Summer Internship Participant Review

The placement was really enjoyable for the whole three weeks! We went to London which was really fun as we had constant activities planned. Following this, we then went to the offices which we would be based at when training, which was very insightful too!

I felt very valued throughout the placement and whenever I did work for anyone, I was thanked and even given feedback sometimes. The partners who I spoke to happily took time out of their day to answer any questions I had

We were given personal mentors during the placement who were trainees at our regional office. Any questions we had could be directed to them, or to our supervisor who we were sat with. With regards to doing the tasks we were set, if you had any questions, everyone was willing to give you guidance and point you in the right direction. In addition, the graduate recruitment team were always available to provide any support required.

The things I learnt during the placement was not necessarily linked to my degree. However, the skills I developed through working within the law firm will most definitely help me in my future. These skills could not be learnt through traditional networking events, thus the placement was valuable in that respect.

The placement was very well structured and in London we had an itinerary set for the duration. There were a variety of talk, activities and network events, making the placement very enjoyable. When we returned to the regions, the structure was not as formatted. Most days we had a video conference with all of the other offices which was important to ensure we all felt connected.

During the placement there was such a great atmosphere, not only with the staff, but with the other people on the scheme. The placement was very fast-paced and a good reflection of the life of a lawyer.

The firm was very good at showing us what it would be like to have a full time role at the firm. It was clear that everyone was honest and happy to answer any questions we had. During the time in my departments, I simply slotted into the office and everyone did their work as normal. This allowed me to observe the office atmosphere and daily life of a DLA lawyer, as well as doing real work that trainees would complete.

The culture of the firm was clearly conveyed to me in various ways. It was very nice to hear from senior members of staff and their values such as their policy on mental health, work life balance and their approach to female progression. We were also able to spend time with employees outside of the office; this was insightful and allowed me to gage more about the culture of the firm

The content we received during the placement was very realistic to that of a trainee at the firm. This was important for me as I did not have much experience or knowledge of what the day to day work was actually like. Doing the placement confirmed to me that this was the career path that I wanted to pursue, as I found the work very interesting.

We were well paid for the three weeks, our lunches were paid for during the full placement and our evening meal whilst in London. My train tickets to and from London were paid for, as well as the hotel which we stayed.

There were various opportunities for networking whilst in London and the region. It was also very helpful that we had a workshop on how to effectively network.

We had two or three organised networking events throughout the placement in which we were able to network and socialise. This was an important element of the placement in order to see beyond the office and connect with the others on the placement.

I did have an insight into the activities employees get involved with outside of work, especially the pro-bono activities, charity events which people get involved in. This wasn't really focussed on during the placement so perhaps this could have been elaborated on more.

I would definitely recommend this experience to a friend - the placement was such a valuable three weeks and not only for my career, but I met so many amazing people. We were also told on the last day of the placement whether we had been successful; I really appreciated this because it meant we weren't waiting nervously to hear back from the firm.