This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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About You
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The Company
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Everything Else
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
- 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
- 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 5. How well structured was the insight?
- 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
- 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
- 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
- 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
- 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
- 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
- 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
- 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
- 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
About You
I was extremely pleased with the overall experience during my three week vacation scheme at Norton Rose Fulbright. The graduate recruitment team put a lot of effort in planning the scheme to that we not only got to experience the work being done in the respective departments we were sitting in, but they also organized social engagements whereby we could meet the trainees and hang our with our fellow schemers. We had a mix range of both informal events with our trainee buddies as well as formal meet and greets with partners. This enabled us to get a full representation of people at all levels within the firm. I really appreciated the opportunity for us to gain such a holistic view of the firm through this experience.
Considering the cohort of students in our scheme was only 9, I believe myself and my peers felt that we are all given much support and felt very valued that we were chosen amongst all the candidates that had applied. This gave us a better opportunity to get to know one another and to form a close connection which would have otherwise been difficult to achieve in a larger group. My supervisors were both extremely supportive and encouraging, always ensuring to give positive reinforcement whenever I completed a task successfully. Additionally, I also felt I had absolutely no hesitation in contacting the Graduate Recruitment team if I needed to, is reflective of the fact that I felt very comfortable and valued during my time here.
My supervisors ensured that they were very clear when they were giving me any direction on any tasks. They were also very supportive by explaining or clarifying any instructions which were unclear or which I may have had difficulty on. Additionally, the Partners made time out of their busy schedules to meet with me and answer my questions, which was very helpful. The trainees were also a great support throughout the scheme as we would meet them at an event and cross paths afterwards in the corridors and elevators, and they would always ask to see how things were progressing and offering to go for coffee/lunch or for us to email them if we have any questions.
The moment I started in my department, I feel as though I learned a lot not only from the work that was assigned to me, but simply by observing the way things were being done by my supervisor. Taking part in client meetings/phone calls gave me exposure to how things are negotiated, the tone that is being set, and how to get your message across effectively to the other side. Had I not participated in these experiences, I would not have had the opportunity to learn by osmosis. I also learned the importance of certain due diligence tasks and how to perform certain checks in contracts in order to ensure that what is written reflects what has been negotiated. I trust this will be an important skill that will help me in my future.
The Company
The structure of the insight was 3 weeks long. Unlike more City firms, NRF does have a longer summer vacation scheme, whereby students can experience seats in 2 departments of their choice. As the firm is heavy Banking and Corporate focussed, most of us sat in those 2 seats. The positive aspect here is that everyone got a varied experience and was not in two seats within the same department throughout their experience. I was grateful to have experienced the differences between the two departments. The insight also had interactive outings planned which were great fun after work.
The general atmosphere was very positive, as everyone was very welcoming and supportive. I felt that everyone I met wanted to ensure that I had a great experience and I felt like a guest who was treated very well. Although the office is very professional and people are very productive and hard working, they are also very kind and human. I liked that I felt that I could knock and anyone's office door and have the opportunity to meet them. The firm was also kind enough to organise a discussion with the Managing Partner, who was extremely kind and engaging. He taught us a lot about the firm and gave us great tips on how to start off our future careers (hopefully at NRF!).
the experience helped me understand the company culture because we got to observe how things functioned and how people interacted together as a team. it was very nice to see that they had organized a 'bring your dog to work day' one day to raise funds for charity and also lift the spirits in the office because the majority of people were very happy to be able to experience this.
Everything Else
I was pleasantly surprised to find that unlike most other placements in City firms, NRF had paid us on a weekly basis during our scheme and had provided us with a pay stub at the end of each week. They also ensured at the very start that we had all the necessary documentation and banking details at the very start of our placement, so to ensure that there were no unnecessary delays in payment.
There were multiple opportunities to meet other employees in the firm. If you were in your department you would get a tour of the offices with your trainee buddy where you were able to meet with all the staff in the department you were sat in. There were also other events and talks planned throughout the week so that you can meet partners and supervisors from other departments which you did not get any work experience in/
the networking opportunities were well planned and very insightful as we got to meet with partners and associated which gave us a better understanding of the work they are doing at the firm. they were very helpful in answering questions and also illustrating a better picture for us on the type of work we would be doing in future years.
On one of the days of our scheme we had the opportunity to visit a legal clinic to shadow a trainee to do pro-bono work. This was nice because we were able to see the type of activities trainees do. As for leisure activities, we were given a comprehensive vacation scheme binder at the start of our scheme which included many activities, events, and venues that we could explore in the area during out time at the firm. I really appreciated the effort that went into organizing this.
As this placement exceeded my expectations in every measure I would definitely recommend the experience to a friend. I not only learned a lot about the firms quality of work, but I also learned about the people, culture and about myself and what I am capable of doing. I felt that I would be a great fit for the firm and it reinforced my desire to want to work as a lawyer even more. This is why I would want a friend to experience the same thing, as I am sure they will have a wonderful experience.
Details
Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)
Corporate Law
London
June 2017