Vacation Scheme Student Review

Firstly, we were given an office tour and were introduced to everyone in the office that day. We then had a MS Teams meeting with somebody from the English offices about health and safety in the workplace. When we later got access to our laptops we had to complete approximately an hours worth of training about health and safety, reporting scam e-mails, recognising bribery and corruption and about data security. Most days I completed reading about the key information in my department, completing tasks assigned to me from partners and associates and completed a group activity on the last day.

My communication skills have developed during this vacation placement as I have been interacting with a variety of different people. Also, my time management skills and organisational skills have improved as I have had to effectively manage my time to get tasks done. My teamwork skills have improved because I had a group task to complete with the other vacation scheme students. This task also helped to improve my listening skills as I was acknowledging and appreciating the viewpoints of others and their approach in the task. Additionally, my research skills have greatly improved through carrying out due diligence checks.

We were provided with many opportunities to ask questions about the route to qualify in Northern Ireland and we had the chance to meet the Emerging Talent team via MS Teams to discuss the application process for a training contract and what the assessment centre involves at each stage. Our group task involved us discussing what different departments would need to be involved in an acquisition which allowed us to learn about the roles of each department at Shoosmiths.

Everyone in the office was really friendly and approachable and had a genuine interest in getting to know us and making us feel welcome. We had a lunch with the trainees and then a lunch with the partners which was a good way to ask questions about the firm in a more casual setting and allowed us to get to know each other better. The office was very modern and had a lovely relaxed atmosphere with free soft drinks, sweets and a coffee machine in the kitchen.

The vacation scheme was a great opportunity that I found really enjoyable as it gave me an insight into a commercial law firm and allowed me to clarify my career aspirations going forward. Also, the opportunity to talk to the trainees was helpful as we were given valuable information about the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) and a general overview of the training contract and what their role involves. We had the opportunity to watch a case at the Laganside Court which was interesting and we were shown the Law Society of Northern Ireland building where we got a coffee.

Yes

Be yourself in your application and answer the questions honestly. Also, use the word count in the questions to give an appropriate answer length. I would recommend spending time proof reading and asking others such as friends and family for their feedback when they ready your application. Focusing on how your extra-curricular activities align with the firm's values is helpful and shows how you would be a good fit. When completing the online test, answer the questions honestly and do not try and guess what the 'correct;' answers are.