Vacation Scheme Student Review

I enjoyed the Vac Scheme as it opened me up to understanding the life of a lawyer and what the job entails on a daily basis. We had many activities, the catering was great and everyone from the grad team to the partners were really welcoming and friendly. Highly recommend that you apply.

During my Finance and Corporate seats I was invited to take part and sit in on many things. The tasks set to me were similar to what a trainee would complete thus giving me a real insight and also making me feel like I have been part of the team for a long time. Everyone was really helpful as they were open to any questions I had.

Communication was delivered to us via email on a daily basis to ensure we knew what we had planned for the day. If anyone on the scheme needed help we could ask our supervisor or the grad team. The trainees in the team were great as whenever I got stuck on a task they helped explain it and also ensured we always stayed busy.

A number of tasks that I attempted were similar to what you will do on your LPC so I now know what to expect when I start my LPC. My networking skills have improved as I feel more confident in approaching and having an enjoyable conversation with anyone. This will also help me for when I am working on a global basis with lawyers from all over the world with DLA Piper.

We were given booklets which had a schedule in there and if we had any changes the grad team would email us. From the start to the end I didn't feel anything was out of place and everyone involved done a tremendous job in keeping the scheme going. Even if there were any problems we didn't feel like they had affected our scheme.

All of the Vac Schemers were really friendly and we worked well together. As DLA is a global firm you can see how busy they are and quickly get a feel for what it will be like when you're completing a deal. We had social events and everyone got you involved as much as possible. I did not have any issues during my time there.

We had many skills sessions. These included presentation skills and networking skills. This helped me to prepare for many tasks and also whenever I met a partner or an associate I felt very confident in having a good conversation. The tasks we were set also helped me to prepare for when I start my LPC.

This scheme helped me to understand that no two days are the same at DLA Piper. I saw first hand that the hours can sometimes be long the work can be hard but it is a very rewarding career. The tasks that I completed were very similar to what I would be doing as a Trainee Solicitor.

The teams that I worked with genuinely wanted to see you do well. And speaking to others on the scheme they all felt the same. We had talks on Pro Bono and diversity and this showed me the firm is big on these topics. Both in London and Birmingham I felt really comfortable being there and the open door policy really helped.

As my application for a Training Contract was in the regional office I was paid £275 a week. The first four days of the scheme were in London. Our accommodation was paid for and we were reimbursed on our travel costs and food costs. Compared to other law firms DLA Piper were up there for remuneration.

There is an open door policy and as long as someone is not busy they will talk and give you advice. As we had a lot on during our time there it was hard to meet everyone from the firm as they are a very big global law firm. I made the most of my time and tried to meet as many people as possible.

We had a dinner event with partners in London and a drinks reception with the partners in Birmingham. We also had social events with the current trainees and one of them included pizza making which was really good. All of this is kindly funded by DLA Piper so you can enjoy the experience.

The trainees are part of many sports team which compete against other law firms in a local league. These teams also compete against other DLA offices all over the UK and Europe. Some departments have events with clients whether that is a charity event or a social event which you can get involved in.

Highly recommend this scheme to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career as a Solicitor at a global law firm. The scheme gives you a real insight to what you can expect when you commence your career at DLA. Furthermore if you haven't completed your LPC DLA Piper will kindly fund that for you.