Vacation Scheme Review

Pinsent Masons' vacation scheme programme provided a valuable insight into the workings of an international law firm. The programme was very well organised and allowed me to undertake a two week placement within the firm's litigation and compliance department. I enjoyed working in the same department for two weeks as this allowed me to acquire a detailed understanding of the firm's litigation department and undertake complex work to improve my understanding of the role and responsibilities of a trainee solicitor. The firm's programme also included various practice presentations. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about different areas of the firm during these presentations and was able to enhance my understanding of Pinsent Masons' sector driven strategy.

From the outset of this placement I felt a valued member of firm. Pinsent Masons' supportive culture allowed me to network with various lawyers effectively. I was asked to undertake tasks related to ongoing disputes and felt I was able to make a real contribution to my department. Vacation scheme students were able to participate in various events at the firm. I personally enjoyed playing hockey at Pinsent Masons as this provided a valuable opportunity to network with members of the firm whilst having some fun outside of office hours.

Throughout my placement I was supervised by a lawyer within Pinsent Masons' litigation department. During my first few days it was great to have a supervisor to introduce me to other members of the firm. I received regular feedback on my work and was always encouraged to ask questions. The trainees supervising the social events throughout this placement were great. The trainees epitomised the firm's approachable culture and provided valuable guidance during the programmes formal assessments.

Throughout this placement I was able to apply key skills I have developed whilst studying at university and working into practice. I was able to develop key analytical skills when undertaking detailed legal research, my attention to detail when drafting documents and my communication skills when attending a client seminar. I am confident that being able to apply these key skills will assist me greatly in my future employment.

The programme was very well organised. On the first day of the placement I was provided with a detailed plan for the placement which allowed me to organise my schedule and prioritise various deadlines effectively.

Pinsent Masons friendly, approachable and supportive culture was integral to my enjoyment of this placement. Throughout the placement I felt comfortable to engage with members of the firm and ask questions to improve my understanding of ongoing tasks and the firm as a whole.

Throughout this placement I was supervised by a lawyer at Pinsent Masons. Being able to work for two weeks in a single department allowed me to acquire a detailed understanding of my practice area. I was given complex work to complete and was able to make a genuine contribution to assist lawyers on various ongoing disputes. I was able to set objectives at the start of my placement with my supervisor and was given support and feedback to ensure these were successfully completed by the end of my placement.

As previously mentioned spending two weeks in a single practice area allowed me to acquire a detailed understanding of a particular area of the firm. I do not feel I would have been able to undertake such a wide range of tasks and benefit from such a large degree of responsibility if my placement was split amongst different practice areas.

Being given the valuable opportunity to broaden my skills and experience contentious legal work alongside previous work experiences has certainly further encouraged me to pursue my career aspirations of becoming a commercial solicitor.

Throughout this placement Pinsent Masons provided opportunities for meeting and networking with members of the firm. I personally enjoyed social events with the trainees including pizza making and a partner lunch. I particularly enjoyed the partner lunch as it provided a valuable opportunity to meet senior members of the firm and acquire a detailed understanding of their respective practice areas in an informal environment.

The networking events were very well attended by members of the firm. End of week office drinks and representing Pinsent Masons' hockey team against a competing firm were my personal highlights. Throughout these I events I felt comfortable networking with members of the firm and was able to acquire a firsthand insight of the firm's approachable and very supportive culture.

As previously mentioned, I personally enjoyed playing hockey for Pinsent Masons and attending end of week drinks. All events were widely publicised across the firm which allowed myself and other vacation scheme students to meet and network with various members of the firm.

I would fully recommend this placement to a friend, it provided a valuable insight into the workings of a growing international law firm and the role and responsibilities of a trainee solicitor.