First Year Vacation Scheme Review

I very much enjoyed the insight! The work was really varied and I was able to meet many different people at the firm. Everyone was extremely friendly and approachable and made me feel at home straight away. There was also plenty of social activities and opportunities to ask questions. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is thinking about a career in law. In particular, the presentations with Chris Stoakes and the opportunities to sit in three different departments were the highlights of the insight.

I always felt valued during my time at the firm. During the work shadowing section I was given real work to do and allowed to sit in on important meetings with barristers. Everyone was interested in me and definitely invested time and effort in me over the course of the week, which was tangible. There were plenty of opportunities for feedback throughout the week, which were taken on-board and which allowed us to gain maximum value from the insight scheme.

I received maximum support and guidance over the course of the week. All the workshops and presentations were designed to support us in our future applications, develop us as people and inform us about Hogan Lovells so as to make knowledgeable decisions in the future. The presentations with Christopher Stoakes were excellent in teaching us about the commercial world, and helped us with current topics such as the impact of Brexit on the City.

The skills I’ve developed and information I’ve received will be somewhat useful in my studies and beyond. In particular, the skills developed during the work shadowing sessions will assist me in legal research, understanding new concepts and thinking about topics in a more fluid way. The presentations were all relevant and targeted to students at our level. The skills are more relevant to my career plans than my degree studies, but that is because we do not study commercial law at university.

The insight was impeccably structured. We were given a timetable at the start of the week and it was jam packed of presentations, work-shadowing in three different departments, networking lunches, a dinner and coffee chats with trainees from departments we were particularly interested in. The hours were great and they didn’t keep us in the office too long, which meant we could be fresh each day of the insight scheme. The interactive sessions on negotiating and maintaining share prices were the highlights of the timetable.

The general atmosphere during the insight was really pleasant. Although you could tell that all the students were ambitious for themselves, there was a real atmosphere of collaboration and friendship. Everyone was very sociable but also motivated to get the most out of the scheme and it was great to spend time with likeminded people. The lawyers that worked there were very approachable and keen to help us with applications, career choices and personal development.

In terms of personal training and development, the firm invested a huge deal in us. They spent a lot of time teaching us about Hogan Lovells, such as the structure of the firm, their departments, what makes them different etc. which has allowed us to make informed decisions about the firm. They also gave us advice on how to make successful applications, and Christopher Stoakes was very patient and informative when teaching us about the City, ensuring we had an excellent foundation of knowledge so we could go on and make the most of the week. The whole insight week was designed to help us grow, especially we were first year students.

The insight week did a good job at showing me what it might be like to have a full-time job with Hogan Lovells. The work shadowing sessions in particular allowed me to sit in an office within three different departments and observe the day to day life of the lawyers there. There were only ten of us on the insight, so maybe it would have felt more like a cohort of future trainees if there were more of us.

I got a really good feel of the firm’s culture while at Hogan Lovells. The open door policy, teamed with their collaborative approach to work was evident to me, and everyone was very approachable and friendly. Everyone seemed to know everyone else, and the surprising lack of hierarchy was very attractive in a firm.

The content of the insight week was really useful in helping me decide my future career path. The presentations introduced me to lots of different areas of the firm, and the extensive work shadowing allowed me to help with trainee tasks and see what the lawyers there do on a day to day basis. I found the content very engaging and it definitely piqued my interest.

I was paid well for this insight week, and they also provided lunch for each day and snacks for the day, as well as a dinner one of the evenings. They were very helpful in providing advice about finances for the week and did not cause us any extra expenses.

There were ample opportunities for networking and meeting employees of the firm. Many lunches were networking opportunities with members of one of the teams at Hogan Lovells. The work shadowing sessions gave us lots of time to meet different members of the team, all the way up to partner level, and the whole week was designed to allow us to meet as many people as possible.

The networking and social opportunities were great. The food was always delicious, whether catered for by the firm or at restaurants. The drinks reception before the dinner was a wonderful way to get to know the partners and lawyers, and our trainee buddies from our work shadowing departments often took us for coffee and a chat. A longer scheme would have allowed for more opportunities.

I found out a bit about which activities are available to the employees outside of work. We were taken to see the gym inside the building! and the canteen. I learnt a lot about their LGBT+ society and about the initiatives to help women in their careers. We were told about sports and music clubs, and clearly during the LPC they are all very sociable and form great friendship bonds.

I would absolutely recommend this insight to a friend. For first years, this scheme is invaluable in helping us learn more about commercial law and how to make successful applications, as well as helping us decide whether Hogan Lovells is the right firm for us. It was well paid and the networking and socials were wonderful. I also met lots of interesting people.