Vacation Scheme/Placement Review

I would arrive at the office for around 8:15-8:30, get settled, and start on some tasks. The work would be either set by a Trainee/Partner/Associate and would involve document reviews, drafting emails and letters, or writing. There would also be meetings to attend about a variety of topics such as feedback meetings based on your tasks, health and safety, or law-related. Internal communication and interaction was with people of all job descriptions and levels of seniority and work could vary day to day. External work would involve vising the courts or delivering documents to the appropriate bodies, such as the Insolvency Services depending on other people's needs.

Legal writing / research has definitely been a key point for development, as well as identifying key issues in a case, contract, or piece of writing. I have learned to work fast but accurately and concisely. It was also an opportunity to develop my knowledge from university and apply it to very real situations, such as Land or Employment Law disputes in Northern Irish Law. This has helped me not only expand my understanding of super important areas of law but also to understand why the laws are the way we are.

It was really exciting to be honest, to understand the opportunities that are available not just as a solicitor but more generally in the legal sphere. As for the business itself, jumping into work on a case while everyone else has been on it since day one can be super daunting. The trainees were really helpful in explaining it and making sure it all made sense to me. They provided really insightful feedback on my work too!

The office is open-plan, meaning I was sat in-between Trainees and Partners at the same time. That created a really nice culture, where there is always a resect for seniority but not to the point where an uncomfortable power balance loomed over the firm. Everyone is super friendly and works together well, and it is clear there are real friendships. There were plenty of opportunities to work and teambuilding and having a bit nof fun outside of the fast-paced, very important legal work.

I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the ins and outs of this type of office, not just the legal side but the admin side. There were times where I ended up idle just due to the way the work is distributed, and having a few more tasks would have been preferred. However, that's just the way the cases shake out, especially in the summer when a lot of the courts were in recess.

Yes

I'd say focus on writing a good application, as it is only assessed in tandem with an aptitude test.