Vacation Scheme Student Review

I really enjoyed the scheme; it was hard work at times but there were lots of social events, and as it was in the lead up to Christmas there were lots of office parties / drinks. Everyone was really friendly and made us feel welcome. Overall, it was definitely enjoyable.

I felt valued in that everyone made an effort to meet me and chat to me, and though the purpose of being there wasn't to do valuable work, it did feel like the supervisors were interested in what I thought. The work I've done will go towards client work too.

We received a good amount of guidance and support. At times we were left to figure things out on our own, but that is what you'd expect when you're applying for a training contract. The HR team were always on hand if we did have any questions, but it felt like the main purpose was to figure things out on your own.

It's given me a good insight into how my degree will have practical uses, though studying law in general is pretty different. I think I've developed my research skills, and I definitely learned more about how to structure Client Memos, the type of language to use, and the best referencing systems.

The insight was really well structured, I was pleasantly surprised to find that everything had already been considered. We were given a timetable at the start of the scheme, and this included sessions for feedback, question and answer sessions, information presentations, social events etc. It was refreshing to work somewhere so well organised.

The atmosphere was more lively and welcoming than I expected of a commercial law firm; I didn't expect people to really care about vacation scheme students, but everyone made the effort to meet us. Partners made the effort to come along to evening drinks and there were lots of things going on.

It definitely felt like the firm was investing in our personal training and development, making sure to give us advice on any law careers; not just with their firm. Partners and Senior Associates put on presentations every morning and evening, and we had specific sessions to get feedback with HR.

It has definitely helped me imagine what it would be like to work at Herbert Smith Freehills, because I was able to sit in the seat of a trainee and have been able to ask numerous people questions about their work and their motivations. Even practicing the commute, and having lunches in the office café, has given me a good idea.

I had read a lot about the culture at Herbert Smith Freehills prior to starting the scheme, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was true - everyone was really friendly and helpful, but with an equal emphasis on hard work. It was markedly more friendly than smaller firms I have worked at.

I was able to confirm that I definitely want to go into a legal career, working as a solicitor at a city firm. It was hard to get a real idea of what it would be like to work in the departments I didn't sit in - we had a presentation on each, but it's not the same as working there. .

We were paid around £400 for each week, which was definitely adequate for myself as I live with my parents. It might have been more difficult to live off that if you were paying rent in London, although often lunch and / or dinner was provided, so all you really needed to pay for was breakfast and travel.

There were many organised social events, such as drinks with the partners, or playing table tennis with the graduate recruitment team. It was also made really clear that we should arrange our own coffees / lunches with other people we wanted to meet, and so most people did this several times.

They were good, and it was really nice to have dinner on the first evening without any Herbert Smith Freehills staff present. It felt like the firm spent a lot of money on social events, so I felt valued. The table tennis evening was a lot of fun, and everyone was more relaxed by the second week.

There didn't seem to be that many group activities going on outside of work - people who mentioned what they'd been up to were mostly talking about exercising or seeing family. There was information on the pro-bono activities, though I didn't meet many trainees who actually got involved with it.

Yes, I would definitely recommend it to a friend who was interested in a career as a commercial solicitor. I think if someone wasn't, it would be incredibly intense and wouldn't feel worth it. It has definitely taught me a lot about my future career and has helped confirm my ambitions.