Stephenson Harwood LLP

Why Stephenson Harwood? Emma Taylor and Bonnie Fitch, apprentices at Stephenson Harwood

We sat down with Emma Taylor and Bonnie Fitch to find out why they became apprentices at Stephenson Harwood.

Why did you choose the apprentice route?
Emma: I chose the apprentice route because of the future prospects. I believe an apprenticeship presents a platform for a long-term career and I’m able to specialise as a paralegal and gain knowledge which will specifically enable me to develop in this role. An apprenticeship enables me to learn and develop my knowledge within a top law firm in the heart of London, gathering hands-on experience directly from experts in this field. It also means I can begin my career, earn money and gain life experience at the same time.

Bonnie: I was excited by the idea of working in a legal environment, while having the opportunity to develop my knowledge of the law further through studying as an apprentice.

How did you find the application and interview process?
Bonnie: I was very impressed by the application and interview process at Stephenson Harwood as I was made to feel welcome throughout the whole process. The application process was simple and involved me sending off my CV, while the assessment day consisted of two interviews and a written task. The atmosphere at the firm during the assessment day was one that I immediately knew I could see myself working in. The interviewers and staff members who helped me were very friendly and welcoming and it was obvious that they wanted us to be ourselves and do our best. After our interviews, we had the opportunity to have lunch and meet with existing paralegals at the firm. This was an invaluable experience that enabled us to find out more about what it’s like to work for a professional firm and made me feel that I would really enjoy being a part of Stephenson Harwood.

Emma: The application was online and required the completion of several questions. I then took part in a telephone interview and a week later I received a phone call inviting me to the assessment day. On the assessment day I felt anxious, but when I arrived everyone was really welcoming. Overall the application and interview process was challenging yet enjoyable!

Why did you choose to apply to Stephenson Harwood?
Bonnie: Stephenson Harwood stood out to me as being a well-organised and well-respected law firm. Throughout school, when thinking about my future career, I had always seen myself joining a firm like Stephenson Harwood and attending their assessment day consolidated my views that this would be somewhere I would enjoy working and would fit in.

Emma: I chose to apply to Stephenson Harwood because of the great reputation the firm has both for its friendly work environment and the excellent service it delivers. Stephenson Harwood’s core values of individuality, team work, commitment and straight talking particularly resonated with me. Another reason Stephenson Harwood appealed to me is because it enables the opportunity to work within a diverse working environment alongside a high calibre of legal professionals.

What are you looking forward to doing as an apprentice?
Bonnie: I’m looking forward to working with and learning from experts in different areas of law. I’m excited at having the opportunity to apply my knowledge to real cases and I’m also looking forward to learning areas of the law more in-depth. Studying with BPP University will allow me to gain knowledge that I can put towards a qualification and utilise in my work at Stephenson Harwood.

Emma: I’m looking forward to being able to work as a member of a close-knit team, assisting on a range of tasks, as well as being able to gain skills and knowledge from experienced members of my team, gaining a wider insight in to more complex legal knowledge. In particular, I’m looking forward to being a valued member of a team, entrusted to engage in tasks such as assisting with the opening and closing of files.

About the firm

Senior partner: Eifion Morris

Managing partner: Rebecca Carter

Other offices: Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris, Seoul, Singapore, Piraeus, Shanghai.

Who we are: Stephenson Harwood is a law firm of over 1,300 people worldwide, including more than 200 partners. Our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients – listed and private companies, institutions and individuals. We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients’ needs and give the right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to overcome the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world.

What we do: We advise a wide range of clients, including listed and private companies, institutions and individuals. Our experience encompasses corporate, commercial litigation and arbitration, finance, marine and international trade, real estate and projects, and employment, pensions and private wealth. We pride ourselves on supporting our people to reach their full potential, so as a solicitor apprentice you can expect to work in close-knit teams, where associates and partners will take responsibility for ensuring that you get in on the heart of the action on the matters on which you work.

What we’re looking for: The ability to quickly assimilate a wealth of information and identify the main issues is critical. You’ll have an excellent academic record (ideally predicted at least ABB at A-level) and be able to make well-reasoned decisions and have meticulous attention to detail.

Strong, productive relationships with colleagues as well as clients are vital to every area of our work and therefore interpersonal skills are paramount too. You need to be good at expressing yourself clearly and succinctly – both face-to-face and in writing – and you’ll know how to tailor your message to your audience, build rapport and be persuasive.

Ambitious, driven and inquisitive, you’ll love a challenge and have the resilience needed to respond well to feedback and adapt to working in a changing environment. As someone who always keeps the end result firmly in mind and is enthusiastic even under pressure, you’ll be able to show us you know how to get a job not just done but done brilliantly – to the very best of your ability.

Lastly, you won’t be afraid to question and challenge, or to put forward practical solutions and ideas that are well thought through. We’re known for sound commercial judgement and our international outlook, so you’ll need the potential to develop the same skills.

What you’ll do: We’ll provide you with exciting opportunities to work on deals with international clients and you will also complete your studies at the same time.

On the academic side you will gain lots of useful knowledge which you’ll be able to use in your everyday work. BPP Law School will teach the course through a combination of online and face-to-face learning, and you’ll have one day a week to dedicate entirely to your studies.

You’ll be part of a team of partners, associates, trainees and paralegals; you can expect to be helping our lawyers with a variety of tasks. You could find yourself working on anything from a high-profile, multimillion-pound financial litigation case to a ground-breaking M&A deal. You could also spend time on secondment at a client’s office, absorbing a totally different business culture first-hand. We would also encourage you to take up one of our international secondment opportunities for our apprentices in our offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris, Singapore and Seoul – it’s an incredible chance to expand your horizons, experience new cultures and explore our global network.

Duties may vary considerably according to the specialist area that the role is based within. However, tasks may involve carrying out factual and legal research; assisting with the opening, progress and closing of files; reviewing documents; drafting forms and other legal documents; or handling confidential information.

It will be a challenge, but we’ll provide you with lots of support with a dedicated supervisor and buddy/mentor and lots of opportunities for training and development.

Perks: We offer a range of flexible benefits including group critical illness cover, Cycle to work scheme, dental insurance, Give as you earn, gym membership subsidy, 25 days’ paid holiday a year, private medical insurance and health screening, life assurance, group personal pension, private GP services, retail vouchers, subsidised café and season ticket loan.

Seat options

Commercial litigation; corporate; pensions and private wealth; real estate and projects; finance; employment; marine and international trade.

Diversity and inclusion