Vacation Scheme Placement Review
at Gateley
Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)
Intellectual Property Law
Manchester
Review Submitted: July 2024
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
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Recommendations and Advice
Overview of Experience
Please give an overview of the insight and what was involved on a day-to-day basis.
The insight I was able to receive in the Intellectual Property Rights department was first-class. From the first day, I was involved in live matters and talked through the specific processes. I was able to bounce ideas off senior management as well as my trainee 'buddy'. You do get given real responsibility and exposure, and you are expected to manage your time accordingly. Daily interactions range from Legal Secretaries to Partners. There is no hierarchy when discussing matters as long as you appreciate people's workloads.
What was it like understanding all about the business and potential roles available?
Gateley made a real effort to explain their somewhat unique business structure and the opportunities this could provide for career development. This came in the form of dedicated zoom calls throughout the week with senior members of staff and the career development team. I also gained insight to this extent through conversing with trainee solicitors and other members of staff throughout the week. I came with a long list of questions and left the week with them all answered!
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?
As I am a paralegal currently at another firm, I felt comfortable exercising the 'softer' skills required to work in a busy office environment. A skill set essential for this placement includes organisational and time management skills. I believe I developed these existing skills, which I already feel are a strong feature of my skill set. I also continue to strive to improve my understanding of colleagues' styles of work, whether that pertains to presentation or tone.
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 is something Gateley are very strong about on their website and social media platforms. I was excited for the opportunity to see what this looked like in reality. Any skepticism I had was a distant memory from the minute I was in the building. The culture is amazing. Arguably, the strongest compliment is that I felt upset to leave at the end of the week. It is clear that the people who are recent hires are hired in respect to this culture fit. There are numerous long-standing members of staff which is a strong indication of Gateley being a great place to work.
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 could not recommend highly enough this vacation scheme. It is not a 'week long test' as some may expect, but rather an opportunity to see if you could picture yourself training and working there. It is much as a test for Gateley to impress as it is them assessing you. I was made feel so welcome by all staff and was given the platform to enjoy the week.
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
Recommendations and Advice
Please rate the future employment prospects at Gateley
5/5
Would you recommend Gateley to a friend?
Yes
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Gateley
I can confidently say the culture and ethos Gateley present on their website is accurate. So consider is this somewhere you think would suit your skills and personality. If the answer is yes, be yourself! Do not attempt to dress anything up or try to appease what you think they would want to hear. Most importantly, go in open minded. As a trainee you will be in different seats, so to say 'I do not like that sector' before trying it is not the best idea!
