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Simmons & Simmons LLP

Sring Insight Scheme Review

at Simmons & Simmons LLP

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

Commercial Law

City of London

Review Submitted: April 2025

Overall Rating

4.4 /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 - Overview of Experience
4.8/5 - Skills Development
4/5 - Company Culture
4/5 - Overall Experience
4/5 - Recommendations and Advice

Overview of Experience

Please give an overview of the insight and what was involved on a day-to-day basis.
Day 1: lectures about the firm, the work they do, how they work, and a networking evening followed by a social to meet the other insight schemers and some trainees.
Day 2: shadowing a trainee, who delegated tasks that reflected their day to day work. I carried out a research task into financial regulation, and aided with other small tasks throughout the day.
What was it like understanding all about the business and potential roles available?
There was a dedicated session on how to progress within the firm to the Vacation Scheme which was very relevant for us.
As for potential roles, being placed in a specific practice area allowed us to experience what it was like, and whether it is something we would be interested in pursuing further.
Finally, talks from the various teams were really useful in giving insight into how the firm runs.
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 learned some legal research skills, and specifically how to draft clear and well structured emails detailing research.
Furthermore, skills on how to effectively use LLMs with prompt engineers, as well as furthering my networking skills and knowledge of the law.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
4/5
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
3/5
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
Everyone was very welcoming, all the way from partner to trainees, and the early careers team did a great job organising the scheme. Some schemers had very mixed experiences, some reporting they were given less attention during their shadowing days, others having really positive experiences. In my department, everyone was approachable, and willing to chat.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
4/5
How would you rate the networking opportunities?
4/5
Please rate how valued you felt during your insight?
5/5

Overall Experience

To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
Very much. The shadowing was very exciting, and day 1 was very useful for getting to know the firm. The most useful part was being able to talk to lawyers about their work 1-to-1 throughout the shadowing day, which was definitely the better of the 2 days.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on the insight
4/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
4/5
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 Simmons & Simmons LLP
4/5
Would you recommend Simmons & Simmons LLP to a friend?
Yes
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Simmons & Simmons LLP
Focus on why you want to be a lawyer, as this really comes across in your application. Furthermore, eat as much information about the legal industry as you can, as this shows you actually care about the work you will be doing, as well as the landscape within which you will be operating. Also, goes without saying, but research the firm.
In This Review
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