Vacation Scheme participant Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the comprehensive and rounded insight I gained into Linklaters. I particularly appreciated the fact that I had the opportunity to do two two-week seats in completely different departments. This gave me an insight into the micro-cultures of different practice groups within the overarching culture of the firm. The novelty of the work and the different personalities in both groups was fascinating. The brilliant HR department organise various seminars about different practice groups which enables a global view of the firm. The professionals at the firm were extremely honest about the virtues of the job, but also, the demands which encouraged me to form an informed and global view of the job. All in all, I gained a very detailed insight into the structure of the firm, its culture and its people which was overwhelmingly positive.

I would consider that everyone in the practice group was very approachable, encouraging and cordial. I would say that both HR and my various supervisors went out of their way to involve us as much as possible. Obviously, professionals are constrained by the demands of the job, and may not be able to involve you as much as they wish because they are dealing with urgent matter. Also, my technical knowledge would naturally limit my own ability to work on certain tasks. However, this is expected. My overriding impression is that everyone in the firm made a significant effort to encourage participation and give me a meaningful insight into life as a lawyer.

My principals and trainee buddies were instrumental in providing instructive guidance as to how to approach my work. They understand that a university student's knowledge is limited, they encourage being inquisitive, proactive and make the time to explain what they matters they are currently working on. Alumni from my college and country reached out to me to give me various tips. I could always reach out to HR for technical or personal support. Overall, the guidance and support was outstanding.

I learned some very constructive skills and received great advice which will assist me in college and provide me with a very robust platform to develop a good career. the skills which were particularly salient comprised reading documents thoroughly, attention to detail, being very concise, networking and understanding your audience's needs and demands. These are indispensable skills in university and beyond.

The insight was comprehensively and thoughtfully structured. A reservation about many schemes is that one will simply twiddle their thumbs in the corner of an office. This could not be further from the case at Linklaters. I was always kept busy. We had multiple seminars and workshops every week as well as two socials. This, in addition to our own work project and the work my principal delegated to me kept me appropriately busy and engaged for the full duration of the scheme.

the atmosphere was cordial, dynamic and exciting. The friendly, good-spirited, and well-humored relationships between colleagues was truly uplifting. I was surprised by how strong the bonds of friendship were in practice groups. There was a real sense of collective responsibility and collegiality among professionals of the highest calibre. Equally, there was a steely determination and buzz around the office when a number of colleagues were brought in on a big deal. I was really drawn to this friendly, yet very professional, atmosphere and it is a key driver behind my motivation to return to the firm.

The personal training and development scheme was outstanding. I did a dispute resolution and client pitch exercise which helped improve soft skills which are often overlooked or under-emphasised at university. I also attended several networking events which encouraged me to hone my social skills. Furthermore, the seminars conducts by a number of partners from different practice areas boosted my technical knowledge and were highly interactive.

I have a very clear idea of what is required of a linklaters' lawyer having done the scheme. The role necessarily varies according to the practice group. The seminars outlined the requisite skills and nature of work that I would encounter in different practice areas. Everyone at the firm was very honest about the virtues and challenges of the job. I have much more informed understanding of what the job entails post-scheme.

The scheme was very instructive in understanding the culture. As mentioned, the cordial, collegiate and professional culture at Linklaters is striking and permeates and unifies the whole firm. The policy of doing two seats in different practice groups is a major advantage at Linklaters. At one end, I experienced a very dynamic, sharp, fast-paced, and slightly more hierarchical culture. In the other department, I found it to be slightly more open, inclusive and approachable. This policy endowed me with a constructive insight into the different sub-cultures in the firm and will inform my future decisions as to which practice area I would like to pursue.

The content was dynamic, positively challenging, and fascinating. I was pushed to exercise a broad range of skills including research, drafting, due diligence, presenting across a broad range of topic. I found the work I did to be intellectually stimulating and engaging. I was very pleased that this was the case as it has reinforced my motivation to pursue a profession in commercial law.

I would conclude that the level of pay was perfectly appropriate. Also, I think the policy of paying vacation schemers is generous and I would not expect nor desire the level of pay to increase beyond its current level.

The firm strongly emphasised building a network in the firm and to proactively contact people. HR organised a number of breakfasts, lunches and other networking events to gain exposure to many people in the firm and ask questions about their experience. Also, it is firm-wide knowledge that the schemes are taking place and people in the firm will reach out the vacation schemers for a variety of reasons which is a benevolent gesture.

As mentioned, the opportunities were plentiful. Human Resources arranged two social events a week at the end of the work day which gave me an opportunity to learn about and build friendships with my cohort in a social context. A wide variety of persons in the firm, ranging from trainees to partners may attend these events which gave me the opportunity to network. As mentioned above, HR organised a number of events for the express purpose of networking and inquiring.

I did not explore this subject vigorously. I was made aware that there is an entire website on the company intra-net devoted to activities outside of work such as choir, football etc. Fundamentally, if you want to pursue an activity, Linklaters has the infrastructure and resources to enable you to pursue that activity. the options are virtually endless.

Yes, I would wholeheartedly recommend the doing the scheme to a friend for all the reasons that I have given in depth above.