Vacation Scheme Student Review

I really enjoyed the vacation scheme. It was very well planned and gave plenty of opportunities to get to know the firm better. We had a good balance between work and interactive activities, including social events with partners and trainees.

I was very impressed by how much effort everyone has made in making me part of the team. I had the opportunity to work together with a wide range of people, helping out on different client projects. At team meetings with partners, I had the chance to make a contribution and was made to feel a part of the team.

I found that most people are very approachable, including the Graduate Recruitment team. Whenever I had a question, whether it was about a task or an aspect of the scheme/training contract/career, there was always someone to help.

Due to the diverse nature of tasks that I have worked on, I felt like it was a good opportunity to develop key skills in the legal profession. I feel confident that this experience has established a good foundation on which to build on in the future.

I was very impressed how well organised and thought through the scheme was. We had a very smooth immersion into the life of the firm with a diverse set of events plants from the get-go. Generally, there was something planned every day, and if not, you always had the chance to create your own "events" by reaching out to partners/trainees/associates in the departments that you are curious about.

I found that HSF was very inclusive, diverse, and collaborative. There is generally a lot of collaboration between teams, whether within our between departments, and everyone treats each other with dignity and respect. Everyone was very nice and engaging, regardless of how intro- or extraverted their personalities are.

I felt like the people at the firm were interested in me and in helping me learn and develop my skills. I received good feedback on all tasks that I have done, with good recommendations for any improvement.

I only experienced two departments directly, and had met for coffee with people from three other departments during the scheme. Although all departments are different, I think generally, I appreciate that there is a lot of collaboration going on at the firm, that strong communication skills are essential (both, written and oral), and one definitely requires good interpersonal skills. Having a positive attitude and getting on easily with others will certainly make the long hours much more enjoyable.

I thought the vacation scheme offered very good opportunities to learn more about the firm. I had the chance to speak to people at a number of different events, as well as over lunch/coffee. Observing how everyone deals with each other was very telling of the values of HSF culture, which puts great emphasis on respect, collaboration, and diversity.

I thought the types of tasks that I was responsible for doing, as well as having the chance to observe the work of my supervisor gave me a good taster of what a career in law is like. My supervisors and others in the departments where I was seated had all made an effort to give me a diverse set of tasks to work on, which had given me good exposure to the type of work done.

We were paid £350 (minus PAYE) per week.

There were many opportunities to network and meet other employees at the firm, whether through specially organised social events, presentations, or on a request basis, you could always reach out to meet others.

There were events scheduled almost everyday. During the networking events, everyone was very approachable and it was easy to chat to any partner, associate or trainee. At the presentations, you could always ask questions.

We had an event where we found out about some of the networks/associations available at the firm. We also heard about other activities and events that employees participate in, including sporting clubs/events, language classes, etc.

I had a really good time on the scheme and would definitely recommend it to others.