Work Experience Review

Work experience at PM involves a lot of sitting at a desk and finding obscure definitions on Google. However, the work provided is interesting and varied, and the departments that WE students work with are guaranteed to prompt you to think about the law in a way you have not done before.

I have developed my skills involving the 'find' function on web pages and PDF files. Seriously though, the WE placement requires you to develop your attention to detail during the commercial awareness tasks, and I have made a nice start on my speed reading skills with all the proof reading I have done over the past week.

I cannot remember a week where I have been so mentally tired at the end of each day, but the exhaustion comes with a sense of satisfaction knowing that you have completed your very first Land Registry AP1 form, or that a definition you did on a contract between energy suppliers is to be used when presenting a case to a client. I have loved my time with this firm, it has by far surpassed my expectations.

The supervisors are all volunteering to take you on, so you know at least they haven't been forced to look after you. They value your effort when it comes to any menial tasks that need doing, like filing or Googling of specific terms or researching. You feel particularly appreciated by the trainee solicitors, because both of you know that if you weren't around, they'd have to do all the menial tasks instead.

The program was very well organised, but sometimes presentations overran purely because the WE students had too many questions to ask. The only thing I will say is that one of the group tasks that had been on the preliminary timetable fell through because no one would volunteer to organise it. It's a shame, because I can guess it would have been pretty fun to have tried it.

We weren't really trained in anything, but the IT support was pretty extensive and supervisors were willing to talk you through your work after completing it.

Again, not much support really required, but when support was needed, it was given.

No wages for WE. Lunch provided on the first day was nice though and tea and coffee and water were free and readily available.

Spitalfields Market is a stones throw from Liverpool Street Station, so there's a whole market to explore on lunch breaks. As far as clubs and competitions and that sorta thing, WE students aren't really around long enough to find out what's on offer.

Yes

A great environment to find out whether Law is for you, a fantastic group of supervisors ready to answer all your weird questions about EPQ, A Levels and beyond, and a great bunch of other students on placement with you.

The online application requires patience because each individual qualification is added one by one. Make sure to have your GCSE results in front of you for the exam boards, and don't be put off applying because you don't have 11 A*'s and you don't attend private school.