Legal Work Experience Student Review

The virtual experience was very engaging as we had the opportunity to meet trainee solicitors and ask them questions about their entry into law, what their daily tasks involved and anything they would change about their experience. We were given helpful sessions on how we can apply for training contracts succesfully by improving our CV and Interview Skills. The business activities were also very fun as we were given the opportunity to debate in a legal context. We also had tasks such as drafting doccuments which were engaging as I felt as though I was given the opportunity to experience what a solicitor actually does.

I learnt how to improve my commercial awareness and learnt what values law firms such as Pinsent Mason find to be important. For example the equal opportunities for people from all backgrounds, how diverse the employees, how genuine client relationships are created and thinking critically about situations using legal knowledge.

I really enjoyed my virtual experience because it was the first experience where I not only had the opportunity to submit legal tasks I completed which trainee solicitors would complete, but I could also speak to actual lawyers from all points of life - newly qualified to ones with decades of experience. The breadth made it more engaging and exciting.

I think the virtual experience was very organised as on the Forage Platform we had a schedule ready for each day and what tasks we would have to complete which means that we could prepare in advance and be ready for what we would be doing each day. The times were also available and there was break/lunch available which made it fun.

I learnt a lot about the company culture as all lawyers we had spoken to were from Pinsent Masons which made we had an accurate representation of what working as a laywer would be like. They mentioned how Pinsent Masons differed from other firms, what made it special and how it was structured

It helped me decide my future career path a lot because I learnt about all the opportunties available in the law industry and what the reality of living as a lawyer would be like. It encouraged me to look for other virtual/work experiences in order to develop my skills and gain more experience in the law industry.

I was not paid for this experience.

There were opportunities for networking and meeting other employees as there were many sessions where we could communicate with other employees/solicitors working for Pinsent Masons by either raising our hand, using the chat function or speaking. We had our own supervisors and graduate recruitment team/organisers to help smoothen the process and virtual experience. We also had one sesison to meet other work experience students.

Yes

Pinsent Masons values equal opportunities, diversity, commercial awareness, genuine client relationships and thinking critically. Students, from all social/cultural backgrounds and walks of lives, are encouraged to take a leap of faith by applying for such programmes as law firms are open to accepting all candidates, since they have different skills and characteristics to offer which will help with the "universal” aspect of the law. It helps candidates to think critically about the law, encourages them to look into their commercial awareness whilst also encouraging them to seize the opportunity of work experience. It emphasises the role participants can play as future lawyers by ensuring fairness and justice for clients - values which Pinsent Masons have.

Be genuine about your interest in law and truly say why you are interested in having the opportunity to have the work experience as it would show a real enthusiasm which means that you would put effort in the work. Research into the firm to gain some commercial awareness and in order to prepare yourself for the week ahead.