ACCESS SPARK Intern Review
at Clifford Chance
Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)
Legal/Law
London
Review Submitted: August 2023
Overall Rating
5 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
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Overview of Experience
5/5
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Skills Development
5/5
-
Company Culture
5/5
-
Overall Experience
5/5
-
Recommendations and Advice
Overview of Experience
Please give an overview of the insight and what was involved on a day-to-day basis.
The week involved a combination of presentation-style sessions and shadowing. Presentations were on topics such as the firm’s departments, ESG, the firm’s affinity network and pro bono. These helped me learn about the culture at the firm and the actual work done at the firm.
The majority of the day was spent shadowing my supervisor. This involved doing tasks for him and discussing tasks with him. I also completed a mandatory workbook throughout the week.
The majority of the day was spent shadowing my supervisor. This involved doing tasks for him and discussing tasks with him. I also completed a mandatory workbook throughout the week.
What was it like understanding all about the business and potential roles available?
I particularly enjoyed learning how the business operates and how it has different strategies to become more profitable. I learnt this throughout the week generally and during the commercial awareness session, which helped me understand all about Clifford Chance’s business and how to break it down.
I learnt about the roles of fee-earners primarily, ranging from trainees, to associates, to partners. I also learnt about the work done in different departments by fee-earners by speaking to other people on the scheme and other lawyers on the scheme during networking sessions.
I learnt about the roles of fee-earners primarily, ranging from trainees, to associates, to partners. I also learnt about the work done in different departments by fee-earners by speaking to other people on the scheme and other lawyers on the scheme during networking sessions.
Please rate how insightful you found the insight
5/5
How would you rate the structure of the insight
5/5
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
I developed my communication skills by learning how to ask effective questions and how to communicate clearly over email.
My research skills developed significantly as I had to research terminology and information about the firm throughout the week via different sources.
My written articulation skills improved too because I had to collate and summarise the information that I had researched into concise and short sentences. I also learnt to be clear on emails by using short sentences.
My research skills developed significantly as I had to research terminology and information about the firm throughout the week via different sources.
My written articulation skills improved too because I had to collate and summarise the information that I had researched into concise and short sentences. I also learnt to be clear on emails by using short sentences.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around industry-specific skills during the experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around personal or professional skills during the experience?
5/5
Please rate how the knowledge learned has helped you with regards to your career development
5/5
Company Culture
How would you rate business leader involvement during the insight
5/5
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
The company culture and general atmosphere was very friendly and it made me very comfortable throughout. Everyone was very willing to answer questions and teach me about topics even though they had a lot of other work to do. I can definitely see myself working at Clifford Chance after shadowing my supervisor. I was also happy to learn that there is not just one type of Clifford Chance lawyer; they can be from any background
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the networking opportunities?
5/5
Please rate how valued you felt during your insight?
5/5
Overall Experience
To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
I enjoyed the ACCESS SPARK internship to a massive extent. I left the week having learnt so many different things about the department I was sitting in to the extent that I felt very comfortable doing the work and understanding everything going on without having to ask too many questions by the end of the week. I look back at the start of the week and can really see how much I have learnt and how useful the internship was.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on the insight
5/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5
Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
I was paid and reimbursed expenses
Recommendations and Advice
Please rate the future employment prospects at Clifford Chance
5/5
Would you recommend Clifford Chance to a friend?
Yes
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Clifford Chance
Be yourself, be genuine and be honest. Care about how you are perceived by others and put effort and care into your application. Research Clifford Chance extensively. They have a range of resources online to help you learn more than enough to make a phenomenal application. Consider your motivations for why you want to apply to Clifford Chance and why you want to be a lawyer, specifically in commercial law. Consider what it is about Clifford Chance that makes you want to apply to them as opposed to other firms.
