Vacation Scheme Student Review

The vacation scheme was perfectly organised to give us a vast range of experiences in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. We were able to meet and work with employees from a range of backgrounds and levels, and they were always honest. I really enjoyed the vacation scheme, because it gave me the opportunity to get fully involved with the firm, working on their real client work, and talking to people about their real experiences. Throughout the three weeks, I was able to have a lot of fun while also learning a lot about legal practice and about A&O. I also had the opportunity to visit an international office for one week, during which I was able to fully experience what life at A&O would be like. To meet such a wide range of people, and to be involved in work which spans so many jurisdictions (and to even visit those jurisdictions), was amazing.

I was doing real work, which was even used by partners for client meetings. Any question or issue that I had was instantly answered or remedied (even small things, like having my lost drinks bottle replaced!) and everybody truly wanted me to get the most out of the experience. Employees would take time out to chat over a coffee or to explain their work in detail, and even Partners wanted to take time to find out more about me and my experiences. Overall, it was clear that A&O really does care about vacation scheme students.

Not only were the Graduate Recruitment team constantly available to support us, but all other members of staff took a real interest in guiding us through the process. Whether it be guiding me through the work I'd been set, or supporting me during the preparation for assessments, there was always help where it was needed. Support was available for everything, whether it be big or small, and it was fantastic to know that there was always somebody to call or visit. We were all allocated trainee buddies, who kept in touch with us through the entire three weeks and made sure that any questions were answered and that we were getting the most out of the scheme. I also really appreciated that nobody expected the work to be perfect or for us to understand instantly, and instead people took the time to sit down, explain the general transaction or matter, and to then guide you through the work.

I had a very broad range of work and was taught about a range of transactions and matters. I therefore developed skills during the shadowing that will be applicable to my LPC and training contract, as I am able to see the bigger picture and to understand how the issues would be dealt with. In addition to this, I feel that the knowledge will help me during my Law degree. I am now more able to understand the impact of specific clauses in contracts and to understand how, in practice, they would cause issues for the clients. However, I think the most important skills and information came from advice that I was given. The employees gave me many tips for the future, and these will be applicable for my entire career.

The scheme was very well structured. We usually had practice talks in the morning, which meant that we learnt a lot about the firm and each department, and then a variety of other talks and activities throughout the week. Each afternoon, we worked in our chosen departments, so we were able to plan our time very well in terms of meetings and completing work for deadlines. Both us and our trainers received the timetable at the start of the week, which meant that everybody knew when I was available and what I could get involved in. We had a few assessments, which were sufficiently spread out over the three weeks to give us some preparation time, while also letting us relax. The social events were always after our assessments, which was great. Nobody was stressed or worried, and we used them as a celebration!

Everybody was friendly, talkative and interested. It was fun yet informative, and A&O met my expectations of having high-quality work, incredibly smart lawyers, and a fantastic culture.

We had a variety of activities and training sessions, based on Marketing Strategy and so forth, plus we were sat with an Associate or Senior Associate who took a lot of time to help us. A&O also organised my entire trip abroad, from which I am developing my language skills and international knowledge. I feel that A&O invested heavily in us, constantly wanting us to develop and learn new things, and to give us new experiences for the future.

I was able to work with such a range of people on their actual client that I now feel significantly more knowledgeable about their roles. Helping to do small tasks at the same time as the lawyers meant that I was constantly involved in the developments of the deal and took on my own responsibilities, for example research into specific areas of the law. I was also able to get involved in other parts of their work, such as writing articles and doing some community work, which meant that I got a rounded view of the day-to-day life of an A&O lawyer. I think it is also important to see the facilities, such as the cafes and gym, to understand what would be on offer, and these were all fantastic!

One of the most important things for me is whether I will enjoy working in A&O, and the vacation scheme showed me that I definitely would. There was so much diversity, openness, friendliness and support, that I truly enjoyed spending my time there. At the same time, there's a real drive for excellence and making sure that your team are constantly succeeding, and I loved that everybody supported one another in excelling, rather than competed and fought. Through the vacation scheme, I understood that the firm focuses on teamwork and diversity, which were especially important to me.

We were able to find out about every department while also work in our chosen departments. I was able to get a real taste of what each department was like and which areas of law might interest me the most, while also finding out more about the international offices and where I may want to work!

We were paid very well, and everybody was able to comfortably afford to stay in London during the scheme. A&O also offered help if we had any financial difficulty and provided many lunches, both in a big group and with individual lawyers. We had free access to all of the facilities, including the gym, the subsidised café and deli, and so forth, so I faced no financial difficulty at all.

There were a variety of planned events, such as networking lunches and social events, plus we were invited to spend time with our own departments for lunch seminars and so forth. There were plenty of opportunities, and A&O even offered to put us in touch with specific people if we didn't get to meet them. I networked with trainees, associates, partners, and support staff, and it was great to find out their view of A&O.

We went for dinner to the OXO Tower, did a room escape, went for a tour of London, and much more. There was always plenty of great food, great conversation, and great activities.

We had a day at Spitalfields Community Farm to see A&O's involvement in pro bono and community work, plus I talked to a range of people about the pro bono work that they do. I was also able to write the article for the Litigation Review, and we were invited to join the sports and activity clubs during our time there.

I definitely would. This is one of the best schemes that I have been on, and it's clear that the firm really cares about the experiences that you gain.