Student Review

I really enjoyed the insight scheme at Stephenson Harwood. Graduate recruitment had obviously worked hard to make sure that we were offered the same experience online that we would have been in person. We were able to listen to a wide range of talks from a number of different departments within the firm in order to understand more about Stephenson Harwood and what life would be like as a trainee. We were also given 1:1 time with trainees and associates in order to have an in-depth and personalised discussion about life at Stephenson Harwood, which was a really useful insight.

One of the most obvious takeaways from the vacation scheme was how friendly and welcoming everyone at the firm is. Everyone from trainees to associates and partners seemed genuinely interested in each vacation scheme participant and were keen to find out what we were interested in. They also often offered to put us in contact with other people at the firm if we had any particular questions or interests, which was going above and beyond their job description.

In particular, graduate recruitment were really helpful and supportive throughout the vacation scheme. We were able to check in with them every morning to report how we were feeling and if we had any questions or concerns about the day ahead. I really appreciated how kind and open they were with us. It definitely made us feel relaxed throughout the week. They were also on hand during the assessment day to keep us calm and to offer support if we were feeling nervous. They definitely did a fantastic job at making us all feel included!

Obviously, as the vacation scheme was online it meant we were not able to handle any actual work that the firm was dealing with at the time. However, we were still given lots of opportunities to take part in various legal tasks throughout the week. As someone who hasn't come from a law background, I really enjoyed the opportunity to gain practical legal experience. It allowed me to develop my analytical and time-management skills, whilst also teaching me about the importance of attention to detail. These are all skills that I will be looking to develop going forward with my career.

The vacation scheme was structured exceedingly well. On the first couple of days, we mainly had talks from various partners and associates at the firm. This was a really good introduction to the firm that allowed us to get a better sense about what makes Stephenson Harwood unique. Over the week we were given tasks that gradually were more challenging. However, by starting with the less challenging tasks, the more difficult ones felt much more manageable by the end of the week. On top of this, there was also built in 1:1 time with our supervisors and buddies, as well as various evening socials. It definitely felt like we had been able to experience everything you would normally experience on a physical vacation scheme.

The general atmosphere on the vacation scheme was great! Everyone was obviously very excited to be taking part in the scheme, which meant there was a really positive and upbeat atmosphere. By the end of the week, I really felt like I had connected with the other vacation scheme participants, which was an added benefit to the scheme. All of the associates and partners we spoke to were really kind and understanding, seemingly genuinely passionate about recruiting and inspiring the next generation of trainees.

The firm allowed us to complete various tasks throughout the week. Unfortunately, due to the scheme being online this was not real casework as this would have been a data security breach. However, we still were able to take part in legal tasks. As a result, I developed my time management, communication, organisation and practical legal skills. This was invaluable experience moving on to law school and has definitely given me a better sense of the types of work lawyers undertake.

The organisers of the vacation scheme did a really good job in ensuring that we understood what it would be like to have a full-time role within the firm. We were given multiple talks from the firm's key practice areas and had the opportunity to ask the presenters specific questions about their work and what life is like within the department. On top of this, we also completed a 'day in the life of a trainee' task, which allowed us to understand the kind of work trainees undertake.

I learnt a lot about the company culture on the vacation scheme. Everyone from the trainees, associates and partners to graduate recruitment were very friendly, approachable and welcoming. All employees at the firm seemed to know one another and demonstrated good relationships between them, implying that the firm is very sociable. The partners were so kind and warm, echoing what the associates had said about Stephenson Harwood not being very hierarchical. Instead, they operate an open-door policy.

The organisers of the vacation scheme were very keen to help us understand the role of a lawyer within Stephenson Harwood. This was valuable insight and helped me confirm that this is the right career path for me. They achieved this by a wide range of talks by different people at the firm, and also by allowing us to take part in legal case studies. In addition, I gained valuable experience in understanding the specific role of trainees within each department at Stephenson Harwood. This was really useful to understand how to be a good trainee in the future.

Stephenson Harwood offered to pay us for the virtual vacation scheme week. This is extremely generous considering that we were unable to complete actual work for the firm. However, as they had initially offered us a paid internship last year, it demonstrated their commitment to following through on an offer, which shows how reliable and trustworthy they are as a firm. They also offered to reimburse expenses for any of the socials, which was very much appreciated.

There were lots of opportunities to network and meet other employees at Stephenson Harwood. We were always allowed to ask questions at the end of all presentations, and we had specific dedicated 1:1 time with both our buddy and supervisor. This allowed us to ask specific questions about the firm. Often, we were then put in touch with other people at the firm if we had an interest in a particular department. On top of this, there were lots of socials with current trainees.

There were various social events organised throughout the week. We had one on one time with our supervisors and buddies in order to ask any specific questions we had either about the firm in general or specific departments. There were also lots of opportunities to speak to various trainees at the firm, either at lunch or at evening socials. Overall, considering the vacation scheme was online, there were lots more social opportunities than I was expecting.

Stephenson Harwood has multiple activities outside of work that employees can get involved with, adding to its reputation as an inclusive and friendly firm. These included sports teams like netball and tag rugby, but also charity led initiatives and pro-Bono opportunities. In addition, the firm was keen to explain to us their current diversity and inclusion strategy, which was really interesting. It was great to hear about the fantastic work that their groups do to support LGBT+, female and BME colleagues.

Yes, I would definitely recommend this vacation scheme to a friend. Stephenson Harwood is a very friendly and welcoming firm, with everyone from graduate recruitment to the trainees, associates and partners making us feel included and valued. The scheme was a great way to understand more about how law firms work in general, what the current issues facing law firms are and how Stephenson Harwood specifically is operating in the current climate. We were also able to take part in tasks that improved our practical legal skills.