Work Placement Review

The week long program consisted of seven, one-day sittings in different law departments of Pinsent Masons, for example, property and EU Competition departments. Each day started with a meeting where were met by trainee solicitors who gave us a detailed information based presentation on a particular area of law such as Property Law and this provided us an opportunity to ask questions and develop our own understanding about areas of law we may have known little about. Following on from this, we were assigned a trainee solicitor for the day who would show us to our desks and give us tasks to perform throughout the day. These tasks would be tailored to whatever department we were sitting in and therefore, the tasks were varied and structured differently depending on which department you were in. Daily interactions were mainly limited to your assigned trainee solicitor and there was little interaction with other people. Furthermore, responsibilities and projects were generally limited but on some days, we were allowed to complete work that was specific to the ongoing work of the department such as in the employment department. Overall, the experience was enriching and gave us skills which will prove useful in law practice in the future.

Skills learnt during the week were mainly around effective use of Microsoft Office and effective formatting of deeds and various other official documents. We also gained research skills such as through citing case law etc. We didn'y pick up any qualifications owing to the relatively short time we were there.

I enjoyed the program. The work was varied and by and large, I felt included in the work of the firm. On each morning I was introduced to the team of solicitors who gave me a warm welcome and equally, helped me if I needed any help and gave me some clerical work that I could help them with. The company culture was warm, generous and relaxed and all the solicitors I came across were relatively happy and enjoyed their work.

Pinsent Masons offered me a valuable opportunity and didn't disappoint and in the same way, didn't disappoint when it came to feeling valued. Throughout the process trainee solicitors thanked me for my efforts and work and even though my work may have been clerical and non-descript, they nonetheless valued my efforts.

The structure of the programme was very comprehensive. The induction, if long, was very thorough indeed and gave us a detailed insight into health and safety and computer skills. Support was consistently offered by the trainee solicitors and there was little sign of a hierarchy which made me feel at ease given that pressure was much reduced. The induction period was perhaps far too long and detracted from the programme but that's a minor detail in a very useful program.

The trainee solicitors offered help is needed and on certain days, the quality of my feedback was excellent and set me in good stead for university. In other floors, sometimes the feedback and support was a touch limited as the trainee solicitors were either too busy or had other more pressing work to attend to. On the whole however, I fely I got the support I needed.

Not applicable

Not applicable, no salary.

Not applicable. In education, this was a work experience placement.

Yes

A structured and engaging program giving you a detailed and in-depth look into commercial law practice that gives you an experience of law practice, not just an appreciation of law theory.

The online application process rewards qualitative answers and demonstrate your strong desire to be part of a team and to develop yourself as a skilled and conscientious individual.