Vacation Scheme Student Review

I felt that, though there was a lot of work, the placement was an enjoyable way to get to know the interior workings of a large firm. It was also a good way to get to know the people who would likely be part of my intake program if I manage to secure a training contract.

I had a different experience in both of groups where I sat. In Litigation I felt often that I was only an observer and at times like a bit of a burden on the process of a case, though my supervisor and trainee buddy both took time to make sure I was useful. In Real Estate I felt like I was immediately given responsibility and, even if carefully watched, was able to do meaningful work.

Due to the busy schedules of everyone in Litigation, I did not receive that much guidance. That being said, I am very independent. I imagine that had I stopped and needed a lot of assistance the GR team would have helped.

While I'm not 100% certain how much the specific and technical points of law will be used in my studies, I certainly found that getting to work in a law firm has given me a new perspective on how the law operates in practice. That will almost definitely help in the future.

The events were very well put together. I, for the most part, felt like I was never lost in what to do. The actual work with my supervisors was less stable. There were a few moments where I was adrift and had to find work for myself to do since my supervisor was too busy.

The atmosphere was very genial during my stay. HSF certainly does a good job of taking what could be a very grim job representing banks and energy giants and keep a positive energy throughout the office. It was clear that many of the partners and senior associates we met during the scheme were the more charismatic and outgoing members of the firm.

In Real Estate I found myself being given a good deal of advice regarding the work I was doing, but otherwise there was not too much actual training. When it came to the legal work, it seemed like we were either supposed to know what was going on or figure it out ourselves for the most part.

I felt that the work I got to participate in was a great way to see what a trainee might find themselves working on once they had joined HSF full time. Obviously things were toned down as I was only a vacation scheme student, but nonetheless, I could see how the work would evolve.

The various presentations and events did a solid job of showing off the best sides of the company culture. Of course, there were moments when it seemed that perhaps we were being shown HSF exclusively through rose coloured glasses.

Seeing the inner workings of this firm has definitely given me a much better view of what goes on inside a firm of this caliber. It was immensely helpful to experience this scheme.

Since I was from outside the UK, I feel it might have been nice to have had more help finding accommodations. I lucked out in where I found a place, but I understand some of the students were given accommodations by the firm. The payment was totally fine, but I found it odd that I was paid in cash. Surely a firm of HSF's size could pay into my Canadian account.

There were a number of events and opportunities for meeting and networking with other employees. The various vacation scheme events were all good chances to network and I was invited to a few other events by either my supervisors, trainees, or various people I had met whilst in the firm. I felt that there could have been a few more informal events like the darts.

For the most part the events were very enjoyable. It was clear that the GR team and the firm were working to make things enjoyable and to create a good atmosphere for us to network and meet other employees. I was a little shocked with the amount of liquor and alcohol being served at every function. I would recommend at least one or two events in the future where there isn't so much drinking/a culture of alcohol.

Yes. I found out about several different activities and organizations that other employees were involved in. The majority of these I learned of through various employees who I spoke to. The GR team did not really give a great cross section of what went on beneath the surface of the firm. The Networks Fair event was rather lackluster.

I would definitely recommend this to a friend. This was a fantastic way to learn about the firm and what working in law will be like.