Spring Vacation Scheme Review

I enjoyed every single moment I was at the firm! It was amazing, I was in such a good mood every day I walked into the office. The vac scheme was honestly phenomenal, I could tell the grad rec team put a lot of effort into organising the vac scheme.

I was made to feel like an important member from day one. The tasks I completed for everyone showed that my input was extremely valued - I was really surprised at the level of responsibility I got; it made me feel like a real member of the team which left a lasting impression on me.

Everyone at the firm was soo supportive, it felt unreal. My trainee buddies did a fantastic job at supporting me and guiding me towards the right direction. One thing I would say is that it seemed that everyone I met genuinely wanted me to secure a training contract - people gave me tips even when I had not asked; it was simply encouraging.

I definitely improved so many skills due to the level of responsibility I was given. In particular I walked out of the firm with more confidence than I had before the vac scheme. There wasn't much I learned at the firm that could help me in my actual degree since I was at the firm for only 2 weeks.

I couldn't fault the structure of the scheme even if I tried. We got the timetable on the first day and everything pretty much went as planned. I also appreciated the fact that our timetable was not packed at all. It had the right balance which encouraged me to soak myself into the firm's culture and working environment.

There's truly a 'culture of friendship' at Bakers. Honestly, I know that every firm says that they have a friendly culture, but having done another vac scheme at a different firm, I can say that Bakers is truly a friendly firm. Every single person was welcoming, people would invite me to coffee, people were genuinely interested in my background, partners would stop me and try and have conversations with me - it was amazing.

We had a client pitch as part of our assessment and we received constructive feedback as a group, as well as individual feedback. This was extremely helpful. We also had lunch with the management committee and breakfast/lunch with partners, associates and trainees on several occasions. It was obvious the firm was investing in us.

I performed typical trainee tasks so it was easy to have an idea of what my day to day role would be like. I also spent a lot of time chatting with trainees and associates about their roles so it was nice to also understand what I could be doing in the future.

I loved this vacation scheme because there were always new faces at the social or networking events. This meant that I got the chance to meet soo many people, which enabled me to understand the culture of the firm. The people at the firm made me feel super comfortable, I could easily just pop in to an office and say hi.

I really enjoyed the work I did in both departments, it increased my interest in the transnational practice areas; so I guess it helped me to decide on my future career path (i.e which seats to complete during my training contract). It was only a week each, but a very insightful week.

As aforementioned, there were lots of opportunities to meet people. I honestly felt like I had asked every single question I could possibly ask by the time we got to the end of the vac scheme. It was also great because people always indicated that they were willing and happy to chat with you.

Unique yet fun and memorable!

Yes, I did.

Absolutely!