Vacation Scheme Student Review

The vacation scheme was enormously enjoyable; there was no shortage of interesting and intellectualy challenging work, as well as opportunities to interact with various individuals within the firm and with other vacation scheme students in a variety of contexts

I was assigned lots of substantive work during both of my two 'seats', and the trainees and junior associates who I was working with spent considerable time discussing it with me. I found all the people at the firm to be friendly, personable and hugely generous with their time.

We received detailed formal talks into the various practice areas of the firm, and were able to discuss things further with the lawyers we were working alongside.

As a non-law student, there are only limited transferable skills between the vacation scheme and my degree itself. However, it definitely demonstrated to me the value of brevity and precision in writing.

Highly so; a detailed timetable was provided, and stuck to for the duration of the two weeks. Moreover it was done in a way which did not seem disjointed or arbitrary, but which demonstrated that considerable thought had gone into the scheme - allowing us to experience both breadth of practice areas and also depth within them.

Very positive; the firm's culture is driven but friendly, and all the lawyers I met - from partners to trainees - were lovely. Vacation scheme students were treated with genuine respect, and everyone seemed interested in us as people.

Aside from a formal training session in how to use the firm's computer systems, I was also given brief introductions to various practice areas by the lawyers I was working with. However, much of the training was done 'on the go' rather than through pedagogic teaching - I found that this was ultimately much more useful.

Spending two weeks at Shearman & Sterling was undoubtedly useful in helping me acquaint myself with the role of a trainee solicitor at the firm - I was able to see firsthand the sort of work done and the way in which the firm operated.

Through working in two different practice areas, as well as interacting with individuals from a variety of others, I was able to get a good feel for the culture of the firm, which I found to be energetic whilst simultaneously humane.

The vacation scheme confirmed to me that I would be interested in a career at a firm like Shearman & Sterling, namely a large law firm focussing on international transactions.

We were appropriately remunerated.

There were several formal and informal opportunities for networking.

They were varied and uniformly enjoyable, ranging from a cookery tutorial to dinner at a nearby restaurant. In addition, I was invited to a departmental Christmas party, which was a spectacular affair.

Not particularly; however, information was available.

Without doubt - a thoroughly enjoyable two weeks.