First year Springboard scheme Review

The Springboard vacation scheme was filled with presentations, interactive workshops, networking events, socials, and even time to shadow a fee earner. Such an array of events made each day exciting whilst the opportunity to interact with employees of the firm gave a truly unique insight. I enjoyed the scheme because of the quality of the content, the various activities and the people who organised and attended the scheme.

During the workshops and presentations we all had the opportunity to interact, ask questions and discuss issues. However the time at which I felt most valued was durIng the day of work shadowing. I was fortunate to be placed with enthusiastic people in a fascinating department (TMT). I was given plenty of work from drafting a newsletter to conducting research into the use of cryptocurrencies. The feedback I received made me feel genuinely valued at Clifford Chance.

One thing that really stood out about the scheme was how it was not centred on "selling Clifford Chance" but rather informing and building up the key skills of a commercial lawyer. David Adam's presentation on Capital markets explained the kind of transactions I had tried to understand over the past year. Similarly the personal impact exercise by Hugo, on developing our communication skills will be useful in any career and undoubtedly changed the way I will present myself in interviews.

The vacation scheme had been fantastically organised. We had such a busy schedule, most days ranging from 9:30am until 8:00pm. From lunches being tailored to dietary requirements to a trip to Paris being seamless, everything was throughly thought through and we all knew where we were and what we were going to do next. Having an earlier evening before the 5:30am start the next day to go to Paris, and having a sightseeing trip organised there ensured we were all able to get the most experience out of the trip.

Professional and friendly. Whether it be my interactions with fellow Springboarders or employees of the firm, the atmosphere was very friendly. I was offered coffee multiple times to discuss the firm, what it's like to work there and any queries I might have more generally. People would make time to talk to me, no matter how busy a schedule they had. This gave the firm a friendly feel, unrivalled in my experience to any other law firm.

Having a presentation called "demystifying the training contract" was really useful to understand what it would really be like to work at the firm. It was a time where we could ask any question, anonymous or not, about the firm, work-life balance and much more. This honest discussion was very beneficial for me, while I already knew what to expect from a training contract hearing personal accounts made a significant difference. What became apparent was the sense of collegiality in the firm, the friendliness I had experienced seems to weave itself throughout the entire firm.

As previously mentioned, having such an array of experiences gave me a rounded insight into the firm, but also the role of a commercial lawyer. The workshops enabled me to use the skills I have already refined during my law degree, such as in a litigation negotiation, and made me realise how much I enjoyed using these skills. I was already set on becoming a commercial lawyer, the scheme not only confirmed this ambition, but made me all the more excited to get started.

There were plenty of opportunities to network. Networking breakfasts, lunches, dinners and drinks. Having these different events was really useful because it enabled me to witness what it was like to work in the firm in a variety of environments, before people had started work, during and after. It was heartening to see so many employees attend these events, and who were always willing to answer any question I had.

I would recommend this to any friend interested in a career in commercial law. My experience has been fantastic, I have learned an incredible amount from presentations about the content of commercial law, what it's actually like to work in a firm like Clifford Chance from employees, and even discuss the future of the firm with the global head of operations. The scheme is not there to sell Clifford Chance, it offers a unique insight to the firm, which itself illustrates how successful the firm really is. Moreover, being able to say that I have made friendships that will last beyond the application process is something I believe is very rare in such an intense legal market.