International Vacation Scheme Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my summer vacation scheme at Allen & Overy. I had the opportunity to get involved in a variety of work as well as attend social events and pro bono opportunities outside of working hours.

My trainer and the wider teams in which I was working made me feel that my contribution was valued and appreciated. Everyone I met was willing to answer any questions I had and the Graduate Recruitment team worked hard to make sure every student had an enjoyable and informative time on the scheme.

I received a good level of training and support during my time at Allen & Overy. During the first few days I received library and IT training to allow me to use the in-house systems. I was offered opportunities to attend departmental training.

I developed a range of skills, such as organisational and team-work skills, that will be highly beneficial whilst I am studying at university. The practice area and skills sessions I attended have provided me with valuable information which will allow me to make decisions regarding my future career path.

The scheme provided an excellent balance between spending time in the firm's departments and also attending vacation scheme events. At the start of the placement, I was provided with a schedule to ensure I knew the date, time and location of all events. This allowed me to manage my time effectively and plan my working day.

The atmosphere was extremely supportive and friendly. All employees of the firm were keen to answer questions that I had and welcome me to the firm.

I felt that the firm invested greatly in the vacation scheme and in each student individually. Personally, I felt that such investment was reflected in the fact that I was also offered the opportunity to spend a week in one of Allen & Overy's overseas offices as part of Allen & Overy's international vacation scheme. Plenty of activities and sessions were organised for all vacation scheme students to develop their skills and to allow each student to receive the maximum value from the placement.

I gained a good insight into what day to day working life at Allen & Overy is like. I had the chance to see the types of tasks undertaken by employees at different levels in the firm and how employees interact on a daily basis.

The placement allowed me to experience first-hand the company culture and understand the working environment at Allen & Overy. I thoroughly enjoyed my placement as a result of the supportive and welcoming culture that Allen & Overy has.

Having completed a placement at Allen & Overy, I feel certain of the career path I wish to take and the areas of commercial law that I would like to experience during a training contract.

I was paid weekly for the vacation scheme.

There were plenty of social events to network with trainees at the firm. I also attended departmental social events to meet associates and partners. I felt that I had multiple opportunities to network and build working relationships.

There was an excellent variety of social events ranging from pizza-making to a duck tour on the River Thames! All the events were thoroughly enjoyable and catered to a range of tastes.

I had the chance to attend a pro bono event and find out the pro bono opportunities for employees at Allen & Overy. I was also offered the opportunity to get involved in firm sporting events.

I would highly recommend the placement to anyone with an interest in international commercial law and looking to gain valuable experience in the sector.