Post by Suryaveer Mehta

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Herbert Smith Freehills First Year Workshop. This workshop provided an invaluable understanding of life and work at HSF. The first day began with a word from Ajay Malhotra, a disputes and graduate recruitment partner at HSF. He highlighted the international nature of working at HSF, a common thread weaving throughout the two days. Next was a case study session on the merger of Capco and Shaftesbury — two of Central London’s major landlords. Through this case study, I learnt about the intricacies of a merger deal and the creative thought process that goes into finding an innovative solution. HSF prides itself on their Pro-Bono work. Even with over 75,000 pro bono hours last year, Sanae Elmed and Lara Nassif were clear that it was not the number of hours that mattered, but the impact of the work. In a session regarding the HSF Responsible Business Team, I could see the priority given to HSF values such as social impact and sustainability. On the second day, I participated in a mock mediation exercise as part of the Alternative Disputes Resolution workshop — opening me up to the world of mediation as a way to resolve disputes. Additionally, the application workshop held by the graduate recruitment team provided an important understanding of the application process and what firms look for. A special thank you to Eleanor Dunning for the tour of the London office and to Praveena N.S., whom I shadowed for an afternoon and gained experience doing some of the technical work required as a trainee. Lastly, I would like to thank Lauren Abraar, Lucy Day and the rest of the graduate recruitment team for putting together such an insightful two days. Hope to see you next year!