My vacation placement in a City firm

Securing a vacation placement

I found it competitive securing a City vacation placement but having enthusiasm, motivation and determination really helped. I also did a placement with a regional firm and both experiences really helped make up my mind as to which type of law firm suited me best. I hadn’t lived in London before the placement but I needn’t have worried as I had such a good time that I decided to do my training contract there. 

Vacation placement experiences

I was given the opportunity to work with a variety of people, including associates and partners – this lead to attending a client seminar. There was a varied programme arranged for all the vacation students, including a visit to the Houses of Parliament, a barbeque, a visit to the Royal Courts and lunch with members of the firm. Make the most of your vacation placement and ask any questions you may have. I had plenty of opportunities to chat to trainees at the firm so that I could ask them questions about their work. The biggest thing I learnt was that studying for a law degree is very different to practising as a solicitor!

Life as a trainee

The best part about being a trainee is that you get to meet lots of new people and there’s a great deal of scope for client contact. My most memorable moment so far has been celebrating with a client and colleagues with lots of champagne after a deal I’d spent many hours working on had been signed.