Get to Know Us | Isabella Mellberg, Law Student Trainee, Competition & Procurement, Stockholm

How did you end up as a law student trainee at Hannes Snellman?

My initial plan for this autumn was actually to study abroad, but my exchange got cancelled due to the pandemic. I was therefore already prepared to suspend my law studies when I saw that the application period for Hannes Snellman's Law Student Trainee Programme was open. I thought it seemed like an interesting opportunity to gain new experience, and since I was interested in learning more about what working at a business law firm was like, I decided to apply.

Tell us a little bit about your time here as a law student trainee.

I have spent four months working full time at the Stockholm office in the Competition & Procurement Team, which was the business area I was the most interested in. During my traineeship, I have worked together with the lawyers in my team, participated in meetings, and assisted lawyers with various tasks relating to the daily work. Even though I have had my main practice group, I have also worked with other business area groups with various assignments.

The tasks I have been given have varied, and they have included conducting legal investigations, proofreading documents, reviewing agreements, and doing translation work. I have also been able to take part in the firm’s training opportunities, and I have therefore participated in several Hannes Academy lectures and Legal English lessons.

One fun and quite different experience during my time as a trainee was a cross-border project called Trainee Innovation Opportunity. As part of this project, me and my fellow trainee Olivia got the chance to travel to Hannes Snellman's office in Helsinki, where we gave a presentation during a joint lunch session with the Tech & Innovation Team and all of the trainees working in the Helsinki office.

Apart from this, I have also participated in quite a few social events, both internal and external. I have represented Hannes Snellman at a law career fair, participated in a dodgeball tournament, been to an office party, and spent time with my colleagues over Friday after-work drinks.

What has been the best and what has been the most challenging part of working as a trainee?

The best part of working as a trainee has been getting the opportunity to get involved in interesting legal matters and getting to know a lot of great people. I enjoy studying law, but it is a lot more fun and rewarding to work on real cases, and the practical work has taught me things that university has not. As the trainee programme lasts for four months, you also have plenty of time to get to know your colleagues and feel like you are truly part of the firm.

The most challenging part has been the fact that it is a big transition going from studying to practical work. After 3.5 years of studying law, I am comfortable with seminars and exams, while working has meant facing a lot of new tasks and realising how much you do not learn at university. This is something challenging, but it is also what makes the Law Student Trainee Programme such an educational experience.

What are your top three tips for future trainees?

1. Keep in mind that the Law Student Trainee Programme is a learning opportunity. No one expects you to know everything on day one and it is okay to have a lot of questions.

2. Get to know your colleagues in other groups and learn about their work as well. By speaking to people working within different practice areas, you can gain insight of what the different business area groups do and what areas you find interesting.

3. Participate in the Hannes Academy lectures. Hannes Academy is Hannes Snellman's internal education programme, and it provides a great opportunity to gain knowledge about different legal topics.

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