Vacation Scheme Intern Review

A week is a very short time to be in a law firm so the experience was very intense but this made it extremely enjoyable. No moment was wasted and it allowed you to really make the most of your experience. It was more enjoyable by the end of the week as I started to get to know my fellow interns and actually create friendships.

As an intern there is always the worry of feeling like a burden to your supervisor. However, at Simmons there was a real emphasis from each supervisor or lawyer you met that they take finding and nurturing new talent very seriously. This means you get set real work and tested on your ability and willingness to learn. No other intern I spoke to felt as though their presence was unwanted and everybody became fully involved within their department including being invited to leaving drinks and attending court.

The support during the scheme from graduate recruitment was very hands-off, enabling you to fully integrate into your department. However, the programme was well structured and whenever I reached out to GR for advice or a query I got an immediate response. I thought the approach was exactly right and suits the nature of the business.

By being in the derivatives team I gained exposure to an extremely technical area which is particularly difficult to understand. This mean I learnt a lot about an important area to the Firm in a way that was invaluable and I will definitely be able to take this forwards.

The first day was extremely structured which was perfect for introducing us to the Firm in a supportive way. After this, there were events that broke up the week but primarily you were in your department. Each supervisor had a copy of the timetable so they were prepared with work for you when it was needed.

The atmosphere at this particular Firm was extremely friendly and hardworking. Lawyers take their work seriously but beneath that, they are friends. This creates a very enjoyable working environment.

I think you have to be realistic in your expectations when you are only spending one week in a Firm. Effort was definitely made to integrate us and teach us about core elements of the business but ultimately it was up to you to get the most out of it. The opportunities to learn about different areas of law and meet a variety of lawyers were there, but you had to make the most of them.

Again, a week makes it difficult to appreciate a thirty year career somewhere. I think knowing more about the working culture, the strategy of the Firm, their clients and hours help but ultimately, if people seem happy, that's probably the best indicator of what a full time role will be like. Simmons seems to have a very content and driven set of employees.

Massively. Reading about culture in a brochure is not the same, it is important to see how those words are emanated on a daily basis. My assessment would be that Simmons achieves what it says it provides: hard work with an impressive client list and a commitment to high performance.

I already knew the career would suit me but the day confirms that Simmons is the type of place I want to work.

I was paid a fair wage for my work.

There were extensive opportunities to network with lawyers from all points of their career.

Fantastic. We were always split into smaller groups so that everyone could participate and get something out of the session. The environments were always informal and relaxed.

I did not really ask, I already knew this from their website and previous discussions I have had. If I had asked I know I would have got a good answer.

Absolutely, if I thought the Firm would suit them.