Which were the most enjoyable – and most challenging – aspects of the scheme?

A highlight of the RPC vacation scheme was getting involved in real, high-profile cases and seeing the matters I’d worked on in the news. A memorable moment for me was working on a case that I’d written about in my university coursework – it all felt very full circle!

A more challenging aspect for me was making the most of the many networking opportunities available while continuing to deliver high-quality work to deadlines. The scheme provided a good opportunity to practice prioritising my workload and managing my time effectively to ensure that I could still make time to build relationships across the firm.

What surprised you most about the scheme once it started?

I was struck by how willing everyone was to help me succeed on the scheme. Trainees, partners and associates would all go out of their way to make me feel welcome, and being greeted by friendly faces when entering the office daily certainly helped me to settle in.

Everyone was so approachable – if I had any questions or concerns, I never felt as though I was burdening anyone by reaching out for help. Throughout the scheme, people would give very useful advice and were open about what it takes to succeed on the scheme and at the RPC as a whole.

Did your attendance on the scheme support your application for a training contract?

Absolutely! Taking part in the vacation scheme means that you’re automatically considered for a training contract at RPC. This gives you a two-week platform to demonstrate your qualities and show the firm the contribution you could make as a future trainee.

Being proactive, passionate and interested in the firm definitely helped me with this. RPC values trainees who are going to work hard and fit in well with their warm and friendly work environment, so I think it’s important to be yourself, show your personality and demonstrate that you’ll be a natural fit for the firm.

What skills did you develop during the scheme and when did you notice yourself using them?

During the scheme, we were given personal development plans that allowed us to identify the skills we wanted to improve upon.

I was able to improve upon finding the balance between asking clarifying questions while also showing my ability to work independently. It can be tempting to avoid asking questions to appear competent; however, I found that asking thoughtful, well-timed questions can be the difference between producing good work and producing outstanding work.

This became evident during my end-of-week check-in when my supervisor commented on my proactivity in requesting an additional document to support my research. Although he hadn’t initially considered providing it, he noted that my initiative to ask for further information enabled me to produce work to a higher standard.

What approach to networking worked best for you during the scheme?

At the start of the vacation scheme, I researched people at RPC whose experiences I was interested in learning more about, ranging from trainees to partners. I made a particular effort to find employees in the departments that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to sit in, so that I could leave the scheme with as insight into the firm as possible.

My biggest piece of advice is not to be afraid to approach anyone, regardless of their seniority. Confidence goes a long way and you can learn something from every conversation. It definitely helps to go into conversations having thought beforehand about what you’d like to learn from that particular person and to write up afterwards what you took from the interaction.