All four students from the LLB Law in Practice programme at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have been offered training contracts with global law firm Reed Smith LLP. The Law in Practice Programme is four years in duration and students spend year three on a professional placement at Reed Smith LLP.
Roxana-Mihaela Burghel, Victoria Lebed, Georgios Viopoulos and Saleh Zaheer are the first cohort of students to participate in the placement year.
Nigel Spencer, Global Head of Learning and Development at Reed Smith LLP, said, “We are extremely pleased that our innovative model of the LLB Law in Practice with Queen Mary has worked so well for the students. Our objective had always been to give the students an in-depth, practical ‘skills’ element to their degree, delivered through the business skills workshops in year two and then the eight month workplace experience in year three. The openness of QMUL’s Department of Law to work with employers in this way and to adapt their educational models around student needs really stands out”.
Professor Valsamis Mitsilegas, Head of QMUL’s Law Department congratulated the four students and said the Law in Practice programme is an example of how “Queen Mary is moving ahead with delivering real-world experience as part of our offer to students”.
Chloe Muir, Graduate Recruitment Advisor at Reed Smith LLP, said, “The students performed particularly well and impressed the business throughout their placement year with the firm. They have shown great adaptability, rotating through different practice groups, and the teams of fee earners with whom they have worked have been incredibly impressed, not only with their drive and positive attitudes, but also with the quality of their work. We are delighted that all four students will be joining us in due course as trainee solicitors.”
“At Reed Smith I was encouraged to demonstrate, develop and discover my strengths since day one. The quality of the work, the people and the amazing teaching environment has prepared me for the work I will be subject to when I will be a trainee. I sat in the Energy and Natural Resources and EME Corporate departments. In both departments I was given the responsibility of a trainee most of the time and I always felt part of the team. For me, it was very important to see that being a female partner is possible, encouraged and supported along the way.” -- Roxana Burghel
“My year in practice with Reed Smith LLP has been an outstanding learning experience. During these eight months, I got the chance to experience a day-to-day legal environment from various dimensions, while working with lawyers on cases within a friendly and diverse framework. The constant interaction with aspects of the legal field and the experience of a global firm has built my confidence and communication as well as cultivated my legal and professional skills and knowledge. Above all, this full-time, year-long internship played a catalytic role in deciding that a legal career as a solicitor is what suits me best in terms of my future aspirations and goals.” -- Georgios Viopoulos
“My time with Reed Smith was a truly unforgettable experience. I had a chance to immerse myself into the daily life of a city lawyer in one of the biggest international law firms in London. Undoubtedly, eight months of dynamic and engaging work within three different departments primed me well for my future training contract with Reed Smith, which I was offered at the end of the placement. Reed Smith stands out not only due to its high - calibre clients and quality of work. It is about people who make the firm different - from the day one I felt welcomed and supported.” -- Victoria Lebed
Reed Smith and the team at Queen Mary go above and beyond to ensure interns get a varied experience. The field of law is very competitive and the Law in Practice programme definitely puts you in the driving seat, and sets you apart from the huge number of graduates in pursuit of a training contract. The course is a 'game-changer', and will provide you with a strong foundation of legal and business skills necessary to learn, develop and thrive both as a student and future lawyer.'' -- Saleh Zaheer
Find out more about QMUL's Law in Practice programme at the School of Law
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