Legal Associate Review

I greatly enjoyed my time on placement. The work, the people and the opportunities that were presented enabled me to grow in ways would have never imagined beforehand. You are given real responsibility and support to implement your ideas. SAP is a company that truly motivates you to get up in the morning determined to succeed. The free lunch and large intern community is a bonus too!

The Legal team are concerned with you as an individual, not merely as an intern. There were numerous opportunities to socialise, whether this be rowing in Oxford or Go-Karting in Cardiff, and build relationships outside of the office. The people are genuine and often expressed their appreciation for the work I managed and my time when supporting them with their daily tasks. In regards to the wider office community, SAP place great value in their interns. I never experienced disrespectful comments or requests solely on the basis that I was an intern. In fact the opposite was true, with some colleagues going the extra-mile to ensure I understood the background and context of their request. SAP has a great initiative called 'SAP Appreciate' where colleagues can recognise your achievements through an 'Appreciate Award'. You receive a brief message and points that can be exchanged for various vouchers or SAP merchandise. It is a great way to show someone you value them and many in SAP are happy to recognise good work when they see it.

The support I received from the Legal team was excellent. The Legal team at SAP are some of the most supportive individuals in the industry. Throughout the placement I was given the opportunity to handle or shadow matters expected of a trainee solicitor. With frequent buddy meetings and an open-plan office, there is an opportunity to ask questions easily. No question was left unanswered, on the contrary all questions were welcome. More often than not, an answer would be accompanied by background information and I was able to appreciate the wider implications of a solution as a result. I experienced support that truly inspired me to work harder and smarter. This has significantly influenced my own development and improved my confidence when working in team in the future. You are not only given support for the work you are given, or problems you come across as part of your daily responsibilities. I received support with my training contract and vacation scheme applications. There were opportunities to attend mock interviews and generally discuss commercial issues affecting a practice area. The Legal team are highly knowledgeable and have been in private practice a number of years before joining SAP. Their generosity in volunteering their time to help with my own career ambitions is something I am very grateful for.

Time management and prioritisation are key skills for the role. However, overall my workload was balanced. If my workload was not manageable, my supervisor and colleagues were able to assist. There were occasions, specifically the end of each financial quarter, where the workload significantly increased. Though free pizza would be provided which certainly helped!

The Legal Associate role for the UK and Ireland is accompanied with quite a lot of responsibility. I was the first-instance contact for NDAs in the UK, Procurement and Marketing queries and managing data protection amendments to commercial contracts ahead of GDPR. There is also opportunity to be on the other side of recruitment. For example, reviewing initial applications, attending phone interviews with colleagues and helping with the Assessment Centres. The placement is what you make it. There are fixed responsibilities, however there are numerous opportunities to lead your own project or get involved with other interns. For example, I lead a project to simplify processes and participated in an Autism awareness project with other interns.

The skills I developed over the course of the placement will significantly assist my career development. With a varied workload you learn to manage your time more effectively and prioritise matters. The amount of responsibility given to Legal Associates enabled me to develop my leadership skills by managing projects and manage expectations of stakeholders. Key for any aspiring solicitor. The training I received empowered me to increase my understanding of the technology sector and will undoubtedly provide a competitive edge for future applications. My time at SAP even helped me secure a vacation scheme with a leading law firm. Additionally, I think working in a formal office environment for more than a year has added to my employability. It may seem insignificant, but every office is different and experience in this environment has helped me adapt to other offices more quickly.

The Legal team were generally in high spirits throughout the placement. There was rarely a day where laughter could not be heard from the Legal area. It has a very welcoming atmosphere and the positivity of some colleagues was contagious. Regarding the rest of the business, the atmosphere was equally approachable buy and large. Most colleagues I came across and interacted with were happy to help in any way they could. Occasionally, there would be a cross-departmental celebration with cake and drinks which was always a bonus!

The Legal Associate role is clearly defined and training is highly structured. Onboarding takes place in the first two weeks of July. This provides a great insight into other departments, how the business operates and where you can find support with IT equipment. During the latter two-weeks of July, your predecessor will incrementally prepare you for the role. This includes initial training on your responsibilities. It is very useful because it allows you to ask questions you may otherwise be apprehensive of asking your supervisor. Additionally, your predecessor will shadow you as you complete more of your daily tasks and responsibilities. By August you'll be ready to take the helm!

There are numerous resources on the company's employee portal where placement students can participate in remote workshops. Topics can vary from 'leading without formal authority' to 'e-commerce: a beginner's guide'. Additionally, there is the occasional opportunity to participate in group workshops over the span of several days. For example, I attended workshops on customer service and project management which were both fun and engaging. Equally, there is the opportunity to ask colleagues from other departments to provide training on particular topics to the Legal team as whole. This is a great way to network and understand the business. The Legal team also take great pride in investing in the development of its interns. You will be provided with ample opportunity to shadow large deals and run your own projects with their support. Several ad-hoc training sessions were carried out over the year which was really useful too. Overall, if you have a desire to learn and are somewhat proactive, its a great place to grow.

Unfortunately, the Legal team do not offer training contract opportunities post placement. While this does mean there are no immediate employment prospects, applications post-qualification would likely be viewed favourably. However, the placement does provide a great opportunity to network with solicitors and attend legal events. These experiences can greatly assist when securing future employment opportunities.

The social life among placement students is excellent. There is a vast intern community and every Thursday many meet up for drinks in Richmond after work. This is a great way to unwind and build relationships outside the office. Among my colleagues in the Legal team, placement students are generally considered the social secretaries. This means the social scene is really what you make it. There are numerous dinners throughout the year, typically at the end of each financial quarter. Roughly every other week the team will travel to Central London to have lunch or go for drinks after work.

It's London, so if you're from the Midlands or the North, expect higher prices than usual. Typical monthly living cost (i.e. rent and bills) will likely amount to £700-850 per month. However, students can get discounted travel cards (30% off) when traveling on the tube and buses across the city.

The main office Legal Associates work from is Feltham, near Heathrow. The business park has no bars or clubs nearby. If you travel or work from the various offices in central London, then the world is your oyster. Currently, as it stands, expect a 45 minute to 1 hour long commute to central London from Feltham.

There was an enormous amount of activities placement students could get involved in outside of work. In July, all the interns have a day-out at Go-Ape following the Boat Ball. In August, there's the opportunity to participate in a charity project raising money to support Action for Children. My team and I used the opportunity to participate in a half-marathon walk around landmarks in central London. Within the Legal, Commercial and Finance teams, there was an opportunity to spend two days at Foxhills in Chertsey. My team and I even rowed on the Thames river in Oxford and had a Go-Karting tournament in Cardiff.