Vacation Scheme Review

I had a brilliant time during the Vacation Scheme. Whilst the scheme was virtual due to COVID-19, SH did a fantastic job of emulating the experience I would have received, had the scheme been in the London office. The practice area talks were engaging, interactive and highly insightful. The assigned tasks I undertook throughout the week were challenging yet informative regarding the typical role of a trainee, which I found very helpful, as a non-law student. The firm also organised two excellent social events, which were great opportunities to chat with both trainees and other Vacation Scheme candidates.

Throughout the entire week, I always felt valued and that, despite their busy schedules, everyone at the firm always had time for me and was genuinely interested in any questions I asked. I was given a trainee buddy and associate supervisor, who were both very open and insightful regarding the culture of the firm, as well as their work. Moreover, after emailing several associates who ran the practice group talks, all of them replied with detailed emails or offered to have a call, in order to answer my additional questions.

Again, whilst the scheme was virtual, the support I received throughout the Vacation Scheme was superb. Firstly, [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] (both from SH Graduate Recruitment) were excellent at arranging daily groups calls and one-to-one chats with all candidates, in order to allow us to ask any questions we might have and to check how we were finding everything. We were also encouraged to reached out to our buddies and supervisors, at any time, who were open to further discussions.

The main sources of information were the practice talks during the week. These gave excellent insight into the nature of the work on offer within that area, as well as the tasks that a trainee would typically undertake. A a non-law student, this sessions have supplemented my understanding of the role of lawyers across various industries, which will be vital for my GDL. We were also tasked with researching and delivering a group presentation on the impact of innovation on a selected practice group, which developed my teamwork and public speaking skills.

The structure of the scheme was impeccable and highly organised. We were sent a timetable before the scheme began, in order to aid our preparations. Each day was varied, with activities including practice group talks, trainee lunches and assigned tasks. [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 great at ensuring the scheme ran smoothly and that all the candidates could ensure we were well-prepared for, and not surprised by, any elements of the scheme. In my view, this was one area that was most impressive about the scheme.

The scheme being virtual was always likely to detract from the ability for candidates to gain an insight into the culture and working atmosphere of the firm. However, given that this was unavoidable, the environment and culture of SH that came across on the scheme was open and welcoming. I didn't really feel a sense of competitiveness between candidates and the group task ensured that we were all working together, which was good fun. The Diversity and Inclusion talk also ensured that candidates were able to get to know one another a bit better, which made the atmosphere more relaxed.

I think that the scheme was more focused on exposing the candidates to the culture of the firm, as well as the nature of work that the firm undertakes and understandably so, given that it was virtual. However, I did also feel that that the firm was really rooting for all of us to do ourselves justice throughout the scheme, and particularly within the Assessment Centre. Notable areas of personal training and development included the Diversity and Inclusion session and the Innovation group task.

The range of practice talks and opportunities to speak to current employees at SH, ranging from trainee level through to partner, enabled me to get a great understanding of what life would be like working at SH. The tasks we undertook, within Rail Finance, Commercial Litigation and Innovation, were also beneficial in this respect. Given the virtual and shortened nature of the scheme, SH placed more of an emphasis of talks and networking, and rightly so. However, I think one area that was missing, due to the scheme being virtual, was being able to undertake more trainee tasks across a range of areas.

Given the scheme being virtual, I don't think SH could have done a better job in exposing all candidates to the culture at the firm. This was achieved through a variety of methods. Firstly, the ability to speak 1:1 with a trainee and supervisor was very helpful, since it allowed for an open and honest conversation about all aspects of the firm. There were also other means through which I gained an insight into the culture of SH, including trainee lunches and all members of SH, such as those running the practice area talks, being so open to answering any queries I had.

After the Vacation Scheme at SH, I have no doubt that a career within Commercial Law is for me. The content delivered in the practice group talks was highly effective in developing my understanding of the role of both trainees and associates within those areas. The scheme also provided insight into the skills required, in order to succeed within commercial law, such as attention to detail and commercial awareness. To some degree, the scheme also demonstrated how important resilience and work ethic is within commercial law, since I found myself working late into the evening most days.

Yes - even though the scheme was virtual, SH ensured we were able to network with both employees of the firm, as well as other candidates. Socials - we had to socials during the week. One was a notebook-making social, which was quite interactive, and the other was doughnut decorating. The firm sent out all equipment and ingredients to us before the scheme. All socials had a variety of trainees attending, which was great to gain further insight into the firm.

The social events were good fun, even though the scheme was virtual. One area which might be changed is for the trainee lunch to be segmented into smaller groups, since the call had around 30 participants.

Yes - I found out about a variety of areas. Sports - the firm has a variety of teams, such as tag rugby and a running squad, which was encouraging. CSR - the firm also has an appealing range of CSR initiatives to get involved in, including cooking for the homeless and running sessions with Whizz Kids.

Absolutely - whilst getting onto the scheme is highly competitive, it was a great experience and I'd really encourage others to apply!