First Year Insight Scheme Participant Review

The first year insight scheme was extremely engaging. It is perfect for those who enjoy interactive discussion and debate. For example, the negotiation and mediation exercises encouraged us to apply our skills and collaborate with our teammates. This is a fantastic way to demonstrate the daily tasks of associates at HSF.

I felt like the firm really cared about each participant as an individual as the job shadowing segment provided me with a one to one, face to face opportunity to talk to a trainee. However, I was a bit taken aback by how there were a lot of participants in the scheme.

The fact that there were two staff members from graduate recruitment sat at the back of the room the whole time was very reassuring to us. We could ask them questions whenever we felt unsure. Moreover, the schedule in the booklet really helped mentally prepare us for what was coming next.

The job shadowing segment truly demonstrated to me the day to day work of a trainee. It provided great insight as to what corporate lawyers do, which really helped with my understanding of what the job entails and my level of interest in pursuing a legal career in commercial law.

The schedule and selection of activities was organised well. However, we did not manage to go through all the stations for the interdepartmental career talk. (15 April, first year insight scheme) We all missed one department which was a bit disappointing. Nonetheless, the content and duration of each segment was well chosen.

A smaller group of participants would be preferred. Nonetheless, the networking night on the 15th of April (first year insight scheme) was an amazing chance for us to talk to trainees and other participants in a more casual and laid back manner. The choice of venue (rooftop bar) was amazing!

The one to one opportunity to shadow the trainee truly demonstrated how much the firm values us. Despite being loaded with work, my trainee [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyPlacement Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] was willing to sacrifice his time to talk about specific clients, articles and case-law with me.

The job shadowing segment with the trainee was definitely helpful in illustrating the work of commercial lawyers. However, it may be a good idea to let first year insight scheme participants mark their preferences as to which department they would like to shadow. This would perhaps better demonstrate what the firm does with respect to the interest of the participant.

I had the chance to talk to one trainee about the culture of the firm during the job shadowing segment. Moreover, I was able to witness the relationship dynamic between the trainee and his associate. I also had the chance to gain insight about the culture of the firm during the networking event and the interdepartmental career tour.

The insight day was a great opportunity for me to immerse myself in the working environment of commercial lawyers at Herbert Smith Freehills and experience their day-to-day work. It was a good way to gain insight which cannot be obtained through open days and law fairs. It really helped me with deciding the direction of my career path in the future.

The networking night on the 15th of April was an amazing opportunity to meet trainees at the firm. The location was very nice. The drinks and food were of high quality. It was, in general, a good atmosphere for networking and truly allowed us to find out more about the firm's culture.

We did have a talk on pro bono work experiences, like the Whitehall legal practice and BEAM. I also had the chance to talk to the trainee I shadowed about what he did during the weekends and how he handled his work life balance. [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyPlacement Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] also shared about how she managed to play rugby competitively during the trainee panel. (15/4, first yr scheme)

I would definitely recommend this insight scheme to other people. The variety of activities that I participated in was well chosen. In particular, the mediation negotiation workshop were great opportunities that brought the scheme to a next level. The job shadowing segment also demonstrated how the firm is enthusiastic in giving first years a taste of commercial law.