Case study

Sidharth Harigovind — Vacation scheme student

Employer
RPC

Sidharth completed a two-week vacation scheme placement at RPC. Learn more about this opportunity and what it involves

What did you do while on the vacation scheme?

The vacation scheme lasted for two weeks during which I sat in the Property & Casualty and International and Media department for a week each. At the start of every week, I had a meeting with my supervisor to brief on the department's current matters and understand expectations for the week ahead.

During my time in the Property & Casualty department, I worked on a case that involved analysing whether an insurance claim was covered by the policy. This involved analysing the policy document, researching relevant issues and drafting an opinion on the coverage.

One of the highlights of this week was sitting in on a meeting where the partner and the senior associate analysed the relevant issues in the matter and deliberated on the strategy.

My time in the Media department was largely spent working on the Prince Harry - MGN litigation. I was tasked with reviewing documents, conducting research for counsel and analysing court transcripts. The experience of working on such a high-profile case was thoroughly enjoyable and enriching.

Outside of my department, there were several opportunities to learn more about the firm and upskill. These activities included practice area workshops, a personal branding session, group project, volunteering with UOCEAN and socials. I also had regular chats with members of the firm who were more than happy to tell me more about the firm and the work they do

What did you feel that you gained from the placement?

Over the two weeks, I gained a better understanding of RPC's culture, its pillars and the matters the firm was currently working on. I understood the value of an open plan office in building relationships and the effectiveness of learning through osmosis is so effective.

Having access to the intranet enabled me to read blogs by the firm about topics of interest and develop my understanding of the firm's core values and strategy.

Substantively, the feedback sessions with my supervisor at the end of each week were invaluable in my development over the two weeks. The detailed feedback enabled me to identify developmental areas and work on them.

Most importantly, I learnt that RPC was a great place to train as a lawyer and felt that the firm aligned with my expectations. This enabled to make an informed decision of accepting an offer to train at the firm.

What were the most enjoyable and most challenging aspects of the scheme?

There were several enjoyable aspects of the scheme. The cyber workshop was comprehensive and included real-life examples, which made the presentation all the more engaging. I also enjoyed the minigolf social as it provided us with a relaxed environment to build relationships with our cohort and current trainees.

The highlight of my scheme was being able to attend court and witness the closing statements of the royal 'court case of the century' - the MGN litigation. This was an invaluable experience as I was able to grasp the bigger picture of how a solicitor’s work fits into the bigger picture of a matter. That aside, the sheer magnitude of the case and its significance itself made the experience enjoyable.

One challenging aspect of the scheme was ensuring that I was able to maintain or improve the quality of my work throughout the two weeks. Maintaining a diary that documented each day of the scheme was especially helpful in tracking progress and developments. Time management and striking a balance between departmental and non-departmental commitments was another aspect that took a few days to get the hang of.

Did the scheme end with a training contract interview or some other kind of further recruitment process?

Yes, there was an interview on the last day of the scheme with a member of the people team and a partner/of-counsel. The interview was largely informal and was intended to test motivation for a career in commercial law at RPC specifically. The interview required me to introspect and reflect on my time on the scheme, for which documenting my time on the scheme in a notebook served me well.

Is there one key thing that you took away from the experience that you would pass on to others?

At the end of the day, the quality of work you produce is what you are assessed on. The importance of visuals in a client-facing role cannot be overstated. Presenting information in a digestible and aesthetically appealing manner always elicited positive feedback from my supervisors. I would suggest using all of the firm's resources, whether it be the intranet, templates, library team, or other members of the firm, to ensure you are producing the best work you can. Keeping this in mind throughout the scheme helped me ensure that every piece of work I submitted was done to the best of my abilities.

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