Summer Vacation Scheme Review

For my two-week vacation placement, I sat in the Construction Advisory & Disputes (CAD) team in the London office. The work I completed was varied, from research tasks and proofreading to taking notes on client calls and working on various live documents. Tasks such as proofreading and research allowed me to revive my practical skills of legal research, familiarising with resources such as Westlaw as well as being introduced to new texts specific to the seat.

Sitting in CAD gave me further appreciation of certain events impacting the practice, such as Grenfell and the Building Safety Act 2022, and the technicality of the work outside of a ‘black letter law’ perspective. The placement was a great way to interact and network with people from across the firm. I found that the firm’s open culture allowed for happy interactions during brief coffee-chats when they could be fitted during the working day.

I was also able to get involved in other experiences outside of this work which further enhanced my experience. Two particular highlights were attending the CAD Middle East Hub update and going to court with the LR&T team regarding a commercial litigation matter. These opportunities allowed me to interact with members of the firm from different offices and practice areas, creating a greater appreciation for the scope of work the firm is capable of.

My two weeks at Pinsent Masons were greatly enjoyable, made fun as well as stimulating by the characteristic nature of those in the team – truly demonstrating the culture of the firm. As the office is an open-plan space, I was quickly put at ease seeing everyone’s faces and felt comfortable making introductions or starting conversations.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the firm and my team, as well as my experiences with other teams alongside my intern cohort.

Yes

Expand your network by asking questions and keeping an enthusiastic nature throughout your placement