Spring Vacation Scheme Student Review

Daily tasks were assigned by trainees and Associates in the practice area. They included research, procedural tasks such as bundling and attending meetings to take an attendance note. There were also frequent meetings to find out about practice areas and vacation scheme students were encourage to set up their own meetings in areas of their interests. This provided insight into both the work of the firm and the culture. Colleagues were available and enthusiastic to discuss their work.

I have developed my time management and prioritization skills as I was handling multiple tasks per day, and I received tasks from various members of the team. I also developed my attention-to-detail as research tasks involved a methodical approach to searching technical literature and commercial information. I also developed my commercial awareness by getting exposure to real client work. Finally I developed my interpersonal skills when meeting with colleagues and working on the group presentation task.

I really enjoyed getting a better understanding of the work at the firm which is high-profile and varied. The firm has strengths in both transactional and disputes work which is particularly appealing and during a training contract you get to experience seats in both. There firm is full service so there are many learning and development opportunities, and the teams work closely together as required by clients. It was excellent to meet a number of trainees to understand their experiences and get tips from them as to how they undertake the role.

The culture was energized and friendly. People were generally very happy to speak to you, whether that was in a pre-arranged meeting or informally whilst getting a drink in the kitchen. There is a cafe which is busy with colleagues having breakfast or a lunch break which is also a nice atmosphere.

I really enjoyed the experience. I left feeling excited about my future career, that I had developed valuable skills and that I had made some great connections through networking.

Yes

Ensure that you have researched the firm inside out and that you can express why you are interested in the work based on your professional and personal experiences. Practice discussing commercial issues and ensure you have a basic understanding of what various teams in a law firm do. Ask lots of questions to assist your learning.