Work Experience Student Review
at Pinsent Masons LLP
Work Experience
Legal/Law
Surbiton
Review Submitted: August 2022
Overall Rating
4.1 /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!
4/5
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Overview of the Experience
4/5
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Skills Development
4/5
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Company Culture
Overview of the Experience
Please give an overview of what your work experience involved:
4/5
A combination of interactive group exercises, presentations from solicitors and guided case studies. We heard talks from trainee solicitors and solicitors discussing how they got to the position they are in today and a focus on their specific area of law, for example contract or employment etc. One of the group tasks was the Jaffa Cake Exercise which involved making a case that they are either cakes or biscuits and presenting it to a supervisor, and later the whole group.
To what extent did you enjoy your work experience?
4/5
It was very enjoyable and more fun than expected, particularly meeting with the trainee solicitors and solicitors. They provided a very good mixture of individual tasks, fun group sessions and informative talks which made the whole experience very fun and informative. The variety of exercises meant that there was something to pick out and enjoy throughout the whole time.
How well organised was your work experience?
5/5
Very well organised, I didn't have any issues with logging into the website and all teams meetings. The introduction session the week earlier acted as a good starter, and I was able to access the schedule at any time to understand what I would be doing next. There was also an opportunity to email the runners at any point if you needed anything.
How much did your work experience help you in deciding on your future career path?
4/5
It gave me a very good idea of what lawyers have to do day-to-day and the variety of law that is possible so I felt much more confident in understanding how law firms like this would work. It was also helpful hearing from solicitors with different routes to becoming lawyers.
Were you paid or reimbursed for this experience?
3/5
There was no need to be paid or reimbursed as it was all online and so there were no additional costs. I had to pull out of the London in person day so I'm not sure whether there was any reimbursement for travel costs but I know that lunch was paid for and made by the company.
Skills Development
What training and skills development did you learn from your work experience?
4/5
The opportunity to look through contracts and leases helped to develop practical legal skills such as drafting clauses and finding key pieces of information by understanding legal terminology and contract structure. There was also an opportunity to cooperate to provide a presentation, which helped with communication skills.
Company Culture
How much did you learn about the company culture and what it would be like to work there?
5/5
During the trainee solicitors and solicitors talk, it was very apparent that even solicitors from different offices were very cooperative and friendly. The supervisors were very friendly and represented the company as a very welcoming place to work. The Early Talent Team also suggest that the company was welcoming and many solicitors had pointed out they had the ability to request to work in areas they were particularly interested in.
Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees?
3/5
Yes, there were two networking lunches on the Monday and Wednesday. Also there were some group exercises where there was the opportunity for everybody to interact and cooperate to form a solution or an argument was useful and allowed for good team communication. The in-person insight day would also be an opportunity to meet other students.
Recommendations and Advice
Would you recommend Pinsent Masons LLP to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The environment and solicitors were very friendly and welcoming which meant speaking in the chat wasn't intimidating at all. The day was also very well organised which meant everything flowed easily and Pinsent Masons did a lot of the work for you, making it as seamless an experience as possible.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Pinsent Masons LLP?
There's no pressure to have really any understanding of the law before joining as they make it very clear and easy. Make sure to interact as much as possible to make the most of the experience and ask any questions in the chat as they are always happy to answer.
