Eager freshers will have the opportunity to experience life at Hogan Lovells after the firm confirmed plans to launch a vacation scheme for first year law undergraduates next Spring.
The top ten law firm intends to pay aspiring lawyers who take part in the week-long placement, with further details set to be finalised later this year.
Head of resourcing Clare Harris said: “It is clearly important for us is to get the best people, and we feel by reaching out to students in their first year we are sure to find some very focused and motivated individuals.”
“The job market is such that people are anxious to improve their job prospects, and it logically follows that some sort of experience would help them. With the tuition fee increase there seems to be more of an appetite for people to do this, and the most switched on students will work out the importance of seizing such opportunities,”she added.
Harris explained that the scheme will differ from its fully-fledged vacation schemes on offer to second and third year students, as it will take the form of an extended version of its open days, which include workshops, presentations and case studies.
The application criteria will also take a similar format to its open days, requesting students to complete a short application form, stating their work experience and answer three questions.
Elsewhere, Herbert Smith has successfully completed its first two-day open days for first year university students, which the firm hopes will become an annual event.
Head of resourcing Peter Chater explained that Herbert Smith chose to host the open days to provide a taster of what being a lawyer is like, and to encourage the students to apply to the formal vacation schemes the following year.
He said: “Even if you are someone who has known since the age of 12 that you want to be a lawyer, there’s no substitute for coming in and seeing what it is actually like. It’s an experience that they will both enjoy and learn from. It will improve their commercial awareness which will help them if they later come to interview for a vacation scheme or training contract.”
“I think if you are savvy enough to look for that opportunity in your first year at university, then you’re likely to be a driven individual and good candidate,” he added.
Readers' comments (1)
Anon | 5-May-2011 1:12 pm
Savvy enough or coming straight from a school which has spoon-fed you careers advice from a young age.
This will do nothing to help diversity as many students from less privileged backgrounds/poor schools will still not entirely understand the complexities of the TC recruitment process way into university life.
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