Student Review

There was a lot of information and presentations for us to attend, as well as a genuine insight into the work that trainees undertake, making a really successful combination to give us a great experience. Every one I met was friendly, interested, and sincere, and everything I did was interesting.

I was assigned a partner mentor for the fortnight, which really meant a lot because everyone knows how busy a partner at a top legal firm is - yet here they took time out to have a coffee with us and get to know us. We also were given a trainee buddy each week, which was fantastic because it showed the firm really wanted us to be able to identify with the work we undertook and to feel that we can ask questions and really be involved. Also, we sat with senior associates/partners, who went out of their way to make us feel welcome. It was brilliant.

I could ask any question I wanted at any time, and would be able to get an in depth answer with more information and background than was necessary. I also had the support of not just assigned trainees and associates, but the whole department, which was friendly and very encouraging of questions and interest.

I learnt a lot about the practical application of academic knowledge, and this in turn furthered my knowledge in these areas. However, the bulk of what I learnt was covering new ground that I believe will be extremely helpful in the future when I undertake a training contract.

Extremely well structured, we had the week timetabled so always knew where we were supposed to be and the aim of each thing we did.

Friendly, fun and supportive, whilst the work was clearly hard and the departments often under a lot of stress and pressure, that wasn't reflected in the atmosphere at all; everyone had time for one another, and they play as hard as they work.

The firm put on talks and workshops for general knowledge and skills (such as negotiation skills), and also ensured that we were being developed by our trainee buddies and supervisors who listened to our questions and what we wanted to learn from the scheme.

Whilst the scheme was necessarily short (because of the time of year), it was packed full of opportunities to really get to know what the firm valued and how it went about ensuring those values were a priority. There was plenty of opportunity to learn about this directly from people working there, who were always willing to make time for a coffee to chat with me about what the firm is like. I feel that if I started tomorrow there would be very little that would take me by surprise.

Whilst I already was aware that Herbert Smith Freehills values the individual and is a friendly firm, I was surprised at the extent to which that was true. The culture was all about everyone working hard and working as a team in the real sense of the word, with strong and sincere friendships as a given fundamental underlying every department.

I was already pretty sure I wanted to be a solicitor in a big city firm; having experienced this vac scheme made that even more certain.

I was paid and I believe it was adequate pay.

There were a number of organised social events where we had plenty of opportunity to meet people from the firm in a wide range of positions and departments. We also were frequently able to talk to any person we felt we had something to ask.

Excellent, they were pitched just right, and the social event of go-karting was incredibly fun and a great release from some of the nerves that attending a vac scheme creates.

There seem to be many, many pro bono opportunities and similar things that help the local community.

It was fun, practical and I learnt a lot - definitely worth anyone interested in a career as a lawyer experiencing.