Summer Student Profiles
Will Rollinson
Having been with Tods for over 5 weeks now, I am inevitably asked by friends, family and University colleagues what my summer placement has been like. My response is usually this: interesting and varied. I have been placed in the Rural Property and Business (RPB) department however, I have also been involved in work for a number of other departments in the firm such as litigation and tax and I have also been involved in researching renewable energy topics for the firm’s Green Focus Magazine.
As well as being varied, the summer law school has also been thoroughly enjoyable. I have really been made to feel as though I am a part of the team in RPB having been assigned a multitude of different tasks by all the members of the department. These have included reading through dispositions, preparing inventories of titles, researching numerous topics, updating client files, drafting letters to clients, reading through land certificates and correcting any mistakes and reading through a proposal for a wind farm to name just a few! Not only have people delegated to me but they have also been incredibly open and supportive. No question is a stupid question and whenever I have felt like I am in need of direction, I have only ever had to turn around and ask someone.
Being a summer student in a large firm can be really daunting at first but with such a positive atmosphere, taking part in a summer programme that is really focussed towards helping students improve their legal skills and abilities is an experience that I have found invaluable. The Wednesday seminars in particular have been excellent. As well as offering an insight into the aspects of the different departments they also provide an opportunity to ask questions, to improve research skills, and they are a great way for us students to get to know a little more about other lawyers in the firm.
But it’s not all research and seminars. I have been lucky enough to take a trip to court on two occasions and I even lodged some documents for a client. This would not have been possible were it not for the built-in flexibility that the summer school provides. My supervisor and buddy were kind enough to let me away from the office whenever they thought an opportunity would be of value to me and for that I am really appreciative. Not only have I been supported to get involved in work-related activities but I have also been given time out of my busy schedule to participate in the Charity Challenge.
This year, the summer students were split into two teams with the objective of raising as much money as possible for Tods Murray’s charity of the year- Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. My team, Team Lawsome, have been involved in bake sales, Friday challenges (guessing games that get the whole firm involved), a night-hike through Glasgow and a joint race night with the other team. Not only are we raising money for a great cause but it is also a fantastic way to interact with all the members of the firm.
I am looking forward to the remainder of the placement but undoubtedly have some nerves about the traineeship interview that we are all guaranteed in our final week. This is what we have all been waiting for and I know that no matter what the outcome, I will have gained invaluable experience, insight and knowledge into the legal profession. The summer law school that Tods Murray offers really is a dynamic, enjoyable and worthwhile experience that I would recommend to anyone who is applying for summer placements.
Emma Suslak
I feel like I have struck it pretty lucky in gaining a place on the Tods Murray summer school programme. Not only am I working in an award-winning commercial law firm, gaining immeasurable amounts of experience and knowledge, I am also working with people who take the programme seriously, and want to make sure that I get as much from the placement as possible.
For the duration of my time here I have been placed in the Commercial Property department. This is the largest department in Tods, and therefore there is plenty of work to keep me occupied. The first couple of weeks saw me conducting research on behalf of different members of my team, writing articles for the Green Team website, and closing files. Now, more than half way in, I have also been responsible for filling in Land Register documentation, organising lease packs and writing a report on a Land Certificate. The work is very varied and interesting, and can be challenging at times. However, all the people in my team are very approachable and are more than happy to answer any questions that I may have.
Throughout the placement, I have also become involved in both tax and family law work. Tods encourages its summer students to pursue work in other departments within the firm so that we may gain a more rounded view of all that goes on here. Over the past few weeks, in addition to my Commercial Property work, I have been updating tax training files to reflect changes brought about by new legislation; writing guidance notes on VAT and SDLT; and writing articles, along with another summer student, about joint bank accounts and strange marriage laws from around the world.
However, the summer school is not solely about day-to-day legal work. To break up the week, every Wednesday afternoon the firm organises a Business Skills Workshop. The workshops last roughly three hours, and are a mixture of talks by different people from within the firm about the work that goes on in each department, and practical lessons, such as drafting and research skills. The research classes in particular have proved invaluable.
As well as the workshops, the marketing department keeps as busy writing blogs and press releases; but perhaps the thing that takes up the most time is the Charity Challenge. Each year, Tods sponsors a different charity; this year it is Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. In order to show off our team-work and creativity, the summer students are split into two teams and must compete against each other to raise as much money as possible for Maggie’s throughout the duration of the summer school. My team, Team Lawsome, has organised a number of events, including bake sales, recycling old mobile phones, participating in a 10 mile night hike in Glasgow and bag-packing.
Despite all the hard work, Tods is an extremely sociable place too. On our first day drinks were organised to enable us to meet everyone in the firm and to ensure that we quickly felt part of the team. From then on I have been to barbeques, lunches and even a race night, albeit this last event was organised by the summer students jointly to raise money for Maggie’s.
