Vacation Scheme Student Review

I enjoyed the vacation scheme very much. It offered me the perfect opportunity to gain some exposure to the world of Corporate Law and Shearman and Sterling LLP. I was able to gain an insight into the daily tasks of the lawyers whilst being able to actively contribute myself. We had numerous Q and A sessions arranged for us so as to give us a good insight into the activities of all the core practice areas and even a talk with the Managing Partner. Aside from work, the firm organized a number of socials for us to go to in the evening, some with trainees and the graduate recruitment team, others by ourselves. The firm also set aside a budget for us to go for lunch each week with our mentors and supervisors which was a great time to talk to them in an infomral environment.

I often felt very valued. I was given real work for real clients with real deadlines. The work I produced was reviewed as seriously and as thoroughly as that of a trainee solicitor and not only did I see the lawyers make use of such work I also saw one piece of research included in a direct email to a client. Associates and Partners were also very thankful for my effort which made me feel like a valued member of the team even if what I had actually done was relatively insignificant.

Having both a mentor and a supervisor meant that guidance and support was always available to me if I needed it. If those two people were otherwise engaged we were advised to make use of the open door policy as ask anyone who was around and they always seemed happy to help. I was given lots of guidance for each task including discussions explaining the context of a deal or project, advise on where to find relevant information and even guidance on how to best format and arrange any research I had done. We were also given guidance on how to approach the assessments which was both reassuring and helpful.

A lot of what I learned has been vocational in nature rather than academic. That said, the scheme reminded me about the importance of managing time effectively, learning how to prioritize and learning how to ask the right kind of questions so as to ensure your understanding of the subject or task at hand.

The vacation scheme was very well structured, striking a good balance between planned talks and socials and more flexible time to get involved with some work independently. Even the assessments were well structured allowing us to maximize our time in our practice groups whilst also allowing us to relax in-between each one. We were also free to arrange meet ups with people outside of our practice groups and were encouraged to do so. We were, in this sense, able to structure our days around our interests and curiosities, so long as we were able to complete our work!

The general atmosphere was welcoming one; one that was supporting but also adequately engaging and demanding. It ensured we got the closed experience as possible to life as a trainee solicitor at Shearman and Sterling. It was never competitive or tense with the other students but rather inclusive, encouraging and relaxed.

At the very basic level the firm gave us ICT training where we learnt how to operate their system which was daunting at first but it soon became more comprehensible as we began to explore its functions and use it ourselves in our work. In terms of more legally specific training, I was shown the very basics of drafting a contract as well as how to compile research documents and how to organise information more effectively. This last skill being something I can apply more widely in my studies.

Spending two weeks at the firm gave me a really good insight into the firm's culture, how it operates and what opportunities there are. Being able to speak to individuals from the trainee level right up to partner level was invaluable in helping me understand what full time roles at the firm consist of as well as helping me understand how the firm helps individuals to develop and grow their own careers.

Being able to work on real and current matters meant that I was able to gain a great insight the kind of work that the firm does. I was also able to sit in on meetings and listen to phone calls as well as talk to individuals about their practice areas and their current projects. Overall, the content of each day was very revealing of what a future career at Shearman and Sterling would involve. I was able to reflect in my own time about the work I had experienced and the people that I had spoken to evaluate whether it is a career path that I would enjoy.

We had talks on the Pro Bono opportunities at the firm as well as all the outreach projects that employees can get involved in outside of work . We were also able to find out about the sports teams that the firm has and there was even the offer to play in the rounders team after work one evening.

I would definately recomend this insight to a friend. It was a great experience and one that taught me a great deal about the kind of work the firm does, how it goes about this work and what its plans are for the future. It also gave me a invaluable insight into the culture of the firm. To see the words used on the website to describe the firm in practice was enlightening and finally the chance to do real work for real clients was immensely rewarding.