The Shoosmiths Milton Keynes Employment team hosted a sixth form student for a 3-day work experience placement following meeting the student at the Bedford School Employers’ Fair on Friday 16 June 2023 (Shoosmiths Milton Keynes employment team visit Bedford School Careers Fair).
Further to meeting Amy Leech and Jessica Pearson at the careers fair, the student reached out to Amy expressing an interest in a career in law, and subsequently the placement was arranged.
From Monday 7 to Wednesday 10 August 2023, the student attended the Milton Keynes office and had the opportunity to meet members of the firm, get a taste of the work of an Employment solicitor, and gain an insight into the overall running of a law firm as a business.
Amy Leech organised several talks and activities for the student throughout their time with Shoosmiths. The placement consisted of various Q&A sessions with legal advisors, along with the office’s Business Development Manager (Paula Gurney), the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager (David Letts), and Milton Keynes’ HR Advisor (Lara Verrall).
The student also spent an afternoon in the post room learning how mail is handled in an office, a morning on reception assisting with the setting up of meeting rooms and other front of house tasks, and also spent some time completing Employment law work. The aim of the placement was to give the student an insight into life in a law firm from all different angles, and the placement was a huge success with the student commenting that they had “gained lots of insight into the various areas of law and how a law firm operates.”
Following the placement, the student contacted Amy Leech and Lauren Moroney of the Milton Keynes Employment team to thank them for making the experience so positive and commented that everyone had been very helpful and friendly. The student confirmed that, having spent time at Shoosmiths, they were now very keen to pursue a career in law.
The Milton Keynes office’s Social Mobility Working Group are delighted at the success of the placement and look forward to working with more local secondary schools and offering work placements to more students in the future.
You can find out more about our social mobility plan here.
Disclaimer
This information is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. Please contact us for specific advice on your circumstances. © Shoosmiths LLP 2025.