Summer Vacation Scheme Student Review

The placement was very enjoyable, beginning with the week in London. This gave us a chance to get to grips with networking with 70+ people, who were all having the same experience, before dispursing to our various offices and doing the same with employees of various seniority. The work was challenging and enjoyable, and the very friendly culture of the firm was evident from the outset.

The friendly and inclusive culture of the firm was evident from the outset. Despite the technical issues experienced by the firm during our time with them, it provided us with work that may not have been available otherwise, such as proof reading. The impact it had on the level of work also provided the opportunity for schemers to interact with fee earners who may otherwise would not have had the time.

During our 3 weeks with the firm we were provided with a first year trainee Buddy who we were in contact with prior to starting the scheme, and then we could speak to if we had any issues while we were in the office. Each week where given a department supervisor who we could also go to with any issues. It would also have been nice to have some kind of budget to be able to go out for lunch with our supervisors or buddies or any small social networking event.

The ability to support colleagues who may have a large workload, emotionally and literally by going to help them with the work. Having the 2 projects and department work occasionally re distributing the work within our groups was vital.

The 3 weeks were incredibly well structured. Although the tech didn’t always allow for the structure to be stuck to, we still received our daily insight talks. Occasionally if any events that were not mentioned in the booklet were organised, notification of these events were given at short notice, which was sometimes difficult to juggle with department work.

Incredibly friendly and inclusive firm, hierarchy of staff was very subtle and senior staff were just as approachable as trainees

While in London we were provided with self-branding sessions and insights in to many of the firm's practice areas during a daily VC. Prior to both our presentations our cohort organised a session with the office marketing team to assist us in the best way to deliver our information, and what was expected of us. The team did not have to take this time out of their day but were happy to do so and were a great help!

The time with the firm showed, especially with the project work, that the lawyer in an office behind a wooden desk is a dying breed, that we are expected to have market knowledge and advise clients on the law based around these market changes.

Before starting I understood that the regional culture was relatively friendly but I never expected that level of inclusiveness within the firm and the real lack of hierarchy, everyone in the office was lovely and it truly felt like they wanted you to succeed.

I will be working there from 2019 onwards.

Yes. in london we had a networking dinner attended by schemers and senior fee earners. we were also invited to the North West office summer party

The dinner was quite formal, but we were placed on tables with students from different offices so we could network with people we wouldn’t otherwise have, had the event not taken place. Having the partner on the table provided us with the opportunity to ask questions about the firm from their perspective. The summer party was much more relaxed and incredibly enjoyable assisted by the attendance of inflatable team games.

Yes, the office football and netball teams are active and welcome to anyone, the boys on the scheme also played a Schemers v fee erners football game.

Yes.