Academy Participant Review

The programme lasted 2 weeks. The first was centred around the ‘Business of Law’, and meant that we spent everyday involved in several different activities that would teach us valuable lessons regarding how to navigate a career in law. The week was focussed around networking with your peers and learning about how to maximise your potential as a solicitor.
The second week was work shadowing. I sat in the Real Estate team, and was paired with a Trainee Buddy who provided me with the type of work he does on a daily basis. This included drafting documents, legal research tasks, and talking to as many people in the office as possible! This week gave an in-depth insight into what it was like to work at the company.

Incredibly insightful. We were given sessions by people with a variety of roles, from trainee, to partner, to roles centred around innovation and business development. Each person was presented as equally as valuable to the business, showing how a law firm extends far beyond just its solicitors in order to function.
Learning about the business of CMS itself was fascinating. Our Client Visit exemplifies why. Hearing first-hand what a client expects from the firm was, thus far, the most useful experience I have had in understanding the role of a firm in providing good service in order to ensure they are employed again.

My ability to network was seriously improved by the Academy. Meeting all your future co workers can be a daunting experience, but through all being brought together, the Academy was an extremely effective way in allowing the future cohort of the trainees to forge bonds and create strong working relationships. This was significantly helped by a session on our ‘Personal Brands’, allowing us all to consciously choose how we presented ourselves and connected with our fellow future trainees.

The company culture was welcoming and down to earth. Irrespective of one’s role or seniority within the company, everyone I spoke to, or was given a session by, seemed eager to pass on their wisdom. Whilst every company has a hierarchy, CMS’ hierarchy is not reflected in how people act. This friendly culture was a large part of the reason I left the Academy enthused to eventually join the firm.

The insight was thoroughly enjoyed. The second week especially was a glimpse into my future, as I saw first-hand the type of work trainees conduct and how essential they were to a teams operations.
Through being in the office and observing the team around me, I picked up a number of tips and tricks that I believe will help when I join the firm.

Yes

CMS truly embodies the idea of a ‘people’s firm’. They want well-rounded individuals, and it seems that a stint in hospitality, for instance, is just as useful for applications as experience in a law firm. Therefore, really think about every experience you have and how this can be utilised in an application - get creative!