Vacation Scheme Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my two week vacation scheme at Stephenson Harwood. It provided me with a comprehensive insight into both the culture of the firm and the opportunity to experience two different practise areas. The vacation scheme was very well organised, from the social events through to the presentations and the Q&A sessions.

I felt extremely valued during my time at Stephenson Harwood. Everyone that I spoke to had a genuine interest in what I was doing and was happy to offer guidance and advice. I was fortunate enough to be assigned a number of research tasks by my supervisor, who then used some of my work to present to a client. It was really rewarding seeing my work actually being used and appreciated by both my supervisor and the client.

From the first day of starting the vacation scheme I was provided with a professional level of support and guidance from members of HR as well as trainees and associates in the department I was sat in. All of the tasks that I undertook were clearly explained to me and my supervisor was happy to offer further clarification if I had misunderstood any aspect of the work.

Undertaking a vacation scheme with Stephenson Harwood helped me to not only develop my academic skills and legal understanding but also my social skills. My work helped me better understand the day to day life of a solicitor and offered me an insight into areas of the law that I was previously unfamiliar with. Both the formal and informal events that were part of the vacation scheme exposed me to the collegiate and inclusive culture of the firm as well as helped me hone my people skills.

From my initial interview through to the final day of my vacation scheme, the organisation was superb. Throughout the two weeks we were fortunate to be provided with talks from associates in different departments as well as from the CEO. The vacation scheme allowed for me to sit in two different seats, thus enabling me to get the most out of my time at the firm, as I was able to match my seat selection to my interests.

One of the main reasons I decided to apply for a vacation scheme at Stephenson Harwood was because of the professional, transparent and collegiate atmosphere that they promote. From spending two weeks in the firm, it was clear that the firm really do practise what they preach. Everyone took the time to speak to me and was more than happy to answer any questions or concerns that I may have had. The social events also allowed me to interact with members of the firm on a more personal level and better understand the firm's culture.

The firm invested a considerable amount of time, effort and money in training us and assisting in our personal development. Right from the first day we were provided with training in how to use the firm's internal computer system, the legal research tools as well how to use the telephones so that we could communicate with co-workers across the international offices.

The insight was a good way to gain a broad perspective of what a full time role with the company would be like. From the working hours through to the social opportunities, I felt as if I came away having a complete understanding of life inside the firm.

The insight was a great way to learn about the culture at Stephenson Harwood. It provided me with plenty of opportunities to talk with individuals across the firm, in both formal as well as informal settings.

My experience in the two departments that I worked in while at Stephenson Harwood gave me great clarity regarding my final choice in choosing my future career path. It helped me strengthen and finalise my decision to become a lawyer and also provided me a flavour of the areas I would like to practise in.

We were provided with a number of organised events for networking and meeting other employees, such as lunch with trainees and an evening in-house quiz. Many employees were also happy to meet for a few minutes to speak about their experiences and offer advice as well as answer any questions.

The social and networking opportunities were plentiful and very helpful in helping me feel settled and supported.

From speaking to both members of HR and current trainees I was provided with a more than comprehensive list of activities that employees can be involved with outside work. From the leading pro-bono work that the firm undertakes, through to the various sporting teams that everyone is encouraged to join. There also appeared to be the opportunity for employees to put forward new ideas for activities and sports teams!

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