On 24 July, we hosted 12 sixth form students for a day of virtual sessions in the Pathways to Law scheme, in partnership with leading social mobility organisation The Sutton Trust. The programme offers high achieving young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to explore what entering the legal profession might look like with a variety of workshops, talks, and activities.
During the day, students were introduced to the firm by Academy Advisor Amy Sumpter and then took part in a commercial awareness workshop hosted by Emma Webb, with Karine Bennamara and Harriet Thurnstan. In this workshop, students were introduced to a fictitious client case study and undertook independent research on various client offerings and legal issues in the scenario, before sharing their findings with the wider group.
Students then attended a workshop on professional email etiquette hosted by Karolina Tomaite and Natalie Hunter. This was followed by a Routes to Becoming a Solicitor session hosted by Early Careers Advisor Thomas Hogan, joined by Lillie Hempsell, Edwyn Dawes, Louise Schofield and Charlie Wright for a Trainee & Apprentice Q&A session. The panel provided insight from their own journeys into law, with a variety of different perspectives.
Lastly, an Interview Workshop with Hazel Chambers and Jacky Khoueiry outlined key dos and don'ts for interviews. In feedback from this session, students found this particularly helpful as 'interviews are really nerve-wrecking and [the session] gave [them] good insight on how to answer questions'.
Edward Hughes-Power, Partner and Head of Mishcon de Reya's Social Mobility Committee, commented, "Partnering with the Sutton Trust has been a fantastic part of Mishcon de Reya's aspiration to help unlock opportunity and ensure a level-playing field for all young people wishing to enter the legal sector, regardless of where you come from. We aim to provide the opportunity for students to explore the legal profession and equip them with key skills for working at a commercial law firm."
Katy Hampshire, Director of Programmes at The Sutton Trust, commented, “We are delighted to have partnered with Mishcon de Reya for the past three years who offer a valuable experience for Sutton Trust students across the country to gain a unique insight into the firm, flex new legal skills and network with colleagues dedicated to social mobility. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Mischon de Reya over the coming years and providing even more opportunities for our students.”
We are looking forward to hosting students in September for our Careers Plus programme in partnership with the Sutton Trust, which will involve a week-long placement at our offices.