Winter vacation scheme Review

The winter vacation scheme was virtual, although the first day was held at the London office. The scheme consisted of informative sessions on the firm's main practice areas, strategic aims, the business of law firms and innovation. Each vacation scheme candidate was assigned a trainee buddy and supervisor in a practice area for the week. I reached out during the free time to request for tasks to engage in real work during the scheme.

I developed existing skills further which includes but are not limited to research, drafting, and presenting skills. I have also learnt new skills such as how to apply precedents/templates when drafting documents for clients.

It was very informative and insightful as an aspiring lawyer. I learnt so much about Stephenson Harwood as a law firm and the opportunities available for professional development beyond securing a training contract and qualifying as an NQ at the firm.

Everyone I met or spoke to was lovely and seemed genuine. The associates and trainees were willing to teach and encouraged us to reach out to them anytime we had a question during the scheme even if we were not assigned into their practice area. Really great energy and good food during the first day in-person!

I really found the scheme valuable and enjoyed my experience despite it being online. This was all thanks to the hard work by the amazing people working at Stephenson Harwood.

Yes

Apply for and attend open days if you can, either virtual or in-person. This will give you a feel for the culture of the firm and further insights about their key practice areas. If you want a breadth of experiences during your training contract, Stephenson Harwood is the firm for you. Seating in a mix of contentious and non-contentious practice areas would certainly contribute to your knowledge and build you to be a multi-faceted solicitor.