Inside My Work Placement at an International Law Firm

Following the recent conclusion of exams, I was fortunate enough to be selected to take part in an incredible one-week work placement at law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) in Bristol. This experience not only enhanced my understanding of the intricacies and technicalities within property law but also improved my practical understanding by allowing me to step outside the classroom and acquire true, hands-on experience.

Roles and responsibilities

Though the placement duration itself was relatively short, this by no means resulted in my responsibilities and roles being diluted. Each day, I was tasked with new, exciting and challenging undertakings. These included my active participation in drafting leases of rights, preparing summaries of amendments made to lease agreements, and aiding partners of WBD in establishing an internal social mobility initiative.

Going forward

Through my time performing tasks such as those listed above, to condense the skills and knowledge I have subsequently gained into a brief blog seems an insurmountable task. Firstly, I believe I have greatly sharpened my legal research abilities through navigating databases to find precise answers for active matters. Secondly, drafting client correspondence and communicating with the team has significantly improved my written communication skills. Finally, I gained deep commercial awareness, observing how shifting market trends and the law surrounding client cases directly impact a client’s strategic business decisions.

Moving forward, it is of little contention to say that this experience will act as a vital catalyst for my career. Experiencing WBD’s daily operations first-hand has swiftly eradicated any remaining uncertainty I previously withheld, solidifying my ambition to practice in this sector. Furthermore, the placement has allowed me to build strong professional connections and real-world examples of the law in practice. Ultimately, navigating this corporate environment has transformed my textbook knowledge into genuine workplace confidence.

Personal reflections

Although upon my arrival, I possessed the preconceived notion of simply networking and practicing law, the placement evolved to be so much more than that. Whether it was socialising after work or even helping WBD secure their first win of the football season, I truly felt welcomed into the team and will no doubt remain in contact with the amazing members of WBD going forward.

Advice for future students

For anyone who finds themselves in an opportunity like this, the piece of advice I could not encourage more is to get involved with the team whilst on your placement. Although the law is, of course, the most important part, the team are the people you may work with for decades and so forming a strong bond is of undeniable importance in the long term.

Final thoughts

To conclude, I will forever have gratitude for the value WBD and the University of Liverpool School of Law and Social Justice have provided for me through this opportunity and will look back fondly at the amazing memories I was able to make during my time here. If my prior commendation of WBD’s work placement still has not swayed anyone reading into applying for future opportunities, all I can say is that the law in practice and in person starkly contrast against one another and so, in the interest of ensuring whether this career is right for you, early work placement is an absolute non-negotiable.

About the author

Ethan Keeley is a second-year Law LLB (Hons) student.