Vac Scheme Attendee Review

There was a great atmosphere and the various talks and time spent in different departments gave a broad exposure to the type of work the firm does. The work that the schemers got involved was engaging and didn't feel insubstantial. There was also a perfect level of socials to get involved with.

Many people I contacted were willing to take time out of their day to have a general chat with me about what work they were doing, which made me feel as though they valued me getting the most of out the scheme. The constant contact from the Talent team also made me feel as though it was important to them that we were in the loop.

I felt that people listened to what I said and involved me as much as they could in their work. The time that people spent explaining work to me and giving context to the different tasks made me feel as though they cared about my understanding. I received quick and full responses to any queries I had.

I learned a lot about how there is a difference between academic and practical research, which is something I will take forward in my professional life. I also learned how to draft information for clients so that it could best serve their needs without consuming their time. This is a skill I will utilise moving forward.

The talks on different practice areas were planned well in advance and were spaced out at appropriate intervals. These were informative and gave ample time for questions. It would have been nice for the pro bono sessions to be planned out to allow more people to get involved at an earlier stage.

The atmosphere was great--everyone on the scheme got on very well and there was good integration between the schemers and current trainees. I felt very comfortable at planned events and socials, and everyone was very approachable and talkative. The wider firm also seemed very receptive and eager to get to know us.

The firm spent a lot of time giving us extensive IT training, which ensured that I understood the organisation structure that was used. Additionally, people that set me tasks in my departments took plenty of time to explain tasks to me so that I would get a sense of the context, and so this was a significant investment.

Many of the people I spoke to were vary open about the differences between working at the firm in a full time capacity as opposed to what we saw on the scheme. Additionally, seeing how the tasks I completed fitted into the wider firm work ensured I saw what kind of projects full time employees tackled.

I think I understood the firm culture well owing to both the long time spent in both departments, and also due to attending social events. This meant that I saw what the culture was like in both formal and informal settings. I found the culture to be hardworking, but still lighthearted and friendly.

The content of the days was very helpful as it revealed me to whether I would find the work at the firm interesting and engaging, and it also meant that I learned whether I would fit in well with the people at the firm. This was due to constant work exposure and contact with people in my departments.

I received £375 per week for a total of two weeks. This was enough to cover my travel expenses adequately, and also made sure I could buy lunch most days. I am not sure if this would be enough if I were to have had to rent accommodation in London.

There were two social events organised: the darts night and the trainee dinner. Both of these events were a great opportunity to chat informally to trainees and get their perspective on working at the firm. We also attended the firm's summer party, where there was plenty of time to chat to other members of the firm.

The social events were very enjoyable. The organisation was smooth without any major waits or problems, and it was lovely to chat to other schemers and trainees in an informal setting. The socials were also properly spaced out so that one acted as a good introduction, while the other was a good way to cap off the scheme.

I got invited to play in the firm's touch rugby team, which was a good bit of lighthearted fun halfway through the week. This revealed to me the kind of social activities that firm employees can get involved with. I also learned about the pro bono opportunities that the firm undertakes outside the work sphere.

I would recommend the scheme to a friend because of the great atmosphere and engaging work, and because it's an insightful way to determine whether a career in law is desirable. Having done several other schemes, it was much more well organised with plenty of communication from the Talent team.