First-hand experiences

“Taylor Wessing has a deserved reputation for specialising in niche areas of law such as Intellectual Property, and for identifying growth areas in the marketplace, but it’s still a ‘full-service’ firm. That’s important if you want a well-rounded training contract and there is a huge range of options depending on the type of law you’re interested in.

“Before you start your training contract at Taylor Wessing, you give three seat choices and your first practice group is usually allocated from this selection. Two months before a seat change (which occurs every six months), you give three more choices and have a chat with Graduate Recruitment. To help you make your choice, lunchtime sessions are arranged to chat with a partner and at least one associate in the various practice groups in the firm – a bit like speed-dating really! You can’t always be guaranteed your first choice, but every effort is made to accommodate your preferences.

“I have sat in the projects section of Commercial, Corporate and Projects, Construction, Trademarks, Copyright and Media, and Commercial Disputes. My fourth and final seat is in the Banking Litigation part of the Commercial Disputes team. By now, I have a clear idea of how things work and I’m able to take on tasks that are far more challenging than those I did in my first seat, although throughout your training contract you must be willing to take on responsibility.”