Herbert Smith Freehills Work Experience Section

[sebastianyatra]

Hi everyone,

I was about to submit my HSF Open Day application when I noticed that there wasn't a section where we could fill in our activities. Does the firm want us to put our extracurricular experience (e.g. being a committee member at a university society) in the work experience section as well?

Also wanted to ask those who have started their vacation scheme application whether there's a section where we can specifically fill in details about extracurriculars and achievements, or whether it's better to just put everything in the work experience section.

Thank you!

 

[IceFloe]

One of the application questions is about your skills and attributes - you can discuss your ECAs and achievements more here. I don't think there's a dedicated box for them on their own, though.

 

[Manifesting]

Hey!

I submitted a vacation scheme application and I didn't find a section either to specifically detail my extracurriculars and achievements. Instead, you can sprinkle in these throughout the essay questions, which thankfully have a limit of 300 words and not the standard 250.

In my application, I used part of the "why HSF" question to speak about my legal volunteer work as a way to demonstrate interest in the firm's pro bono practice. I used the "skills, qualities and attributes" question to speak about how taking leadership roles in societies helped build relevant skills for HSF. And I used the "introduce us to a topic" question to showcase my personality and one of my interests. I wanted to link that to an extracurricular I did but ended up not including it, but that is something I hope to talk about in an interview, (fingers crossed) if it happens.

I personally didn't include society work as work experience but I definitely think that you could. (Especially since the Open Day application presumably doesn't have all these essay questions.) I think there is a limit of 10 work experience entries, so you do have the space. Remember to really flesh out things in the work experience space. Write in prose and link everything back to what HSF looks for because they explicitly ask for this.

 

[sebastianyatra]

Thanks both!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Being a committee member on a society is work experience, so definitely include it!

One of the application questions is about your skills and attributes - you can discuss your ECAs and achievements more here. I don't think there's a dedicated box for them on their own, though.

I disagree - any society position is not work experience. It is extra curricular activity

 

[IceFloe]

I disagree - any society position is not work experience. It is extra curricular activity

My mistake!

 

[sebastianyatra]

I disagree - any society position is not work experience. It is extra curricular activity

Thanks for your input Jessica, how would you recommend writing about important committee experience if there isn't a section for it in the application? Or is society experience not necessary for open days?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thanks for your input Jessica, how would you recommend writing about important committee experience if there isn't a section for it in the application? Or is society experience not necessary for open days?

Sounds like it isn't important to the application form. What information do you have to provide/what questions are you asked?

 

[sebastianyatra]

Sounds like it isn't important to the application form. What information do you have to provide/what questions are you asked?

Thank you for clarifying - the app just asked one question on 'How would attending this Open Day benefit you'. I was mainly wondering whether it would be a similar structure for the vac scheme application and @Manifesting had a great response.

 

[Manifesting]

Since HSF has specialised Open Days (Disputes / Intellectual Property (IP), Cyber and Technology / Innovation) I would focus on how learning about those areas at the Open Day would benefit you. You can highlight what led you to develop an interest in them (whether extracurriculars, modules, conferences, etc.) and what you are keen to learn about (e.g. understanding what it is like to practise in that area at HSF). Also highlight why you are interested in HSF and any opportunities you have already had to interact with them. HSF has a "Behind the Headlines" series held over Hopin that are super useful to understand the firm and have a chance to speak to GR and I believe there should be some held this week too.

 

[bethbristol]

I disagree - any society position is not work experience. It is extra curricular activity

Would something like law clinic work be ok to put in the work experience section here as they don't have a volunteering section? I have a lot of extra curriculars and this seems like the best option to take out of my actual application answers and put into the work experience

 

[Jessica Booker]

Would something like law clinic work be ok to put in the work experience section here as they don't have a volunteering section? I have a lot of extra curriculars and this seems like the best option to take out of my actual application answers and put into the work experience

Law clinics are slightly different as you are assigned work, and so would be more aligned to work experience.

 

[mustardcustard]

Law clinics are slightly different as you are assigned work, and so would be more aligned to work experience.

Dear Jessica,


Would you say a two-day shadowing count as work experience? I was given research tasks and attended a client presentation.

Also, I saw your previous answer that experiences such as attending open days, workshops etc. should be combined as one work experience entry instead of each having a separate entry. What heading would you recommend I use for them? (Would something along the lines of 'misc. experiences' do?)

 

[Jessica Booker]

Dear Jessica,


Would you say a two-day shadowing count as work experience? I was given research tasks and attended a client presentation.

Also, I saw your previous answer that experiences such as attending open days, workshops etc. should be combined as one work experience entry instead of each having a separate entry. What heading would you recommend I use for them? (Would something along the lines of 'misc. experiences' do?)

Yes - to me that is work experience, although given it is only two days I wouldn’t prioritise this over a longer term job (if you were limited to the number of work experience placements or didn’t have enough space on your application), even if it was a part time job in something like retail or hospitality.

It will show you are interested in a career in law and pursued opportunities to learn more but it’s unlikely to demonstrate much of your skill set in all honesty.

As for a collective title it really depends how you are demonstrating it and what is in there. I have known people include other activities such as conferences or mentoring programmes in such sections too. I wouldn’t use something as broad as “misc experiences” - think about what theme you are you trying to achieve by bringing them together in one entry. It’s probably not appropriate to put everything in there - so what theme is there going to be to collectively put them together and then use a heading that is appropriate to that theme. Any singular or combination of the following phrases I often see though:

- Insight programmes
- Career opportunities
- Open days
- Legal events