Vacation Scheme Student Review

The vacation scheme was incredibly well run and gave a broad, extensive experience as to what working at Hogan Lovells would be like. We able to sit in three different seats during the scheme, so it offered a truly broad spectrum of the practice areas. There were plenty of opportunities to get involved in interesting work The scheme was complemented with great socials.

People would always take time out of their day in the corridors to introduce themselves, or come and check on you to see how you were doing. The workplace was incredibly collegiate and everybody was approachable which made it a really easy place to fit in. The graduate recruitment team were excellent at making sure that everyone had the best experience possible.

The graduate recruitment team were always on hand to provide guidance and support. The assignment of a trainee buddy at the start of the scheme meant that every student always had a specific contact who could offer advice and support. The trainee buddy's were very helpful and keen to be involved.

There were great opportunities to do real work for real clients - I learnt an incredible amount in a small period of time. I learnt plenty of things which would be of assistance when doing a training contract - such as knowing the dynamics of each department - and the type of tasks a trainee can expect to do. In addition to this, the practice of managing numerous tasks at the same time, as well as some of the research skills acquired, will be invaluable when returning to university for a final year.

The vacation scheme was incredibly well thought out, with a great balance of presentations, workshops, time spent at your desk and a great variety of socials.

The atmosphere within the firm was incredibly impressive. While everyone is incredibly hard working, it is a very personable and collegiate environment, and people are more than happy to take time out of their day to talk to you and answer your questions.

Through various sessions, socials and through the assignment of supervisors, the firm invested a colossal amount of money, as well as time in each student. There were numerous sessions geared at improving specific skills which are invaluable to a career in commercial law. This, on top of the constant advice you are able to receive from your supervisor on all aspects of your work - even down to the drafting of an email, shows how much the firm cares about the development of the vacation scheme students.

Throughout the scheme, I was able to meet and talk to a broad variety of people at the firm - all of whom were able to talk about what their job is like. Spending 3 weeks immersed in life at the firm enables you to grasp a really true picture of the culture of the firm and what day to day life there is like.

You are paid £300 a week. This is a lot if you can stay with family or friends in London, and not a lot if you have to find somewhere to stay yourself.

There are bountiful opportunities to network with a range of employees of the firm - from drinks receptions with partners, to social events with trainees and a fantastic meal at the Ivy with partners.

There was a great range of social events - averaging around 2 a week.

The vacation scheme is a fantastic way to gain a true perspective of what working at the firm is like. While you can read about the kind of work done online, experiencing it first hand is invaluable. Likewise, getting to know the distinct culture of the firm is a great way to see if it is a place where you would like to work in the future.