Insider report Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP
Master’s student Sakshi Rai completed Morrison &Foerster’s vacation scheme in July 2019 andwill commence her training contract with the firm in 2021.
No of scheme places 15
What did you do while on the scheme? I sat for one week each with the corporate and litigation teams. In each department my associate supervisors assigned me work and introduced me to the deals they were working on, as well as the department more generally. The work itself was often trainee-level, ranging from proof-reading, researching for memorandums, due diligence tasks, to even being invited onto client calls. Alongside this work, we were given presentations from each department in the firm and the various initiatives on offer, including MoFo’s extensive pro bono work, MoFo Women, and MoFo Proud (the firm’s LGBTQ+ initiative). We were also encouraged to attend the firm-wide training programmes. Social events included a Thames Rib experience, the summer party, and dinner and drinks events – these were a great way to connect with trainees, associates and other vacation schemers. The scheme also coincided with Wimbledon, so we were able to socialise while watching tennis! What did you feel that you gained from the placement? The variety of the timetable ensured that we were able to understand how truly multi-faceted working in an international law firm like Morrison & Foerster would be. The presentations on the different initiatives were illustrative of the professional and vibrant culture of the firm. I was able to get a very honest picture of what life at the firm is like and it highlighted the honest and inclusive spirit of the firm. Which were the most enjoyable – and most challenging – aspects of the scheme? I most enjoyed meeting people across all levels of the firm. The City can seem intimidating, so the way in which everyone at the firm was committed and willing to teach and engage with us was very inspiring. The most challenging part was the independent research task set across the two weeks. Balancing completing this task along with all the work set within my respective seats was testing, but we were given plenty of training, support and it was a rewarding experience once completed. Did the scheme end with a training contract interview or some other kind of further recruitment process? We were told from the beginning that the entire two weeks constituted our interview, so recruitment was based on our work and engagement with people throughout our time at the firm, from partners to support staff. This, for me, further reaffirmed the firm’s dedicated commitment to developing and integrating its people as part of the firm’s wider fabric. At the end of the scheme we had individual meetings with the graduate recruitment team to feed back our thoughts and experiences of the two weeks. I heard back a week later about my training contract offer. Is there one key thing that you took away from the experience that you would pass on as advice to others? Being confident in yourself and proactive throughout the process is key, and asking questions and not being afraid to make mistakes is vital to forming confidence. I would also encourage everyone to keep a log of everything you do across your vacation scheme. As it’s such a busy time, it can be difficult to remember exactly what you did and found beneficial, so keeping track of it all is good for personal development and for feeding your thoughts back to the firm at the end.
Location of schemes London
Length of schemes 2 weeks
Remuneration (per week) £450
Dates of schemes June 2021 July 2021 Closing date for applications 5 January 2021
Application procedure Online application
For full contact information and details of Training Contract, see the firm’s full entry in the main directory on p368
Remember to cite The LawCareers.Net Handbook on your application form if you apply to this law firm.
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WORK EXPERIENCE
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