First Year Insight Scheme Review

The scheme was split into 2 general sections. The first section involved sessions about the different practice areas Latham dealt with. Very well organised with very informative speakers. What I appreciated was the fact that people at different levels ie. Partners, Associates and trainees would always be present for each practice area briefing. The second section allowed us to be seated in a practice area seat I sat with Tax and the experience was amazing. A very friendly team with a patient associate.

The best skill I learned was maintaining an open mind. The scheme allowed me to do this as it provided me with a depth of exposure to several practice areas. This comforted me as it made me aware that as a First Year, even firms did not expect you to know which practice area you wanted to specialise in - but instead as a participant, you should focus on understanding as many areas as possible.

Comforting. What I appreciate about Latham's First-year scheme is that they give you the confidence that they see value in you. You are here for a reason and we want to make your transition towards a career at Latham as manageable as possible. This was not something I experienced in other schemes which I really value about Latham. I also appreciated that Latham effectively communicated how they operate as a Business rather than just a purely legal firm.

The company culture is one that does not lie. They say they are of a flat hierarchy culture, and it was evident during the week I was there, that it was. But what I admire more about the firm is that it does not shy away from the fact that the work will be hard. But the beauty about the culture here is that they can be working hard - but at least they are working together as a unit. This is something that a prospective trainee would benefit greatly from as they enter this generally intimidating legal culture.

I really enjoyed the scheme. From the first day, till the very end, I felt that every day of the scheme was specifically engineered to ensure the best experience for a First-Year. What I appreciated was that the scheme was not a general scheme, it was clearly tailored to cater to the needs and demands of a First-Year that are definitely different from that of a Second or Third-year law student.

Yes

Be yourself, but be prepared. Latham to me seems like a place where you can be yourself, and express your personality. However, while there is the freedom to be an individual, there is also an expectation to perform at a certain level of excellence. To me, that is ideal because, as an individual myself you should strive towards being good at what you do, but not at the risk of compromising who you are.