Intern Review

I enjoyed this internship a lot. For starters we got to have an induction week in the London offices, and meeting the graduate recruitment team and the interns from all the other UK offices was a fantastic experience. The whole internship was very structured and organised, insuring that we got to experience both the company culture and the actual work done in the offices as well.

Looking to the company as a whole, I felt very valued and involved. We were constantly told of how we fell into the bigger picture and the opportunities the firm would give us. Placement groups-wise it differed, as it really depended on the office and team you were placed with. For example my first seat wasn't as welcoming as my second seat, but that was probably to blame on the fact that they were limited in numbers, super busy and away from the office a lot of the time.

The graduate recruitment team are great in guiding you through the internship and letting you know of what's going to happen in advance. Generally the teams were good with supporting you with the work you were given, but again they were busy a lot of the time so I often had to take the initiative and complete tasks with limited support; this does reflect the real life of a trainee however, so it was a valuable experience.

I deliberately chose to sit in practice areas which relate to my university studies, so I do definitely think it will help a lot. More than that, I think the 'soft-skills' I've learnt during this internship will be invaluable in the future. This includes networking, attention to detail and generally how to work with colleagues in a high-pressure office environment.

The internship was very well structured. It's only a total of 3 weeks but during that short amount of time you really do experience all sides of the firm. You're given the chance to sit in 2 seats instead of 1, which is great because it does reflect the typical trainee experience of rotating seats.

The general atmosphere of the firm was one of the best things about this internship. Despite being such a prominent international business law firm everyone is so friendly and down to earth, and more often than not someone will be willing to help. The interns all became genuine friends with one another, so the social side of the internship was definitely a highlight.

The firm invested a lot in terms of prior training. The first induction week in London was filled with events, talks and workshops designed to foster skills that a young lawyer needs when entering the workplace - such as resilience, teamwork and even last-minute pitch skills. It does indicate how the firm views the internship as a long-term investment for the future of the firm.

A lot of the partners were very open in detailing their work and everyday lives, so that gave us a good idea of what life as a senior member of the firm is like. Working in the office everyday as well, simply talking to solicitors about their career paths and specialties was a good indicator of what it would be like to have a full-time role.

Video conferences were arranged nearly every morning where partners would talk to us about their specialties and the company values, and the trainees often talked about their perception of the firm during lunchtimes etc.. This was really helpful in helping us understand and fit into the company culture.

It was valuable, mainly because law in practice really does differ from what's taught at university. For example, I enjoyed Land law at university but this internship made me realize that it is very different (and personally less enjoyable) as a career path. On the other hand, a lot of the content I got during the day peaked my interest in areas of law I had never considered before.

The firm are really good in terms of reimbursement. Travel to and from the London office for the first induction week was all reimbursed, and during the same week we got a £20 allowance for dinner. Even after the induction we were each given a cafe allowance to go and spend for a lunch with your trainee buddy.

Every day at the firm had at least one networking opportunity - whether that be a formal networking dinner with partners, or simply sitting with employees during lunchtime and chatting about their work. Networking is encouraged from the outset, and although it sounds daunting you are gradually introduced to it so it never felt like a daunting task.

The opportunities do vary depending on the office, but the firm is generally very social, and there are plenty of social events arranged - particularly during the first induction week in London. Other than that team lunches are quite common and trainees often arrange informal dinners where we can talk to each other in a less formal setting.

Interns are quite limited in that we're not included in activity email groups etc., but still the trainees in particular did make an effort to invite us to anything that crossed their calendars. So far there we have been invited to a rugby club and a charities committee, both of which have been great.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend. It is very well-structured and although the work can be challenging it is an accurate reflection of what life as a full-time employee at the firm is like. Above all though the people are genuinely welcoming, and I never felt as if there was a hierarchy within the workplace where partners were seen as unapproachable.