EmployAbility is delighted to be working with Herbert Smith to offer disabled students and graduates opportunities to gain invaluable work experience and an insight into the industry through their excellent Winter Vacation Scheme.

By choosing to start your career with Herbert Smith you’ll be joining some of the brightest minds in the legal profession, doing the best work for the best clients.

The Firm

Herbert Smith LLP is an international legal practice with over 1,400 lawyers across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It also has a major focus on emerging markets, including China, India and Russia. This, combined with an alliance with Gleiss Lutz and Stibbe and a network of relationship firms, enables Herbert Smith to provide a seamless, cross-border service on a global level.

Types of Work

Herbert Smith covers over 30 specialist areas of law and is the leading litigation firm in Europe and Asia, and is well known for its merger, acquisition and take-over advice, as well as most forms of financing. Its specialist services include energy, competition, insurance and intellectual property practices.

Clients include FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, investment banks and governments. Herbert Smith’s reputation for thought leadership and for innovative legal work crosses most sectors of industry and commerce. Another major attraction for clients is an award-winning in-house advocacy unit – the first such unit in the UK. It allows Herbert Smith to offer a complete litigation service, in which teams of solicitors and barristers work together from the outset to prepare and present cases.

About the Vacation Scheme

During the two weeks you will be exposed to the highest quality contentious and non-contentious work and have an opportunity to sit with a partner or associate in a different practice area each week.  You will be treated as one of the team and given real work for real clients.  In addition, there will be a range of talks, workshops and social events for you to enjoy, which will enable you to get to know people in the firm on an informal basis. Wherever you work within Herbert Smith you’ll find an enjoyable and supportive environment. Their collegiate and non-hierarchical culture means you’ll learn to think creatively, challenge assumptions and take nothing at face value.

Who should apply?

Throughout the application and interview process Herbert Smith are as interested in your potential as your qualifications. The Herbert Smith EmployAbility opportunities are aimed at bright, talented individuals who can demonstrate an excellent academic record and have a keen interest in becoming a qualified solicitor. Other key qualities include: excellent commercial awareness, strong analytical skills and judgement, lateral thinking and initiative.

This scheme is open to penultimate year students, finalists and graduates of law and any other degree discipline.

The Winter Vacation Scheme runs from 5-16^th December 2011

Please contact EmployAbility should you have any questions or require further information regarding the Herbert Smith Winter Vacation Scheme. We can provide additional information about this programme and can give you useful advice and tips on how to make a successful application.