Perhaps the best thing about the Tods Murray’s summer placement is that it operates on a 2-way street. Whilst the firm will make use of you, the people here want to make sure you leave with a true impression of what day-to-day life in a law firm is like, from learning how to use the printer and scanner and drafting letters, to writing articles and participating in important transactions. Aside from that, the business workshops aim to improve your knowledge and skills, and the charity challenge, as well as helping out a fantastic cause, is a great way to raise your profile.
Pete Brading
Tods Murray offers something unique to its Summer Students. The Summer School is far more than just a ‘taste’ of life in a busy legal environment; it is an opportunity to get involved with a varied and hands-on legal experience within a leading multi-discipline firm. More than that though, the 8 weeks is an excellent opportunity to really get to know the firm – and to enjoy yourself along the way!
From the moment I arrived at Tods Murray, it was clear that the firm took the Summer School programme and its Summer Students seriously. This was not only because we were guaranteed a traineeship interview at the end, but also because of the genuinely impressive range of tasks we would be given (don’t take my word for it, have a look at our blogs at insidetods.com). Our Wednesday afternoon seminars have proved to be stimulating insights into various departments within the firm and it makes such a huge difference when you are learning from people who are enthusiastic about what they do. That is something I would say that characterises life here at Tods – the enthusiastic, welcoming and inclusive nature of the firm. Easily one the most enjoyable parts of the placement is getting to know everyone here. From my I experience, I have found that everyone has time for you, no matter how silly the question, and I have genuinely felt like a valued member of the firm.
I also feel I hit the jackpot by being placed in the Banking Department and I would recommend any prospective Summer Student to put Banking down as a preferred seat. Over the 8 weeks I have spent in this dynamic team, I have been exposed to a broad range of interesting and robust legal tasks. Furthermore, I learnt a great deal on a subject that was only briefly touched upon at university and I will leave here with a much deeper understanding of the area. In addition, I know that gaining some experience in this field now will stand me in excellent stead for the future. After I leave here, the tasks I think I will remember the most are the transactions I was involved in from the client’s instruction through to completion. These tasks involved dealing with the discharging of standard securities and corresponding with all the parties involved. It is hugely satisfying to have seen the documents I drafted successfully doing what they were drafted to do. At the moment, I am writing an e-bulletin on the recent changes to the law on guarantees and indemnities. This is something which I know will also be a real highlight because the e-bulletin will be released by the firm online and in years to come I know I will be able to find it there! Outside of Banking, I have always had a keen interest in Litigation and IP, so I asked to find out more. I was rewarded with trips to the Court of Session and some fascinating research on some core IP issues.
A large part of the Summer Law School has been the charity fundraising project. After being split into two teams, we were challenged to raise as much money as possible for the firm’s charity partner – Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres. This has been a brilliant way to get to know the other summer students and we have had a great time raising the money. We organised some fantastic events, including a race night with pantomime horses and a sponsored 26 mile hike across the Highlands.
I am looking forward to the last two remaining weeks here. But, I am sad that the placement is nearly over. Overall, the experience has opened my eyes to the possibilities of specialising in different areas of law and I have learnt a great deal. However, it is the inclusive nature of the firm and the fun we have had with everyone on the charity events that has really defined my time here.
Work Experience Placements
Tods Murray also runs a work experience week aimed at school pupils. Here's what one of this year's students, Fraser Ramsay, thought of his experience here ...
Turning up to work experience in a completely new environment, working with new people can feel quite daunting; however as soon as you step through the door of Tods Murray, that feeling is completely dispelled. From the very beginning you are welcomed into their schedule of work and become treated as a fellow colleague, something which creates an even better working environment.
Instead of feeling like a burden upon the staff here, you are given many different tasks, often within the different areas of law which the company covers so that you are given a better insight into it.
The staff here are very approachable and easy to talk to, as well as going out of their way to make sure that you get the best experience possible. They also try to get you out of the office and into court to see what litigation is like; which if I do say so myself, is very interesting. What makes the whole experience feel more real is that the hours you work are near to the normal working day. I worked from 9:00 till 5:00 most days with the occasion where I stayed on slightly later. There is never a dull moment when you are working here. Every task is different and with each task comes more problems to solve and research to find, always leading to a feeling of great achievement
The work you are given to do is very relevant to law itself which is always much better than making cups of tea and running errands. To name just a few tasks I’ve done; I have been checking leasing agreements and investigating the exact law behind tenement ownership to figure out who should pay for repairs, to which both have been very interesting and satisfying to pursue. I have also written articles on a variety of topics, ranging from ‘having a green economy in order to have stable economic growth’ to ‘sustainable Edinburgh 2020’, which is a project being rolled out by the Edinburgh City Council to try and improve Edinburgh’s economy and to make it a more environmentally friendly city.
I count myself very lucky to have been able to take part in this and if there was one thing I could change about it, it would be that it lasted longer! To anyone who receives the work experience placement here, I wish them all the best and to make sure they get the most out of it so that at the end they leave feeling like they have really achieved something. For me, it has only confirmed that law is the right career path to follow and with this valuable work experience behind me, it should help me on my way to becoming a lawyer.