Student/Vacation Schemer Review

The vacation scheme was a great experience and great fun! I was given real work and everyone was willing to answer my questions about the work and about the firm.

As I was given real work I felt included in the department. After I'd finished my task the partner/associate/trainee seemed very grateful.

Everyone at Stephenson Harwood were very supportive throughout the week. Everyone was willing to answer my questions and explained the task in a lot of detail before I started. I was able to attend talks on the firm's practice areas and departmental talks on, for example, environment law.

The vacation scheme has put practical experience to what I am studying on the LPC. It's also greatly improved my research skills, by using new search engines and having wide research tasks.

The vacation scheme was very well structured with talks on each department split up throughout the week rather than having death by powerpoint for the first few days. At all times I knew where I was expected to be and when with a well set-out timetable.

Everyone at SH were very friendly and keen to get to know me as much as I wanted to get to know them. Emails were sent out telling everyone that the vacation scheme was going on and some lawyers made real efforts to make us feel included. The "pub quiz" on the last week was also great fun!

The firm gave us really in depth training in the firm's strategy and about its departments. I really felt the firm wanted us to learn and gain from the two week experience.

I was given real work and felt like a trainee at the firm. My supervisor, buddy and other lawyers in the department all helped in preparing me for the assessment centre in the second week.

The vacation scheme confirmed that SH is one of the friendliest firms I have come across.

As I was able to experience two departments of my choice during the vacation scheme, and take part in real work in both, I know which departments I would enjoy during my training contract. The department talks also helped with this.

I was given £260 for the two weeks and was taken out to lunch a number of times.

On the first week there was a drinks sessions with all the trainees in the firm, who were all willing to give advice on how to get a training contract. In the second week we all took part in the firm's annual "pub quiz" which was great fun and I was able to get to know the department a lot better!

There were scheduled lunches and drinks sessions which many of the trainees attended and were so enthusiastic and happy to talk to all of us.

The annual "pub quiz" really showed that the culture at the firm is as friendly as everyone says, and that the firm really do encourage you to have a life away from your desk. I was also invited to drinks in the evening and yoga classes.

I would highly recommend this firm to anyone who is considering a career in commercial law and anyone who wants to experience a truly friendly firm.