Vacation Scheme Student Review

The work you do is genuinely real client work, the supervisors and other members of staff are welcoming, and the social events are also great fun!

The people who delegate tasks to you are appreciative for your input and provide you with valuable advice when you have done something for them. Graduate recruitment also organise a number of lunches with people from across the firm, and everybody is interested in you and how you are finding Hogan Lovells.

Lots of training sessions are put on throughout the scheme, including technology and legal research. You also get a supervisor for whichever department you are sitting in; they are happy to answer any questions you have.

The scheme provided me with a valuable insight into the firm and the legal world. The tasks you complete also give you many transferable skills which will be useful for years to come - these include the presentations skills gained through completing a 'client pitch' (hypothetical) in the last week, advocacy skills, and many others.

Very well structured. Each vacation scheme student is provided with a planner at the beginning of the scheme (similar to a school planner!) which contains a timetable. Lots of sessions are put on such as skills workshops, presentations and talks, as well as numerous lunches. When you're not at a timetabled event, you will be in your department completing work for clients.

Everybody got on really well. The firm also do their utmost to make you feel at home and relaxed.

The firm is really interested in your progress. Whenever you bump into somebody in the corridor you have met before, they are bound to ask how you are finding the scheme. You will also attend numerous training sessions. Each vacation scheme student is given a trainee mentor to act as a supervisor for the duration of the scheme; this means that you can approach them with questions, and they are interested in your development.

It was a very accurate reflection. The time you spend in your departments is invaluable in providing you with an insight into how solicitors at the firm work.

Hogan Lovells is very proud of its collegiate culture, and this is made clear during the scheme. All members of staff, no matter their position, are friendly and welcoming. You are made to feel a part of the team from day one. But don't be fooled... people working here also work very hard!

Very useful. I now definitely intend to be a commercial solicitor.

Each vacation scheme student is paid £300 per week.

Plenty. A partner lunch was held every Friday and members of graduate recruitment are present at most of the social events. As well as this, you meet lots of people in your departments (your supervisor, other associates, trainees and partners), and spend lots of time with the firm's trainees.

Good fun. The firm organised dragon boat racing at Canary Wharf, an evening at a private bowling alley in Holborn, and a final dinner at the Ivy - among many other things!

All of the vacation scheme students were invited to sports events after work. I was even asked to play cricket with some of the firm's partners and clients!

Absolutely - if you want to be a commercial solicitor then be sure to apply for a vacation scheme at Hogan Lovells.