Vacation Placement Student Review

I really enjoyed the week as I felt like I fitted into the team really well and had the opportunity to experience the firm's friendly, inclusive culture. I enjoyed the work I was allocated and the fact that I was trusted to complete it to a good standard. I thought it was well-structured and gave me a good chance to speak to a variety of people.

I really appreciated being given actual work to do by different people as it made me feel valued, responsible and productive. I would like to have been given more, but I understand that it's difficult when everyone has their own workloads to manage. I liked that several people took the time to meet and talk to me.

My host trainee was really supportive, welcoming and helpful. He gave me guidance whenever I needed it and actively sought work for me to do, arranging meetings with lawyers in areas of law in which I am interested. He took the time to explain how certain transactions work in practice, which I really appreciated.

I learnt to not be afraid to approach people, and that putting myself out there is the best way to find out what I need to know or meet useful contacts. This will be really useful throughout my career. I also learnt time management skills in a legal context, which will be extremely valuable.

I liked that I was given work to complete by people from two different departments, although I would have liked more work as sometimes I found myself at a loose end. However, the social media challenge and placement diary were good as they gave me something to focus on when there was nothing else to do.

Extremely positive. Everyone was really friendly, easy to talk to and seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say. It felt like everyone was really working as part of a team as there was a good-humoured, collegiate atmosphere, and I liked that everyone worked hard but also paused to talk and laugh.

I would have liked to have been given more work to do, but I understand that this can be difficult. I appreciate that meetings with different people within the firm were arranged, including lunch with the other placement students, and the induction was really helpful. My host really helped me develop a better understanding of the law in practice.

I saw how well everyone seemed to get on in the office, and talking to different people gave me a really good insight into what everyday practice at Shoosmiths is like. I really got a feel for the office, the people and the type of work. Everyone seemed genuine and relaxed, so I feel like I had a true insight into working at the firm.

It helped a lot; it's one thing reading about the friendly culture online, but until I actually experienced it I found it difficult to differentiate Shoosmiths from any other firm that described itself as "friendly". Everyone was so relaxed and helpful, which can't really be conveyed using words - I really got a feel for the inclusive culture.

I found out about new areas of law which I'd never previously considered or known much about, which was helpful as I found some of them really interesting. I also learnt a lot more about areas which I have always been interested in, which was really helpful as I gained greater understanding of what they are like in practice.

Yes.

The hosts arranged a lunch for the three placement students, which was really good as it was nice to talk to others in the same situation as me. It was also helpful to meet and talk to trainees and solicitors working at Shoosmiths, as they gave me a broad insight into the firm.

Good - I got to talk to the other placement students, their hosts and some solicitors who practise in areas in which I am interested, but I would have liked to have been more involved with the other solicitors and staff working in the department I was placed in; they always seemed too busy.

Yes, I learnt about the sporting, community and charity events.

Yes.