Vacation Scheme Review

A number of contributing factors meant that I thoroughly enjoyed the Taylor Wessing scheme. Perhaps most important was the opportunity to engage with legal professionals of all levels throughout the firm providing real insight into a wide breadth of work. We were also encouraged to contact members of departments throughout the firm, and were able to discuss their work at the firm, this experience proved to be valuable and enjoyable. There was also opportunity to build relationships with my fellow vac schemers as opportunities to socialise were built into the scheme.

The firm made a genuine effort to introduce me at the beginning of each week which mean that I was able to quickly acclimatise to each department. I was given tasks which are traditionally carried out by trainees, with a view to providing a realistic impression of life at the firm. There opportunities to work on live matters which provided a clear sense of responsibility, and motivated me to carry out tasks to the best of my ability.

Initially the firm provides an induction which gives information on the scheme as a whole, the process of qualification for an aspiring solicitor, and all matters IT which is incredibly helpful! Following this there was a thorough introduction to the department, and each seat provides you with a supervisor and a trainee buddy. This designated network within the seat is very useful and an excellent start for accessing more work. I also sat alongside a senior associate and a partner which was yet another means to settle any queries relating to the work or otherwise. I found each person to be very approachable, allowing me to gain the most from each seat.

I am a law student, and so my first seat in Real Estate built upon some of the knowledge that I had previously gained, however a fellow non-law student in this department seemed able to be similarly productive as the base-level knowledge for each task was quickly and well communicated. I was then in Tax and Incentives (a module which I will take next year) and this provided an interesting perspective for my studies. I built upon basis principles of drafting, and learned the necessary material to complete each task. A consistent theme was the importance of clarity in the way that material is sourced and presented. This combination of skills was empahsised as being essential for efficiency in the real-world; enhancing these skills will also apply well to my remaining academic study.

The scheme was very well organised, evidenced by the fact that the initial timetable (issued prior to the scheme) was largely kept to, ensuring that students could attend as many sessions as possible. A variety of session were provided, most notably the 'Focus on' sessions which were 45 mins or 90 mins in duration. A range of talks and activities gave very good coverage of the work carried out by this full-service law firm. There were other opportunities to play sport or attend pro-bono initiatives, however a limited number of places meant that students needed to express their interest quickly and in in advance. I was rarely unsure as to my next task or activity which is testament to the prior thought of both the Human Resources department, and members of each department.

As mentioned, I spent my time at the firm in two seats. The firm is arranged into 'business groups' (departments which readily work together on matters), and fortunately my two seats were on separate floors being in different groups. This enabled me to observe work in two different environments and I observed different environments which clearly suited the working patterns of each group slightly differently. I always observed a friendly atmosphere, and to reiterate people were always willing to provide help. The office is ideally situated in the city of London which meant that alongside pleasant colleagues, the place of work offered excellent views and calm atmosphere that enabled me to be productive.

Clearly a progression of the scheme is the training contract, and therefore the training aspect was not central. However, during my time the solutions to issues which I faced can be applied to a wider array of tasks, both professionally and academically. In this sense the investment was very good during the two-week scheme. Each department conducts an appraisal at the end of the week which provides feedback that is very constructive and enables higher performance during the scheme. You are also required to give a presentation with a team which offers great opportunity to develop vital business skills.

Much of the work provided in each seat was given to mirror that of a trainee. This appeared to me to be an accurate portrayal of the working life of trainees. Sitting with a professional, and having supervisors and buddies' all of different levels was another means of giving a thorough impression of work throughout the firm.

The firm has four designated values which set out key aspects of the firm's culture. I was able to witness the values in practice, and I would be happy to concur that the culture follows principles of being 'Ambitious for Clients', 'Seeking Innovation', 'An Instinct for Business', Building Strong Relationships'.

The 'Focus on' sessions gave valuable insight from the perspective of recently qualified associates. By understanding their path to law and hearing some of their personal experiences, an authentic vision was created of the opportunities ahead. Similarly, access to some real work which engaged with prominent industry problems was very useful to help me gauge as to whether this was the path for me.

The firm provides an 'allowance' of £275 per week. This was essential to help me with costs of accommodation in London. I was able to source university accommodation at UAL which was reasonable, and the allowance comfortably covered this and my travel to and from home.

I was able to play for the firm's 5-a-side football team which was a very good opportunity during a relatively short period to meet employees of another firm. This was an alternative perspective to interactions with other firms, and something that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The firm arranged two social for all vac schemers; these were arranged and managed by a number of trainees and were great fun. In the first week we player 'urban golf' near the office. Food and drinks were provided and this was a very good chance to get to know your fellow vac schemers at an early stage of the scheme. The second social was at a bowling alley in south Shoreditch; later in the scheme this was great to catch up on the experiences of vac schemers, and was a further chance to grow your network at the firm.

A number of the out of work activities have been touched on, however a number of other opportunities were explained to me. I sat alongside a senior associate who captained the firm's football team in a competition against the German offices. This was just an example of the networking events which the firm organises. The firm appears committed to ensuring that the employees are connected to one another, and this seems to be an important part of maintaining high morale.

I would certainly recommend this scheme. In the given time the diversity of opportunity and calibre of work that you are exposed is very difficult to match. I enjoyed my time and met a number of people, both on the scheme and within the firm that I would very much look forward to meeting in the future.