We were thrilled to collaborate with city law firm, Mayer Brown again this year to provide work experience.
August 2023 saw 10 of our young people, who completed our WYZ For Work course, placed in various practice areas at the firm. From corporate to litigation and intellectual property, students were matched with their areas of interest and gained a firsthand look at life at the firm.
Having hosted a Career Insight Day earlier in the year, Mayer Brown were once again delighted to support Open Palm and host a week’s work experience programme for the students, who had demonstrated a keen interest in becoming a lawyer.
We were very impressed by the high calibre of the students and their engagement with the programme and were delighted that we were able to shine a light on what a career as a lawyer would look like and dispelling the myths of working in a corporate environment and demonstrating how a legal career is attainable”. - Jo Sampson, DE&I and CSR Manager at Mayer Brown
The week was thoughtfully organised, providing young people with exposure to life in a city law firm. From completing tasks in their departments and learning how law firms grow, to touring law courts and gaining networking skills. All important experience to set them up for success in their future careers.
"It was great to see familiar work experience candidates from our past Career Insight Days with Mayer Brown. The events sparked an interest and ensured we had an engaged group of young, soon-to-be professionals, who wanted to further explore working at a leading law firm. With this experience gained and commitment they've shown, I have no doubt they will go on to achieve great things." - Ralph, Trustee and Co-Founder at Open Palm
To wrap up the week, students delivered presentations to business contacts and lawyers. They left an overwhelmingly positive impression.
The work experience initiative at Mayer Brown completely shifted the way young individuals view the operations of a corporate law firm. I was truly impressed by the calibre and passion of the group, along with Mayer Brown's dedicated efforts in crafting a comprehensive work experience programme. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the diverse career journeys that each participant will embark on in the future." - Tsitsi, Volunteer at Open Palm and Investment Manager at Charles Stanley
All 10 students gained a huge amount from the placements. For the majority, it was their first exposure to a law firm. "I never thought I'd get an opportunity like this" was the sentiment from one student who was thrilled to get started. We're so pleased that we were able to support young people, many from underrepresented backgrounds, to secure this excellent opportunity.
If you'd like to gain employability skills and access work experience with our partners, sign up to our free online WYZ For Work course to begin your journey.