Vacation Placement Student Review

Very enjoyable experience. Quality work, enjoyable socials, and great people at all levels.

Completing the tasks I was given allowed me to feel part of the process. Tasks weren't all photocopying and administrative - the work I completed was sent to clients and presented to partners as if I was any other member of the team. Outwith work I was involved in sporting activities, drinks, lunches, and other outings. The people I worked with in my team was a huge plus for the experience.

During the placement you're paired with a Trainee Buddy (normally a first year) who is invaluable in providing you with advice and answering any "stupid" questions you might have (note - there's is literally no such thing as a stupid question). You get to know the other trainees through various social events and this allows you to receive advice from a variety of sources. You are also paired with a supervisor during your time (although this may alternate between people due to summer holidays). You set objectives and meet regularly to discuss progress - you need to be proactive to get feedback if you want it, but everyone is more than happy to explain the transaction or relevance of the piece of work you're completing.

Much more structured than other placements I've experienced. Presentations every morning allowed you to experience departments other than the one in which you were placed. Regular lunches allowed you to meet trainees and partners in order to talk in an informal setting. The social events that are planned by the trainees were also a great way to get to know people and get an accurate feel for the culture at the firm.

Friendly, warm and welcoming. I really enjoyed my time at Pinsent Masons. Other firms harbour strict divides between different levels of seniority - not here. Partners were just as approachable as the trainees which allowed you to gain some great knowledge and experiences. The social aspects of the experience were also a plus. Office drinks and sporting events are fairly frequent and allow various levels of participation without any pressure.

I think I received a fairly accurate picture of what being a trainee at the firm would be like. I was tasked with various substantive tasks that were originally set to the trainees - if I hadn't been there then they would have been doing them. You learn as much from the work as you do from talking to other people. Chatting with trainees or more senior members of the team allowed me to envisage how my career would develop here.

First day required travel to Glasgow from Edinburgh and expenses were paid for this. Salary was reasonable for a placement considering the hours are quite strictly 9-5 - there's no need to stay at your desk late for the sake of it which is refreshing.

Mentioned this in other comments but plenty social events to meet trainees, other members of other teams, and partners in both formal and informal settings. Everyone here is very approachable and friendly so there's no difficulty in striking up conversation with someone at the printer.

On my first day here I was somehow drafted in to the Glasgow v Edinburgh football match! There are plenty other weekly sporting events that colleagues are really keen to get you involved in. The firm also run a number of CSR programmes. You're given some information about this on the first day but unless you're lucky there's not much of an opportunity to experience this first hand during your time here.

Yes.