Spring Vacation Scheme Review

The HSF vacation scheme was fantastic in all respects. By the end of the two weeks all of us vac schemers had become very good friends. On the first night HSF organised a dinner for vac-schemers only i.e. without any HSF representatives present. This helped us all get to know each other and made the whole experience much more enjoyable. The whole vacation scheme was a true representation of what life at HSF is like and nothing was 'put on for show'.

I definitely felt valued during my time at HSF. My supervisors set tasks which they honestly needed help with and did not set tasks for the sake of giving me something to do. For example, I was asked to research the ownership of international waters as my supervisor had just begun working on a project which concerned this. I also felt valued when my supervisors were genuinely interested in my opinion of what should be done or what the next steps should be. While vac schemers are obviously not qualified, this does not mean that your supervisors are not interested in your opinions.

A major part of the vacation scheme is having a taste of the 'real experience'. At the start it definitely felt like I was thrown in the deep end but that is to be expected. I found it a bit overwhelming to figure out how I should start the task that I was assigned however my supervisor was very happy to answer any questions that I had. It is also important to remember that, for the most part, you will be joining a case which may be mid way through, or even near completion. By the second day and once I understood the case, my task was very enjoyable and my supervisor was very supportive.

The vacation scheme has confirmed my desire to work at HSF. I found that a lot of firms look very similar on paper so the vacation scheme was very helpful in differentiating the firms I have visited. I also developed skills that will assist me in my law degree and beyond. One of the most important things I learned was that clients want more than just legal advice. Clients are much more interested in what steps they should take next, the likelihood of their claims succeeding and what evidence needs to be provided than in the niche legal elements of their case. This is something that I will remember throughout my career.

The vacation scheme was very well structured. We had department-specific talks each day (which was particularly useful as we only sat in two practice areas during the scheme). These talks took place in the morning and/or lunchtime. This worked well as the day was broken up quite nicely and it meant that the vacation scheme cohort could spend some time together each day. We received a programme booklet on Day 1 which had a clear timetable for the two weeks. This ensured that we all knew where we had to be each day.

So enjoyable! Everyone I met was very friendly and approachable. Graduate Recruitment were very down to earth and answered any questions I had. The vacation scheme cohort was very nice and we became friends very quickly. I am sure that many of us will continue to be friends, no matter which firms we end up working in. A highly enjoyable two weeks and I really did not want it to end!

HSF invested in the vacation scheme considerably. We were each paid £400 per week and were given breakfast and lunch (and sometimes dinner/drinks) each day. More generally, I feel like HSF really cared about the vacation scheme and put a lot of thought and effort into it. I felt valued at all times and it was made clear that HSF recruits heavily from the vacation scheme. This made it more of a two-way process of vac schemers trying to impress HSF and visa versa.

I am confident that I know exactly what life at HSF is like. Nothing was put on for show and everyone I met gave their honest opinions. We had a trainee Q & A panel session where no other HSF representatives were present. The trainees were very honest and highlighted the good parts of HSF as well as the bad parts of the profession more generally.

Throughout the two weeks I was able to talk to lots of people at the firm, from trainees to partners, this really showed me how friendly people at HSF are! Students are often told about how the culture of a law firm is so important but the only way to understand a firm's culture is to spend time there and talk to the people that work there. I found it very hard to differentiate the culture of each firm on paper. Most firms brand themselves as friendly and supportive but this definitely varies between firms and is often only noticeable once you have visited the firm.

I had a very strong desire to be a commercial lawyer and the vacation scheme definitely confirmed that. I gained a really deep insight into the two practice areas that I sat in and found out about the other practice areas through the departmental presentations each day. I got to do real work for real clients and help my supervisor on real tasks. This confirmed my desire to be a commercial lawyer.

We were paid £400 per week which is one of the highest-paying vacation schemes.

There were ample networking opportunities. On one of the evenings we had a networking drinks reception with partners. The partners were very friendly and approachable. We were also invited to attend the future joiners quiz. I met trainees and future trainees which was very nice.

Very well organised networking events (such as partner drinks) and more relaxed social events such as sushi making in covent garden!

I particularly enjoyed attended evening activities at HSF. During the two weeks I attended four guest lectures which take place during lunchtime or after work. These were very interesting with some focusing on the impact of Brexit. I also enjoyed attending a lecture after work which was run by one of my lecturers at Warwick!

The vacation scheme was fantastic and I could not fault it in any way. It is very well organised and a lot of though has been put into it to make sure that the vac schemers can get a real insight into life at HSF as well as what commercial lawyers do more generally. The HSF vacation scheme is highly coveted and I understand why! I had a great two weeks, made friends for life and hope to work at HSF in the future.