Last week Stewarts was pleased to host its third cohort of work experience students in association with the Social Mobility Foundation, a UK charity making practical improvements in social mobility for young people through its Aspiring Professionals Programme.
Our London and Leeds offices welcomed ten bright students between them, joining us for a one-week placement. The programme offered practical, informative insight into a career in the legal industry.
Visit the Social Mobility Foundation’s website for more information on its Aspiring Professionals Programme and further work.
The work
Throughout the week, each student divided their time between mentors in two different departments, carrying out a variety of legal tasks such as researching and preparing articles, document preparation and review and work shadowing duties.
The wider timetable included different sessions hosted by employees from around the firm. These included presentations relating to Stewarts itself, as well as the broader legal system and advice on how to become a lawyer. We also hosted practical sessions focusing on diversity and inclusion, building your personal brand, and presentation and debating skills. A team from legal recruitment agency Ryder Reid hosted a CV workshop session.
The aspiring young professionals also received a tour of the local courts. To conclude the week, the students prepared and delivered group presentations on topics of their choosing.
One of this year’s students, Zainab Nadeem, spent the week in our Leeds office and commented on the programme: “We participated in a debate session regarding ex-parte occupation and non-molestation orders. We were able to consider both sides of the claim and present arguments for them within a 45-minute time frame. This was particularly useful as we were able to comprehend and provide a detailed explanation on several points in a time-effective way, which is an essential skill as a lawyer.”
“I would like to thank all the staff at Stewarts, for taking the time to ensure we had an incredibly informative and successful internship experience.”
This year’s bright cohort made the most of the activities throughout the week. We look forward to welcoming more students in partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation in 2025.
Our mentors and session facilitators
This year’s work experience committee was chaired by Joanna Clark, Recruitment Manager and Maddy Butcher, Recruitment Administrator.
Our session facilitators and mentors included:
- Alice Russell, Associate
- Andrew Robson, Senior Associate
- Ben Townsend, Partner and Head of Personal Injury, Leeds
- Ed Holmes, Senior Associate
- Fiona Porter, Associate
- Hannah Jones, Associate
- James Boissier, Trainee Solicitor
- James Breese, Partner
- James Philpott, Trainee Solicitor
- Joseph Lappin, Partner and Head of Employment
- Katherine Fitter, Partner
- Lizzie Downs, HR Manager
- Louis Peacock-Young, Senior Associate
- Lydia Martin, Senior Communications Manager
- Max Bryson, HR Administrator
- Rebecca Cox, Senior HR Manager
- Scott Rigby, Partner
- Stuart Carson, Partner
A big thank you to anyone else who contributed to making this a memorable experience for our students.
Social Mobility Employer Index
Stewarts was listed as a Top 75 employer for social mobility in the 2023 Employer Index, published by the Social Mobility Foundation. The Index is a rigorous assessment of the steps being taken by employers to ensure talent from all social backgrounds can get in and get on in organisations. Entrants for the index employ a total of more than one million people; the legal sector is the most represented industry among submitting firms.
Please read our earlier article for more information.
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