First Year Workshop Review

The Herbert Smith Freehills first year workshop was extremely valuable in terms of practical experience and theory. I found the setup of the scheme to be really structured and done in such a way to enhance our experience. For example the first day we were given talks about the firm and engaged in a negotiation exercise, whereas the second day had a stronger emphasis on actually experiencing life as a trainee firsthand.

I felt very valued throught my duration at the firm. Everyone was extremely welcoming and always open to answering questions. Furthermore, at the end of the first day we were all take to a rooftop bar, Boundary, in which employees at the firm and students from the scheme were able to network in an informal setting.

There was quite a lot of guidance and support offered during the insight days. For example we were given various talks on how to submit a good application in relation to further schemes at the firm. Furthermore we were all assigned a trainme who we then shadowed who was always available to answer any questions.

I developed various skills, however since the insight event was only two days there was so much knowledge one cam acquire. During the work shadowing I definitely learnt how to maximize my attention to detail. Furthermore we participated in two negotiation exercises which helped me to further develop my negotiation skills.

The insight day was extremely structured. We were given a timetable detailing exactly what was going to occur throughout the two days. This timetable was strictly adhered to. This meant that we always knew what was happening. Also the fact we were given an office tour on the first day meant but on the second day we were a lot more comfortable when doing our work shadowing.

There was a really nice atmosphere. All the students came from all over the UK and were very friendly and very keen to learn. Also the trainees were very friendly and extremely positive about Herbert Smith Freehills. The speakers were all very enthusiastic. This made the experience a lot more pleasurable as it seemed like everyone was happy to be there.

Herbert Smith Freehills really invested in Each individual. This was evident in the numerous talks we were given about the different practice areas and about different skills that a lawyer may need. For example there were two negotiation exercises which allowed us to exercise the skills we were taught by a previous speaker.

The insight day was extremely useful and it definitely helped to form an idea about what would be like to be a lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills. For example we were given talks from employees from various different points in their career to get a broad overview which was very helpful.

The insight was very helpful in understanding the company culture. The reason being that there were various occassions where we were able to talk to individuals in Herbert Smith Freehills in an informal setting. This allowed me to see what the employees were actually like and to get a genuine feel for the kind of people at the firm.

The content of the day was quite helpful in helping me to decide on my future career path. The insight event cemented my passion for becoming a commercial solicitor as I was able to gain a greater insoght into what the role actually entailed. I also like the theoretical information we were taught.

I am a London student so did not need any accommodation and I believe travel expenses under a certain amount aren’t actually reimbursed. Howver I am aware of numerous students who came from different parts of the UK who were given accommodation and whose travel expenses were indeed reimbursed.

Yes there were plenty of opportunities to netweok throughout the event. On the first day were were even taken to a rootftop bar, caled Boundary, where we were joined by numerous employees form Herbert Smith Freehills. This allowed us to network in a very informal setting. We were also given the opportunity to network at lunch.

As explained previously the social events amd networking opportunities were great. To reiterate were were even taken to a rootftop bar, caled Boundary, where we were joined by numerous employees form Herbert Smith Freehills. This allowed us to network in a very informal setting. Since it was a two day scheme there weren’t that many opportunities to network.

Yes we were given many talks on various things trainees can get involved in. We had one talk about pro bono opportunities which was heavily encouraged throughout the firm. We were also told about different societies employees can join and that there was a heavy emphasis on diversity regarding ethnicity and gender.

I would almost certainly recommend the first year scheme at Herbert Smith Freehills To anyone considering a career in commercial law. This is because from my experience this scheme was very insightful. It was the perfect opportunity to gain an insight into what the life of a trainee entails in reality.