Vacation Schemes

How to make the most of your Vacation Scheme

Keep Calm

This may be the first-time you have ever been in a professional office and therefore it can be intimidating; please bear in mind that our placements are highly competitive to get on to and you have already made a good impression so don’t be nervous!

Think about your Presentation

Dressing appropriately is important for any professional role. We have a smart casual dress code at our office and it is the responsibility of those in the office to ensure that they are dressed accordingly. Examples of inappropriate dress would be sweatshirts, T-shirts (including football/sports shirts), jeans, and trainers.

You are expected to dress more formally if you are going to court or meeting clients, you will be able to see when this is required from looking at the timetable we will provide you.

Make Notes

The week can go by quickly and before you know it the experience is over, taking notes allows you to retain more of the information in the sessions and e-learning. You can refer back to this to refresh your memory or to discuss in interviews when asked about your work experience. Useful things to make a note of include pathways to qualifying, what a day in the life looks like for different departments and any new jargon you have learnt.

Taking time at the end of the day to reflect on what you have learnt can be a great way to evaluate your understanding of the days activities. You can use this opportunity to think about anything you didn’t understand and if you need further information you can then research yourself or ask the next day.

Ask Questions

Put some thought into questions that may help you, for example by asking any specific questions about the SQE or LPC or about legal areas to specialise in such as Road Traffic Accidents or Clinical Negligence. You will be given the opportunity to interact with Trainee Solicitors that can answer your questions from the perspective of someone that has secured a training contract. Think about what you want to get out of the experience, your areas of interest, the clients and Personal Injury as a specialism. You have expressed an interest in law to be on this experience and this is a rare opportunity to find out if you would like to proceed with the career by asking any questions that will help you clarify what it is actually like to work in the legal field at a Personal Injury firm.

Asking questions as you go throughout the sessions to maximise your learning. Do not be afraid to ask questions as we expect this on work experience placements and want to support you with your learning and development.

Engage with the Sessions

This is an opportunity for you to get the most out of the experience and maximise your learning in an environment outside of the class room. This is your chance to see if Personal Injury is really right for you, you can’t know that if you don’t engage. The more you take from the experience the more you will be able to give in-depth and well-informed answers in interviews in the future, when talking about preferences and motivations.

Think of This Opportunity as a Stepping Stone

The work experience is an opportunity for you to get a foot in the door with a firm that actively hires graduates. Being proactive and engaging with the content will be impressive for us as a prospective employer if you are to make an application in the future.

The opportunity for work experience could be the beginning of a professional relationship with Express Solicitors, we love when our Work Experience students return to us when they are ready to start their legal career.

Get ready for an incredible insight into Personal Injury and the legal profession. These tips are there to help you get the most from your upcoming legal work experience. Enjoy the experience and don’t forget we are there to help. We’ll be right by your side, guiding you every step of the way throughout the entire week.