Future Trainee Solicitor Review

Having done a number of vacation schemes at different firms, I can honestly say that I enjoyed the Hogan Lovells experience the most. The vacation scheme was very well structured, with the perfect balance between professional development sessions and social events. The work was top drawer and incredibly interesting, and the people that I worked with and met were supportive and genuinely interested in getting to know me.

Everyone that I met on the vacation scheme were very welcoming and were genuinely interested in getting to know me. My supervisors were always willing to answer my questions and took time out of their busy days to ensure that I was well briefed on the matters that they were working on. The professional development sessions that the firm organised were incredibly useful and enjoyable, and the level of effort that was put into these sessions illustrated the extent to which Graduate Recruitment wanted us to feel valued. I honestly could not fault anything about the scheme as it felt like a true two way process.

The vacation scheme was very well structured with support being available from multiple people. For work purposes, all vac schemers shared an office with an experienced associate who acted as a supervisor. I spent time in two separate departments and I had a supervisor for each one. They were my first port of call for any queries I had about work matters and both were very encouraging and supportive. I also was paired up with a trainee buddy, who came from the same university that I did, and who took me out for lunch and was always willing to offer helpful advice and guidance about the process. In each department I was also paired up with a trainee mentor, who made themselves available to answer any queries I had about specific departmental work and about life at Hogan Lovells in general. My trainee mentors were in regular e-mail contact and also made the effort to come and see me and to take me out for coffee. Support was also available from Graduate Recruitment, who were present at all professional development sessions and social events, and who took an active interest in my experiences on the scheme. It felt like everyone truly cared about the experience I was having and wanted me to feel at home and to enjoy myself.

I had already graduated from university by the time I took part in the vacation scheme, but the skills that I developed and the information that I received will be of great benefit for my future career and professional development. The work was designed to be challenging, but constructive feedback was always given and there was a real emphasis placed on developing individual research, presentation, and general legal skills. These will be genuinely useful as I embark on my legal career.

The vacation scheme was faultless in its organisation and structure. There was a perfect balance between professional development sessions and social activities, and the level of support made available to me in each department that I worked in was excellent. I was never bored, and felt constantly challenged in a positive way. The vacation scheme allowed me to highlight my professional and personal strengths, and gave me an opportunity to be myself and to get to know a whole range of different people.

Hogan Lovells is a place where everyone genuinely enjoys their work and enjoys the company of colleagues. Many of the trainees and other vac schemers that I met are people that I would genuinely enjoy spending time with outside of a work setting and I have made a lot of very good friends as a result of this process. There is a real positive energy to the office and an exciting buzz!

There was a very strong emphasis on personal training and development, and the firm organised multiple professional development sessions each week. These covered a whole range of practice areas and legal skills, and were tailored specifically for us as potential future trainees. I honestly could not fault these sessions as Graduate Recruitment put a lot of effort into making them engaging, informative and interesting. There was a real investment in us as individuals.

The vacation scheme was designed to give us a clear picture of what working for Hogan Lovells would be like. Everything was structured in such a way as to show us the reality of life in a large commercial law firm, and everyone that I met was open and honest about the firm's expectations and culture. I felt that what I was being shown was genuine and this allowed me to make an informed decision on whether I would like to pursue a career at the firm.

The vacation scheme gave me a real insight into the culture of Hogan Lovells and everyone that I met was very honest with me about how the firm operates. I didn't feel that anything was being hidden or that anyone was being dishonest with me. The positive atmosphere was genuine and the people I spoke to have real enthusiasm for their work.

The content was incredibly valuable as it confirmed in my mind that I wanted to work for Hogan Lovells.

I was paid a very generous sum that covered all expenses.

Each week numerous social activities and events were organised to allow vac schemers to meet with other trainees, associates and partners in a more relaxed setting. These were very enjoyable and Graduate Recruitment went to a lot of effort to plan the events.

They were very enjoyable and fun! I met a lot of people from different practice areas and the activities were really well planned and organised.

I was given a comprehensive overview of the activities available to employees, and was actively encouraged to get involved!

Definitely. By far the best vacation scheme that I have done!