Vacation Placement Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the placement. Members from all levels of the firms were supportive and took a personal interest in my career and interests, and routinely went out of their way to help give me access to an opportunity (for example, I mentioned in a presentation that I had a specific interest in the oil and gas sector, and the partner arranged for me to speak to a colleague in London with a wealth of experience in this work).

My trainee buddy often made it clear that my work was appreciated, and it wasn't a case of her having to find things for me to do - I was genuinely helping her with her workload. The majority of the staff in the department addressed me by my first name after the first couple of days, and were always willing to help clarify any work I was unsure about and answer queries that I had about the firm.

I felt well-supported throughout the insight, but was also given a little freedom with some smaller projects (for example, a research report into activity in the area that was likely to affect the firm and/or its clients). I felt able to approach everybody in the department if I needed guidance or support.

I have already graduated from university, but I feel that the skills I have been able to develop (particularly those relating to being more commercially aware and seeing from a client's perspective) will be beneficial throughout my career and help in subsequent interviews.

The vacation scheme was very well structured, with daily presentations and several social events. We were given a hard copy of the itinerary for the week, and also access to the outlook calendar function to help us to organise our time more efficiently and effectively. Wherever problems in the timetable arose (for example, if a partner had pressing commitments that interfered with them presenting a presentation) we were given notice and the partner would endeavour to make the time back up to us.

The firm has an exceptionally friendly atmosphere. Although there is a hierarchy, this is not noticeable at all in the day-to-day interactions of the firm. I have eaten in the canteen most days during the placement, and been invited to sit with legal PAs, paralegals, solicitors, trainees and associates at lunch - everybody is approachable and happy to share their time.

We were given daily presentations to enable us to gain an insight into the other practice areas that the firm operates in, and given access to the firm's intranet, which gave us access to a wealth of information about the firm. I was encouraged to partake in tasks I had not completed before, which I feel really helped to develop my skills.

The opportunity to work alongside trainees, PAs, partners and other members of the team gave a good insight into the kind of work that the firm is involved with and the kind of activities that employees are involved with on a daily basis. I feel that I fully understand what would be expected of me as a trainee at Pinsent Masons.

The insight helped me to gain a thorough understanding of the company culture. I have had the opportunity to meet a range of people from all different practice groups, and everybody is really friendly and down-to-earth. We have also been given the opportunity to engage in sports and social events with trainees and other members of the firm, which has helped to demonstrate what the culture is like in real terms.

The content of the vacation scheme helped to confirm my interest in my future career path, and the practice presentations in particular helped me to broaden my horizons about the kind of law I would like to specialise in. The question and answer sections were a good source of information, and gave an informal opportunity to find out what work in the department is like.

I was paid a weekly wage and reimbursed for extra out of pocket expenses. At social events, the cost of drinks was covered, and meal costs were covered at firm-organised events.

We were encouraged to attend social and sporting events, including hockey, ping pong, office drinks and touch rugby. These opportunities helped to meet other employees of the firm in an informal setting, and get a real feel of what the culture at the firm is really like.

The networking and social event opportunities were really helpful in affirming that the culture of the firm fits what I am looking for. I particularly enjoyed the ping pong tournament - it was a good opportunity for friendly competition between trainees and vac scheme students!

We were given information about the different initiatives and support groups inside of the firm, and shown the yoga and sports massage rooms. We were given the opportunity to get involved with events that other employees were attending, like the touch rugby and office drinks.

I would definitely recommend this to a friend with an interest in becoming a commercial solicitor. The work is challenging and exciting, and the social events are a great way to make sure that the culture of the firm is a good fit for you. The support network available means that you never feel that you are "left to get on with it", but at the same time, if you show initiative and enthusiasm there are opportunities to take responsibility for a smaller task.