental to my decision to pursue a career in commercial law. The enthusiasm and professionalism of the employees at the firm was really encouraging and made me more motivated and ambitious. As a result I am extremely determined and focused to create a successful career in commercial law. The fact I was always busy was great as it gave me a true experience of what it would be like to work for an international law firm and subsequently I am more focused than ever!

I was paid well for the three week placement. I was also reimbursed for travel expenses to and from the Induction Day.

There were various networking events, which allowed me to meet various other employees from the firm. For instance, there was a department meet and greet, which was great to network with other employees from different departments. Everyone at the firm was so approachable so meeting other employees was very easy, which made it quick to get to know the majority of employees at the firm. Aside from formal networking events, there was an opportunity to networking informally with the trainees over lunch, dinners and various other events.

The networking/social events were really enjoyable- it was great to find out more about the employees at the office. A range of events were planned which allowed for informal networking, which was really insightful as I received a lot of valuable information about the firm which I could use on a daily basis.

I found out about the wide variety of CSR activities Pinsent Masons gets involved in, for example at the induction we received a presentation from one of the employees who travelled to India with the firm to volunteer at a school, where they helped build a wall. It was interesting to find out how the firm contributes to communities around the world. I also found out that the firm has various sports teams. Unfortunately there wasn't an opportunity to participate in any sports activities at the office where I was located; however I was aware that summer students at other offices played football and rugby after work.

I would definitely recommend the placement to a friend! I gain so much insightful information about the firm and I learnt so many transferrable skills, as well as learning more about my own strengths and weaknesses. It was a really great learning curve and I got so much out of the placement in more ways that one.