During my vacation scheme I worked in two teams, Commercial Disputes and Construction, over the course of two weeks. I felt like an extension of the teams, being included in client meetings, and working on live matters.

As a result, this made for a truly immersive experience. The vacation scheme is very well time-tabled, incorporating feedback sessions with mentors and trainee buddies. Thus, I always felt supported and had a clear idea of what to expect on each day. In addition to working on matters for our teams, we were also assigned a corporate task. This required us to draft a Heads of Terms and provide a research note. While fictional, I really enjoyed the practical experience of drafting and learning about a market I was unfamiliar with. Finally, there were a variety of talks organised by the firm. Not only did we learn about the different practice groups of OC, but also about the firm as a business and how our careers progress at the firm.

Although the entirety of the vacation scheme was held virtually, I gained so much insight not only about the firm, but also what my life as a trainee at OC would be like.

What do I like about OC?

While the firm has excellent clients and performs world-class legal work, what really sealed my decision to train at Osborne Clarke was the culture. For me, this can be summed up in two words - collaboration and innovation.
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Firstly, the firm has done a great job of maintaining an informal environment and I never felt intimidated to speak with anyone – be it a partner or a trainee. Scheduling a call with someone was as simple as finding an empty slot in their calendar and booking yourself in! As a prospective trainee, it was important for me to work somewhere I could easily communicate with all members of my team; regardless of where they fit in the firm hierarchy. OC values diversity of thought and voices that bring something new to the table. As an international student, this was exactly the environment I was looking for.
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Secondly, during the vacation scheme I really liked working on tasks that pushed me out of my comfort zone and required me to think outside the box. Tasks like preparing presentations on the office of the future gave me an opportunity to think in novel ways and consider things I hadn’t thought about before. It showed me that training at OC would not be a run-of-the-mill experience. I really appreciate that being curious, exploring new avenues and doing things in a way that might not conform to the norm is rewarded at OC. Importantly, this is also reflected on a high level in terms of OC’s innovative approach to the legal sector. No other firm has a legal strategy like OC’s 3D strategy, which goes beyond advising clients on the legal and commercial aspects and incorporates advice on the drivers of transformation. The 3D strategy will consistently put OC ahead of the market and promises to attract high calibre work, ensuring longevity in an increasingly competitive legal sector.