First Step Scheme Review

It was an extremely beneficial week. At first quite a daunting prospect of being thrown into the offices but everyone was welcoming and encouraging. It was great being in a small intake as this meant we all became friends very quickly.

We were given trainee buddies who checked in throughout the week which was a great. They were an informal point of contact who we could express any concerns to. In my personal experience the majority of people were welcoming and willing to explain things to you if you asked nicely!

The Graduate Recruitment team were always just a phone call away if they were needed, but the majority of the time there was no need. We had supervisors and trainee buddies who were happy to answer questions and queries.

I am a non-law student therefore the experience does not directly benefit my degree subject, but it has certainly helped me to develop my commercial knowledge which will benefit me in pursuing a legal career in the future.

The pre-scheme day and the first day were mostly talks and information which were well structured into sessions. We had a lot of free time where we were working in our departments which was really beneficial. There was also a social on the Monday which was a great way to get to know the others on the scheme.

The general atmosphere was positive and friendly. Being in such an awesome location with the view of Tower Bridge was also great and added to the excitement of the offices. I definitely felt I was a part of a big organisation for the week.

We were given a lot of time in our departments which meant we got to know the lawyers we were working with and how their processes work. It was a great opportunity to get under the surface and experience the culture of the firm first hand.

A lot. Being able to experience it first hand and spend longer than just a day or two in the offices, I was able to really get a feel for what it felt like to be an employee there.

It gave a great practical experience that offered so much more than an open day. Being able to watch and participate in the actual work in the firm was invaluable for deciding if it was right for me.

Really good fun - we got a social on the first evening which was a great opportunity to get to know everyone else. Unfortunately lots of trainees were busy for this but we had other opportunities to socialise with trainees in the week.