We believe that the opportunity to be part of Harneys' professional development programme represents the most challenging and rewarding employment opportunity available in the region to newly qualified lawyers. It offers exposure to a wide range of key practice areas in one of the largest law firms in the Eastern Caribbean. Size does bring benefits in that an organisation with strong IT and other professional support services creates an environment in which you can focus on building the commercial and legal skills which you need. However, more significant is the truly international client base which means that participants will work directly with leading lawyers in Hong Kong, London and New York.
The Programme
The programme comes from our philosophy that continued growth and success depend on recruiting the brightest and best young legal talent available, and that a dedicated programme of professional development is the best way to ensure that such talent is developed to its full potential. The professional development programme recognizes that the successful completion of your academic training is only the first step in equipping you to operate at the extremely high level required by leading global businesses. It further recognizes that making an informed choice about the area of specialisation you are best suited to is virtually impossible without first having gained some practical experience. The programme is designed to achieve these twin aims of taking the academic base you have built and enabling you to become a commercial lawyer of the highest caliber and also to enable you to make choices as to specialization from a position of practical experience. The programme has its origins in the training contract system as implemented by English law firms and comprises a 4 or 5 "seat" system to give participants the best possible chance of finding the most appropriate area of the firm in which to pursue their career. During your two year contract you will rotate through the major departments of the firm. Participants in the programme will usually have one 6 month rotation or seat in each of the following departments, Corporate and Commercial, Banking and Finance and Investment Funds and Regulatory. A further seat may be in the Litigation department or the Private Client department.
Seats in most departments will involve sharing an office with a partner or senior associate and in all cases the head of the department is directly responsible for your development. It is daily exposure to how more experienced lawyers operate that is at the heart of the programme, but you will also have the opportunity to participate fully in the firm's seminar programme. Workshops are offered which allow you not only to enhance your technical legal skills, but also build on your commercial awareness, and business, finance and management skills essential to a well-rounded legal career. There may well also be the opportunity to attend external conferences overseas.
The aim is constant feedback on your performance and progress but a formal appraisal process towards the end of each seat is designed to enable you to review your development and to assist us in ensuring you are exposed to as much of our practice as possible.
What happens when the programme ends
During the fourth seat, consultation takes place between the firm and the programme participant to determine whether extension of the contract is available and if so in which department of the firm your future lies. Whilst your preferences will form a part of that decision making process the personnel needs of the departments and offices of the firm are of primary relevance. It may be that either you or we decide that extension of your contract is not appropriate. There are a number of factors that might contribute to this decision but even if your career is not to be with us we believe that the programme will provide an extremely solid foundation and an experience which will have been rewarding in itself. The fact of having accepted you onto this programme demonstrates a commitment to you that extends to working with you to plan and assist in the next steps in your career. The programme is not a competition between participants for jobs and given our emphasis on teamwork such competition is discouraged.
The view from the other side
The Application Process Initial interviews are conducted in May of each year at the regional law school campuses by a partner of the firm. You are advised to send your résumé to the Human Resources Director well before this time. Final decisions are usually announced in July, and the programme starts in October. The successful candidate We are looking for intelligent and focussed lawyers. Perhaps the most critical characteristics are a genuine interest in commerce and a recognition that the very best lawyers strive to provide practical solutions. Very good academics are a prerequisite but alone they are not sufficient, we need evidence of an ability to take responsibility and lead (be it at school or elsewhere). We also look extremely carefully at all work experience, the ability to deal with people is as important as mental agility. Anything which demonstrates, communication and public speaking skills, leadership qualities, commercial awareness and the ability to persuade is relevant.
Preparing for interview
You may be tempted to see the interview as a one way process, simply a question of persuading us to take you on. We do not see it that way, it is as much an opportunity for you to discover whether we are the right career choice for you as anything else. For that reason as much as any other there is no excuse for not coming to the interview prepared. Information about the BVI, the firm and its practice is available from many sources including the internet and a candidate who has not done his or her homework is unlikely to have convincing reasons for applying to us.
Trainee Experience - Christopher Simpson
It has always been my desire to work in a law firm with an intellectually stimulating international corporate practice, and a friendly working environment. From the interview stage I believed that Harneys was such a firm, and after nearly two years on the job, there is no doubt in my mind that it is. Here, Trainees go through a two year, four seat rotation scheme, which personally I have found to be very enlightening as it allows Trainees the opportunity to explore various areas of practice. In my case, these areas included corporate and commercial, mutual funds, banking and finance and litigation. Harneys has a wide client base, and over the course of my training I have had the opportunity to work with numerous firms, institutions and clients in general from all over the world. From this type of exposure Trainees like myself are better poised to determine their preferred and most competent area of practice. In each department I was supervised by a Partner who was always willing to spare the extra time to explain any complex legal issue which arose. Also, other Associates are quite willing to provide assistance if required. Notwithstanding the necessary supervision, I have always been given the opportunity to express my views and make suggestions on the issues at hand. Other members of staff also play a tremendous role in the overall experience, and I must say that the general staff has been quite helpful - it really is a great working environment. Harneys is also committed to continuing legal education, and it does this by conducting internal seminars, liaising with various institutions to offer courses, and where possible provides the opportunity for Trainees to attend some form of international conference. I attended one such conference last year and found it to be very informative. Harneys has faced the new millennium head on, and I admire the Firm for its forward vision in opening an office in London, and bringing on stream new state of the art accounting and document management systems. Apart from the work scene, there is no denying that the British Virgin Islands are beautiful. The islands all have beautiful white sand beaches, and are nestled together which allows easy access to any of them by ferry. Undoubtedly, this setting also adds some flavour to the work. Clearly, my experience here at Harneys has been a great one. It has certainly lived up to my expectations by providing intellectually stimulating international corporate work in a friendly environment. I could not have made a better choice. |
