Vacation Scheme Participant Review

I very much enjoyed this opportunity at Clifford Chance on the vacation scheme. There was a great balance between desk work, presentations, networking opportunities, and social events. Everyone that I had the pleasure of working with was incredibly friendly and supportive, giving up their vital time to speak me. Overall, a very enjoyable and valuable experience.

I felt extremely well valued throughout my time at Clifford Chance. Employees were extremely welcoming and I was treated as a valued member of the team. Trainees, associates and senior partners gave up their valuable time to talk to us and the recruitment team did everything they could to make us feel welcomed and comfortable.

I felt extremely well supported and we were given a lot of guidance. The range of networking lunches gave us the opportunity to ask future trainees, current trainees, associates and even partners any questions we had about the firm. They were very happy to be honest about life at the firm and I found this unique amongst City firms. Furthermore, the transparency of Clifford Chance was refreshing; there was a huge emphasis throughout the week on honesty, making sure we knew what we'd be letting ourselves in for in coming to work at Clifford Chance.

The information received has improved my awareness of the commercial world tenfold - the knowledge and skills developed will stand me in good stead in the future with the Training Contract application at Clifford Chance and if unsuccessful, elsewhere.

The vacation scheme was very well structured. On the first morning, we were provided with a timetable of all activities that were planned for the duration of our time at Clifford Chance. Our supervisors were well prepared for our arrival and ensured that we always knew what we were doing.

The general atmosphere on this vacation scheme was great and there is such an engaging and open environment at Clifford Chance! Everybody that I met was very welcoming and took the time to get to know us, providing us with extremely valuable career guidance. The atmosphere on the vac scheme was a great reflection of the firm and indicative of the company’s ethos and values.

Clifford Chance invested a great deal into each and every one of us throughout the vacation scheme. The scheme focused on activities which enabled us to develop the skills needed to succeed in this sector. The social and networking events were also indicative of the amount of time and money the firm had invested in ensuring we got the most out of this scheme.

This scheme is a great way to gain a true understanding of what it is like to have a full-time role at the firm. We had the opportunity to meet employees at all levels of the firm, with the chance to ask them questions about their roles and what the work/life balance is like.

This vacation scheme was a great way to find out more about the culture at the firm. We had a number of presentations on the culture, with a focus on the values and ethos at Clifford Chance. The firm was also keen to highlight its diverse and inclusive working culture, which is very international in nature.

The content of the vacation scheme was very beneficial as all of the sessions, workshop and activities were designed to demonstrate what a career in commercial law involves. On this scheme, I realised that my interests and skills are aligned to a career in commercial law and has thus solidified my decision to pursue a career in this sector.

We were given £350 that was intended to go towards accommodation and travel expenses.

On this vacation scheme at Clifford Chance, there were numerous opportunities to network and socialise. We had the opportunity to network with junior associate right through to senior managing partners, who were more than happy to answer our questions and provide guidance! Networking sessions included breakfast sessions and a formal dinner.

I found the social and networking events to be open, friendly and incredibly informative.

Yes, a great emphasis was placed on activities outside of work, from pro bono involvement to sports teams.

I would absolutely recommend this insight to a friend interested in pursuing a career in the commercial law sphere.