Student Review

I enjoyed the winter vacation scheme at Hogan Lovells immensely. The presentations and workshops were well chosen, well organised, and enlightening. The Induction Workshop with Brad Waldron was particularly unforgettable – it was an effective way of breaking the ice, and of providing motivation and direction so that the students may have the best chance of accomplishing their goals and enjoying their work over the following weeks.

I definitely felt valued during my time on the scheme. The recruitment team, especially the Graduate Recruitment Partners, did well to make sure that we felt welcome, and that the role of graduate trainees was important to the future of the firm. Moreover, while the work I received could undoubtedly be done by anyone else - as I expected - I never felt that the assignments I completed were irrelevant or useless to the work that was actually being done by the people around me. It was also a pleasant surprise to be included in the secret Santa, as well as department lunches.

I received plenty of guidance and support during the vacation scheme. Everyone I met was friendly and keen to answer any questions I had, so that while I was sufficiently challenged by the work I was given, I never felt truly lost. The trainee mentors gave valuable advice on how to get the most out of the scheme, while the senior associates and partners I worked with were eager to impart their knowledge.

The entire experience solidified my conviction to pursue a career as a commercial lawyer. The skills I picked up including those related to research, communication and making presentations will undoubtedly be useful to me when I begin working at the firm. The financial and legal knowledge I gathered will also be useful for me to contextualise what I learn during my GDL.

The vacation scheme was very well structured. There was a good balance between the amount of time we spent at our desks completing individual assignments given to us by our supervisors, and the amount of time spent in workshops or events, which gave us a chance to pick up new skills and valuable knowledge, and to have fun and socialise.

The general atmosphere was inclusive and stimulating. The fun might have been due to the fact that Christmas was around the corner, in addition to the numerous opportunities for students to interact with people within the firm, all of whom were encouraging and supportive. Additionally, my fellow vacation scheme students were ambitious, driven, and extremely friendly, making them an absolute pleasure to work with, especially with regards to the group presentation task.

It was clear that the recruitment team put an immense amount of effort into the students’ personal training and development throughout the scheme. The workshops and presentations were tailored to our needs and what skills were required for us to succeed, not only during the scheme but within the legal field in general.

The vacation scheme was helpful in giving a taste in what it would be like to work full time in the firm. It was useful to see how the method with which clients were charged legal fees, how decisions were made in meetings, how much time would be allocated to do certain tasks, etc. I do however have to take into consideration that the atmosphere at the firm might not be typical, due to the fact that Christmas was approaching.

The vacation scheme was extremely helpful in helping me understand company culture. It was interesting to see the differences in culture between the departments that I worked in, and how people interacted with each other. I was particularly happy with the open door policy, which encouraged collaboration as well as a general sense of community.

The content of the day was extremely valuable in helping me decide on my career path. Prior to the vacation scheme, I was interested in the field but I had no previous work experience in commercial law. By learning about broader aspects of the firm such as the general direction they are headed in and the legal industry itself, as well as the more practical aspects of what it meant to work within the firm, I was able to discern whether or not I would be happy to pursue a career as a commercial lawyer.

There were plenty of opportunities for networking and meeting other employees at the firm. Within working hours, I had ample time to spend with colleagues within the department I was working in, all of whom were keen to strike up a conversation. In addition, there were numerous events such as lunches, dinners and an ice-skating evening, in which we were able to socialise with employees in other departments.

The networking and social event opportunities were a tremendous amount of fun to attend. The ice skating evening at Somerset House was a lovely way to ensure that the vacation scheme students had a chance to socialise with their trainee mentors as well as each other. The final night dinner at Maze was also incredible - not only was the food a delight, but it was another valuable opportunity for students to socialise and learn from the partners who attended the dinner, after the stress of the training contract interviews were over.

Yes, I was able to find out about the activities that employees can get involved in outside of work. In particular, there was a very useful presentation on Pro Bono work. There was less information about any activities that employees might get involved with that might not necessarily be related to legal business.

I would absolutely recommend this vacation scheme to a friend. The scheme provided valuable insight into what it would be like to work as a commercial lawyer, the skills needed to succeed in this field, as well as the company culture specific to the firm. This is essential for decision making with regards to a student's future career. It was also thoroughly enjoyable.