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Stephenson Harwood

Vacation Scheme Review

at Stephenson Harwood

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

Commercial Law

London

Review Submitted: July 2021

Overall Rating

4.8 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Experience
4.8/5 - Skills Development
4.5/5 - Company Culture
5/5 - Overall Experience
5/5 - Recommendations and Advice

Overview of Experience

Please give an overview of the insight and what was involved on a day-to-day basis.
This would usually be a two week in person vacation scheme, but reverted to a one week virtual scheme due to COVID. The days involved presentations and introductions with different departments, and time to complete individual tasks. On two of the evenings we also had socials with other placement scheme students and current trainees. There is one day dedicated to the assessment centre.
What was it like understanding all about the business and potential roles available?
It was really enjoyable meeting the different departments at the firm and understanding the kind of work trainees get involved in. Meeting the MIT department in particular was really interesting as this is a department/work you might not have had exposure to at other firms. The presentations gave a glimpse into real life cases, and trainees gave an honest account of what they're day to day work looks like.
Please rate how insightful you found the insight
5/5
How would you rate the structure of the insight
5/5

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
The experience was a great opportunity to learn more about different areas of law, and the individual tasks also allowed you to develop your research skills. Part of the assessment involves giving presentations to your peers and answering questions on your work, so it was a good opportunity to develop those skills too.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around industry-specific skills during the experience?
5/5
How would you rate the knowledge learned around personal or professional skills during the experience?
4/5
Please rate how the knowledge learned has helped you with regards to your career development
5/5

Company Culture

How would you rate business leader involvement during the insight
4/5
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
Extremely welcoming and friendly. Lawyers at all levels from partner through to trainee were really keen to talk to you and invited you to get stuck in with everything. The graduate recruitment team are also some of the loveliest people you'll meet and spent lots of time chatting to us in between sessions. It really feels like the firm wants to get to know you and they want you to succeed.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the networking opportunities?
4/5
Please rate how valued you felt during your insight?
5/5

Overall Experience

To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
I really enjoyed the scheme and I got a lot of value out of it. The presentations were interactive and interesting (I particularly enjoyed the comm lit and MIT sessions) and I loved hearing about real cases the firm has worked on. I've also been in touch with lawyers at the firm after the scheme ended and they've been more than happy to talk and answer questions which is amazing.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on the insight
5/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5
Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
I was paid

Recommendations and Advice

Please rate the future employment prospects at Stephenson Harwood
5/5
Would you recommend Stephenson Harwood to a friend?
Yes
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Stephenson Harwood
Spend time getting to know the firm's strengths and the markets they work in; Demonstrate a genuine interest in their work; Try reaching out to current trainees to get a sense of what it's like working at the firm; Be yourself as much as possible and show that you are well rounded; Take advantage of open days and webinars!
In This Review
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