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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alice G" data-source="post: 11273" data-attributes="member: 1160">Day 6:This was our assessment day. I had a written task and group exercise to do in the morning and my interview was in the early afternoon. There was not much time really to settle into the second seat but I asked my trainee mentor if I could do anything and she set me a pro bono task. I was asked to write a letter to a client who had submitted a pro bono query and I was given guidance and style guides to help me do this. Day 7:I had my case study interview in the morning and I continued on my pro bono task until around 5pm. I then attended an open day drinks reception held at the firm to speak with the potential future applicants about the scheme and application process. Day 8:My supervisor asked me to look into something to help with a deal the firm was working upon. I had to look at Terms and Conditions and also a Policy to see what could be done within the rules and parameters laid out within those documents to help the firm’s client achieve what they wanted to (sorry to be vague!!). I was really able to think originally with this task and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was able to update my supervisor and he altered the task in accordance with my findings and my proposals. This assured me I was doing work of genuine value to the firm and that my assessment was really quite important and helpful to them.  Day 9: I worked further on the task set by my supervisor and adjusted my memo in accordance with the slight change to the task. I had a lunch with my supervisor, trainee mentor and another senior associate on this day and we had the Duck & Waffle social in the evening. This day was very busy indeed with lots of lovely treats and I was very grateful (and full!) indeed.Day 10: I had completed all my tasks and asked if I could help on anything further. An associate and a trainee were working on a due diligence questions and answers report that they wanted the client to complete. Shearman had questions and gaps within their due diligence they needed answering from the client. I was asked to essentially proofread the document being sent to the client to ensure consistency and high quality. I love proofreading and this was my favourite task (yes, honestly!). I was able to pick up on things that were unclear and that were inconsistent and really felt I contributed well because I picked up on quite a few things that both the associate and trainee hadn’t. It also showed me the value of getting further opinions on pieces of work before sending off to a client.We had round up drinks that evening to see us all off after the scheme. Second week roundup and reflections:The second week was tough due to the assessments, but after Tuesday I felt more relaxed. I feel that I really had chilled out a bit more by the second week and I felt more settled which allowed me to enjoy myself even further I think. I loved the tasks set in this week – my memo for my supervisor allowed me to do real and genuine work for the firm and the proofing task was something that played into my strengths.We were really spoilt this week with a lovely lunch each and an unforgettable experience at Duck & Waffle which was truly amazing.I was sad to leave and to say goodbye to my fellow vacation schemers but a few of us have kept in touch!What were the most significant and pertinent things you learnt on your scheme?I would say the biggest lesson for me was that no matter how good your work is or how nice you are, if you do not have faith in yourself you cannot expect anyone else to.From a more work focussed perspective I learnt that I should not be afraid to ask questions. Yes, absorb the task and do preliminary research first to make sure they are informed questions, but do not be afraid to speak up when things are unclear. I had conflicting advice on my first week research task on the Financial Transaction Tax and I wish I had spoken up sooner and also gone more with my gut on the matter too. On that same research task I asked my supervisor about referencing sources to which they said ‘it is not an essay or a referencing task’ and so I did not put in my sources (which went against my gut feel but I felt that I had been advised against doing so). I learnt during my feedback that it would be helpful to put some links into a research memo whether at the bottom of the page or a couple of times throughout the memo to make sources known when they are especially useful. Also, it is best not to assume knowledge and giving a brief sentence to provide context is always a good idea whether it be about a case or a term.I also learnt that being proactive goes a long way. I sought a pro bono opportunity on my own accord and, when we had the presentation about the firm’s pro bono initiatives, the coordinator knew that I had done so. People throughout the firm feedback about you so always try to seek opportunities as and when you can. What did you enjoy the most about your scheme and the firm?I enjoyed my first seat very much indeed as I had a brilliant supervisor. I really enjoyed chatting with him and getting to hear more about his career path and experiences. I felt that I was truly privileged to gain this insight and to have had someone so honest and talkative.I loved making new friends on the scheme as well and how we all supported and encouraged each other. It was not competitive in the slightest and I felt lucky for this too.Naturally, the socials were great - a lot of effort, time and money went into ensuring we had a great time. The Duck & Waffle is an experience I shall not forget. I also really enjoyed the fact I got to do real work, especially the task in my second seat which my supervisor altered in accordance with what I had found initially. It showed that I was actually doing work that was valuable and that would feed into what Shearman would do for the client too. Were there any drawbacks at all?Shearman doesn’t have a canteen and I would say that this is quite frustrating but by no means the end of the world.We heard back about the result of our scheme and the TC decisions on the Monday after the scheme. This is a very very quick turnaround indeed. Although this means we do not have an agonising wait, I do wonder whether the decisions are made as thoroughly as possible. I ended up having to ask explicitly about my second week feedback during my feedback call because everything I was hearing related to my first week exclusively. Upon doing so I was given a brief sentence about my second week. It made me feel as though the second week was not accounted for very well and that was quite frustrating when my only negative feedback related to my confidence levels. I felt much more relaxed in my second week and really took heed of the lessons I learnt in the week previous. I felt I had my best tasks in the second week and so that really was quite a shame.Rating out of 5:4.5</blockquote>

Verification: Our company is called, "The Corporate ___ Academy". What is the missing word here?

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