Springboad Participant Review

I very much enjoyed the insight programme, from the informative presentations to the networking and social events, I was always fully interested and engaged. The week had been extremely well organised and I had the chance to speak to a lot of different people. I had so many opportunities to make the most of the time I spent at the firm.

The firm was really welcoming and made each one of us feel valued. The graduate recruitment team did a fantastic job of making sure we all felt welcomed and various networking events happened throughout the week which enabled us to get to know lawyers working at the firm. Although some people felt they were not really given anything to do when sitting in their practice areas, this is understandable given the fact that we are obviously not qualified lawyers!

The graduate recruitment team were outstanding in making sure we all receieved enough help for our questions. Firstly, we had many different opportunities to speak with various employees and staff througout the week - even every lunchtime was a 'networking lunch'. Additionally, they had a policy of 'anonymous' questions for partners which we could ask, which was fantastic if anyone was shy or had a contraversial question.

I believe that the scheme has been invaluable to me in so many ways. We received a lot of information on Clifford Chance itself but the main focus of the scheme was giving us the tools we needed to succeed. For example, there was a presentation on understanding lawyers and a workshop on communication/interview skills which will inevitably help me in my degree and future career.

It was well planned so we could get the most out of the experience, although this meant a busy schedule, we were really well looked after with lovely food, a trip to Paris and social events. The week ran smoothly and I felt there was a good balance between presentations, networking events and time to get to know the group.

Everyone selected to take part in the insight was ambitious, friendly, good fun and intelligent. We had similar interests, motivations and ambitions concerning a career in law. This created an atmosphere conducive to productivity and we all made good friends. The graduate recruitment team were also very friendly, as were other Clifford Chance employees, which also contributed to the positivity.

I believe that Clifford Chance invested in us a lot. The presentations were extremely tailored to our needs; unlike all other firms I've been too, they were not generic but rather focused on contemporary legal issues, past deals the firm have worked on and interactive sessions. Furthermore, a personal development coach was brought in; this was extremely valuable to enable me to develop my interview and inter-personal skills in the long term.

We met various people at different levels in the firm throughout the scheme who all gave their insights on what day to day life was like as a full time staff member. Thus I feel that I gained a very large idea of what the firm was like to work at, within the time constraints of a week.

No matter who we spoke to, they were all being truthful and themselves. It really made me realise the true company culture at Clifford Chance because there is no way that everyone being fake, they were all just so lovely and didn't lie or sugar coat things. Overall, I found the culture to be very open and inclusive.

I think that the content was very well thought-out; I came away from the week with a real understanding on what a life as a lawyer would look like. This confirmed to me that this would be the correct career path for me and that my skills suit this sector.

I was paid more than adequately for this insight experience.

At every lunch, networking event and social event there were always employees we could talk to. It was great to chat to employees in informal settings, such as the theatre event and the meal on the last day. I noticed that every employee really wanted to network with us and wanted to be there, which I truly appreciate.

I found the networking and social events at Clifford Chance to be really excellent.

We had a talk on the pro bono opportunities available to members of the firm in an absolutely fantastic talk. There was clearly a huge range of things to do. We were not explicitly told about other activities outside of work in detail, although we had plentiful opportunity to ask any questions we wanted at all, so this is probably more down to my failure to ask about such activities than it is a shortcoming of the scheme.

Yes, I would absolutely recommend this insight at Clifford Chance to a friend!