Vacation Placement Review

I really enjoyed my time at the Pinsent Masons Leeds offices. Everybody made me feel very welcome, they gave me a good range of tasks and activities to do throughout my time there. The firm put on a range of socials including a cluedo themed game, a pub quiz, a partner lunch, and 'Friday drinks'. They also gave opportunities to play Hockey, Softball and Cricket.

Everybody made me feel welcome, especially those in my department, my trainee and supervisor.

I was given challenging work to do on my own, to give me the chance to learn and develop my skills, but support and help was there if i ever needed it, from anybody and everybody. The different departments of the firm gave short talks each morning about the usual work they did to provide and insight into a career in that department, these were extremely helpful.

I was given real life tasks of a trainee from drafting documents, preparing and giving presentations, attending client conferences and conducting research.

My period at the firm was excellently structured, I was provided with a timetable outline of what the period would hold, and I was kept fully informed of any changes (of which there were very few).

The atmosphere at the offices was brilliant, everybody was not only friendly to me and the other vacation students, but they all seemed friendly with each other, there was a range of both social and sporting events organised.

Although the placement was only 2 weeks, i felt valued in the firm, they clearly spent a lot of money on the vacation placement process.

Although I was given fixed hours, with social events on many of the nights, you got a sense of the work they did and the work i would do if i conducted a training contract there.

The insight built upon what i already knew about the company, and actually highlighted that what they said was true and not just fabricated.

It was incredibly valuable, not only did it confirm what i wanted to do, but it confirmed that i would love to work there!

I was paid a wage, and i was reimbursed my expenses for travel down to London.

Not only were you given talks in the morning, many partners actively made an effort to come and meet you at dinner time and at staff drinks on a Friday. The firm also arranged several social activities with the trainees and a partner lunch.

They were excellent, they provided opportunities to meet a range of employees. I particularly enjoyed the 'cluedo game' designed by a trainee which was a pub crawl which included clues at each location fittingly named; the living room, conservatory, billiard room, the kitchen and the library

Yes, I was lucky enough to play both Hockey and Cricket for the firm, We were also given a presentation on the firms CSR programme; starfish, what voluntary work the firm does and how to get involved.

Yes, although the application process is difficult it is definitely worth it if you are lucky enough to get a placement.